[Noisebridge-discuss] creating a safer environment at noisebridge

[rachel lyra hospodar]

So for an example, as per Ron's questions and Jake's clearly related
concerns, I will point out that one way of helping to create a safe
environment is by you yourself, dear reader, visibly standing up to the
objectionable behavior of asshole harasser types, even if one doesn't
believe they should be pushed out of the community. A visible ongoing
commitment on the part of male-identified non-asshole persons to respond
publicly when douchenozzles resurface.... that would really go a long way
towards creating an environment that is not conducive to douchenozzleism.

I have been hearing rumors that jesse z, convicted rapist and person who
admitted in a meeting to harassing me because he didn't think I was hacker
enough, is back hanging out at Ye Olde Noise Bridge. I guess that means
he's out of jail for raping that woman at Camp Tipsy. SRSLY WE BANNED THE
GUY, BECAUSE OF THIS, SO WHY NO FANFARE FOR HIS RETURN? Remember the fact
that he physically assaulted an older, male member of our community as
well?

My understanding of where things stand with Dru is fuzzy. I know that after
private emails he sent to me and others, i have no interest in interacting
with his douchey nozzle. I did some wiki searching and it seems that our
process stalled out there. I know that he makes many folks here
uncomfortable and, dear reader, you know this too.   So then what?  'Don't
feed the trolls', as a philosophy, tends to perpetuate the status quo,
folks. Ignoring douchenozzles when they talk their douchnozzlery is an
implicit social endorsement, and is incidentally a recourse only available
to those with privilege along whatever axis the nozzle is douching.

Can someone who is not female pursue these issues with actual action? THAT
WOULD BE A FUCKING START. If you think that ostracism isn't the solution,
you wouldn't be the only one. That doesn't let you off the hook of engaging
with the issue. When it's about an actual bike shed, the exhaustion at the
end of a circular argument is almost cute. Aww, look, they gave up.  When
it's about assault, the exhaustion at the end of a failed attempt to
establish a community standard is a death knell for the community as it
once was, for it heralds a stage of community development where we find
kinder, gentler folk fleeing like rats from a burning ship. I don't mean
that as a euphemism for women, who aren't inherently kind or gentle. I mean
the kinder gentler folk, of all types, who aren't interested in
monkey-status chest-banging so much as soldering, learning, and sharing.
You know, those things Noisebridge EXISTS TO ENCOURAGE?

For anyone interested in a little further light reading, I recently came
across this which, in a way, touches on why if eg sexual assault survivors
are the only ones addressing sexual assault within our community, the
center cannot hold.
http://tenureshewrote.wordpress.com/2013/09/26/dont-be-that-dude-handy-tips-for-the-male-academic/
If you're into some heavier reading, you might find searching on
'restorative justice' and 'sexual assault' to be fruitful and quite
thought-provoking.

R.
 On Oct 5, 2013 12:04 PM, "Andrew Byrne" <andrew at pachakutech.com> wrote:

> As I recall, all but one sexual assault allegation this past year resulted
> in rapid, unanimous banning without defense by any member.
> On Oct 5, 2013 6:58 AM, "spinach williams" <spinach.williams at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> On Oct 5, 2013 12:16 AM, "Jake" <jake at spaz.org> wrote:
>> > I just want to point out that the proposal on the table to ensure that
>> guests are accountable to the membership (and the anti-harassment policies
>> consensed upon by same) will go a long way toward preventing these kinds of
>> problems from happening.
>> >
>> > If every person who comes in the door feels as though there is at least
>> one Noisebridge Member who knows who they are, they are going to feel a lot
>> less like they can get away with grabbing someones ass.
>>
>> except that our last couple of perpetrators were wellknown, incredibly
>> welcoming, generally liked, and even defended by many of the regulars in
>> the space, including members.
>>
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>>
>>
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