[Noisebridge-discuss] creating a safer environment at noisebridge

[rachel lyra hospodar]

Hello john,

Please be aware that I have copied my reply to noisebridge discuss.

My goal is not to seek personal emotional support, or find physical backup
from males for confrontations, but to take part in public discussion around
these issues.

I acknowledge that it is a tough tightrope to walk, seeking to support the
goals of others that somehow seem to simultaneously require your
involvement and suggest that the way you are seeking to help is not what is
needed.

All I can offer you is the assurance that there IS a way to fully realize a
continued commitment to this type of social change.  You can continually,
PUBLICLY, demonstrate a commitment to this type of social change.

No, thank you, I am not seeking backup or a goon squad to help me enforce
some kind of proto-feminist behavioral norms on the group.  I am seeking,
as always, to be part of communities where there is an environment that
doesn't feel hateful. I am publicly discussing some of the reasons
noisebridge is not that for me anymore. I am suggesting that, rather than
looking to my leadership on this issue, (which is ESSENTIALLY WAITING FOR
SOMEONE ELSE TO DEAL WITH IT & then offering consent), concerned citizens
each launch a personal examination of how they think these issues should
best be addressed, and try that. I suspect that would be more effective and
fulfilling than everyone doing what I think they should do.

Please feel free to ask questions, or seek clarification. Publicly.

R.

On Oct 6, 2013 5:51 PM, "John Ellis" <neurofog at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi Rachel,
>
> I haven't seen Jesse Z around NB, but I have seen Dru (Although I
didn't recognize him until later... ). My basic view is NoiseBridge is for
everyone interested in hacking/making things, and by NOT enforcing certain
standards, it becomes a "boys club" and not so welcoming of newcomers,
including women who ARE interesting in hacking/making things and other
excellent uses of NoiseBridge.
>
> Anyway, I live 4-blocks from NB and can assist for backup "action" to
remove people being assholes.
>
> Regards,
> John
>
> On Sun, Oct 6, 2013 at 2:26 PM, rachel lyra hospodar <rachelyra at gmail.com>
wrote:
>>
>> 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.
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