Thank you Carol - we will take you up on that. I was writing my last message as yours was coming in, so I just saw it.
On Sun, May 16, 2021 at 7:09 PM Carol Martinson via Origami < origami@lists.digitalorigami.com> wrote: > As a now retired public librarian from a Midwestern fairly large urban > library system, I have helped write Code of Conducts and have banned people > from all the library facilities on my own authority for periods up to three > months. Longer periods of banishment had to be determined by the library > administration. > > Centerfold has not wanted to write a Code of Conduct, feeling it was > unnecessary in a smaller venue. Unfortunately, now that the issue has been > brought up, it has become necessary. People are now aware of the lack of a > CoC and feel unsafe, or at least unsettled, that there is not one. > Perceptions are important, and this won’t go away. > > A CoC does not mean that the convention would suddenly become safe. > Incidents occur. What a CoC does, however, is make victims feel that their > complaints will be taken seriously and that there will not be any > retaliation for reporting an incident — and that help can be obtained and > problems will be solved and worked on. It protects organizers from being > accused of ignoring potential problems or discriminating against an > individual. It also serves to tell attendees that there will be > consequences for unacceptable behavior. > > In reply to the email that was sent by Monica, I volunteered to help write > a CoC for Centerfold and a form to take reports of incidents. I said the > easiest route with only two months before the convention would be to adopt > OUSA’s CoC for this convention, and I assumed an Ohio specific CoC could be > written later, but I have since learned that Ohio does not want to use > OUSA’s CoC. That is fine. There are many examples to choose from and > other people can do that. > > What I can uniquely provide is a standard reporting form, and if desired, > some quick remedial training in using unbiased language in filling out such > forms. If this convention does end up being held, a better form more > adapted to the convention can be developed later. I can also make > suggestions as to varying levels of consequences, but others will be more > qualified to do that than me. > > I hope this offer is taken seriously. Other people have also made offers > to help and mediate, but it seems to have reached a point people are not > capable of actually hearing what is being said. > > Carol Martinson > > Sent from my iPad >
