Women and TLUG - a personal rant

[phiscock-g851W1bGYuGnS0EtXVNi6w at public.gmane.org]

> Mailing lists die from weak moderation. It's also not a free speech
> issue at all; this list exists at the will of the list owner. None of us
> would have any recourse should our posts be removed or our membership
> banned. ISTR at least one person being banned from this list over the
> last few years (someone who was trying to advertise computers
> commercially, I recall, and did so repeatedly).
>
There was someone else banned as well. His posts were demeaning and
excessively abrasive. He was warned, he persisted, and then he was banned.

The people who 'own' the space get to make the rules. There are certain
things you can do in a church, other things in a hockey stadium, other
things in an office. So the members of TLUG get to make the rules on
what's acceptable and what's not.

I dealt with this issue when I taught at Ryerson. On occasion, something
that was said that was offensive to others in the workplace, and defended
on the basis of 'free speech' (usually combined with the phrase 'political
correctness'.) My position was that (a) you can *think* whatever you want.
We are not the thought police. (b) You cannot *say* whatever you want in
that particular workspace. (The same reasoning applied to the posting of
material that others regarded as offensive.) Outside the workplace, the
rules may be different, maybe there is somewhere your spoken comments will
be welcomed.

The tone was set by the senior members of the administration: when they
laid down the law, the problems disappeared. (That's a hint...)

Regarding interjections during a presentation: I'd vote against them. Some
of us are experienced enough and have enough of a thick skin to deal with
it. But some presenters are relatively inexperienced and having to deal
with interruptions is intimidating and discouraging. I think we want to
have an atmosphere where you can present without intimidation or
challenges during the presentation. In the Q&A, sure, you can challenge.
Just be polite.

My 2 cents worth.

Peter


-- 
Peter Hiscocks
Syscomp Electronic Design Limited, Toronto
http://www.syscompdesign.com
USB Oscilloscope and Waveform Generator
647-839-0325

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