All,
We’ve had a few recent incidents on the Discuss list which have brought up
questions about online identity and acceptable behavior in our community. I’d
like to tease the two apart.
We have been very clear as a community that we recognize the problems of
exclusion around all forms of self-identification, name, culture, race, gender,
career status etc. Our code of conduct exists to set forth our values while
building a safe, open, and welcoming community. We are open to all who can
engage in civil and respectful discourse. Our vibrant conversations and the way
that we develop a strong community with one another online is central to the
way our organization functions.
I hope that our community is a place where people can feel safe using their
real or chosen identity and that we are open to all kinds of voices - wherever
they may come. However, there are very real ways in which individuals feel
threatened or uncomfortable and are therefore are less likely to engage with
our community unless they can use a pseudonym. There are circumstances where
the only way someone can interact online without being harassed or threatened
in their offline life is through a pseudonym. We may not like that this is
true, but it can be true.
In terms of online behavior, our CoC is very clear that we do not tolerate
individuals who engage in exclusionary bullying. Even if it is veiled as a
request or if it is done in a passive aggressive tone, it is not acceptable
behavior. Judging a person based solely on their chosen representation (ie
their choice to be anonymous) and not the substance of their contribution to
the thread is unacceptable. We as a community should not tolerate that kind of
behavior as it is a clear violation of our CoC.
We also should not tolerate using a pseudonym as a veil for bullying or bad
behavior. While we give any anonymous contributor the benefit of the doubt,
when the tone of the conversation includes “offensive verbal comments” (CoC) it
becomes uncharacteristic of our community's respectful way of discussing issues
instead of individuals. As our code of conduct says: “Be kind to others. Do not
insult or put down other[s]”.
In six years we've had less than an handful of these incidents. As a community
we are a strong collective of professionals who are doing important work to
advance the goals of scientific research and reproducibility. We accomplish so
much because of the civility and regard for persons of every background. As we
continue to grow this vibrant community, let’s keep upholding the standards and
work together to keep the culture strong and respectful.
---
Jonah Duckles
Software Carpentry, Executive Director
http://software-carpentry.org
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