Re: Code of Conduct at events [and 1 more messages]

On 11/10/10 18:10 , Ian Jackson wrote:
> John Goerzen writes ("Re: Code of Conduct at events"):
>> I'm still not sure that a "code of conduct" is really the right thing.
>
> I'm not attached to the "Code of Conduct" phrase. Another way to put
> it would be "Policy on Behaviour at the Conference".
>
> But I think it is very valuable that there is a written document which
> sets out the standards of behaviour expected. As community we come
> from many different places, with different cultural expectations.
> And, sadly speaking, in the wider societies of many of our homes
> (including mine), of violence and sexual assault - particularly by men
> against women - are not as culturally unacceptable as they are to me
> personally.
>
> A written policy does a number of things:
>
> * It clarifies to everyone what is and is not OK. In particular, I
> feel strongly that we should explicitly state that nonconsensual
> touching is not OK. In some cultures it is considered acceptable
> under some circumstances, but in general it can be very intrusive
> or even threatening particularly for people from a different
> culture.

So hypothetical situation: suppose there is a group of people who do
brilliant open source work and would like to become a SPI project. But
they happen to come from a culture with acceptable behaviour that you
disagree with. Does that mean you want to prevent them from joining SPI,
because your mores trump theirs?

Wichert.