Retaliation is when someone experiences adverse consequences for doing the right thing. You wouldn't say, "Joe is a victim of retaliation. He didn't show up to work for two weeks and they retaliated by firing him!" The people who didn't like the Damore memo believed it demonstrated a fireable offense -- creating a hostile work environment by stating or implying that women are less suited to the job. They wouldn't view his firing as retaliation, because they view it as justified.

Of course, there are individuals like yourself who have a different perspective on that -- and for the purposes of keeping this discussion on topic I'll avoid sharing my views on that. Regardless, it is different from being fired or punished for reporting sexual harassment or racial discrimination. There is substantially no political group who, at least publicly, would espouse the view that such reports are wrong, or should be punishable in any way. Except I suppose if they are found to be baseless. So if someone suffers adverse consequences due to making such reports, assuming they are made in good faith, almost everyone would agree that that is retaliation.