IMHO we should divide criteria into two categories, reflecting two different kind of issue:
*someone *cannot* partecipate because of a certain issue -> the proposal is rejected *someone may not feel comfortable in partecipating -> the proposal is somehow penalized
In other words, if LGBT people is at risk in Saudi Arabia then Wikimania cannot be held in Saudi Arabia. If LGBT people might face some difficulties in North Carolina then North Carolina will lose a certain amount of preference to -for example- Belgium where LGBT people might be more comfortable.
I know this might weaken our effort to reach non-Western countries but I rather support giving anybody the *opportunity* to partecipate.
Vito
2016-10-18 12:42 GMT+02:00 Gerard Meijssen gerard.meijssen@gmail.com:
Hoi, I do care that everybody can come to places where they are safe. All the specific LGBT attention to safety is however on many levels problematic when we prioritise this over other safety aspects. The big picture for me is that we need to go to places where bringing Wikipedia and what it stands for the most good. It is why I would go to Russia, to China to India to South Africa.
They all have their issues but remember what our aim is not for the perfect holiday destination. We aim to bring the sum of all knowledge everywhere. The thing with safety is that it is very much in behaviour. I am not at ease when I travel. When I go to places like the USA, I am amazed and feel harassed by all the visible guns. It feels like I am in a police series... I know it has nothing to do with me but I feel as safe there as I did in Alexandria, Mumbai, Buenos Aires because I am there for one thing only. Wikimania.
By excluding destinations, we restrict our ability to reach out to places where our message needs to be heard. That is why I am filled with mixed feelings about all the attention of safety in "other places". The USA is another place to me where I feel not safe, where LGBT rights are not guaranteed either.
It is possible to be safe particularly when I concentrate why I am there in the first place. Thanks, GerardM
On 17 October 2016 at 23:39, Ellie Young eyoung@wikimedia.org wrote:
Yes we are doing a review and I can vouch that issues like this will
always
be a part of the criteria when selecting a venue. In most of the recent Wikimanias the selection committee and WMF have included the security of our LGBT community as one of the criteria when considering bids.
Another critical issue that you mention below when deciding what to do
for
future Wikimanias is whether the conference in its present form
(program,
location, etc.) is serving the community and WMF. That is a longer conversation that I hope we can continue to have and make some progress
in
the near future.
Ellie
On Sun, Oct 16, 2016 at 10:26 AM, Pine W wiki.pine@gmail.com wrote:
Hi Pax,
My understanding is that WMF is doing a strategic review of Wikimania.
If
that is correct, considerations like the ones you raise about location could be included in the scope of that review. I'm pinging Ellie with
the
hope that she can provide information about the status of WMF's
thinking
about Wikimania, perhaps in a new thread. Wikimania involves
significant
amounts of time and money, and I am hoping that WMF will develop ways
to
align Wikimania with WMF and community strategic goals.
Pine
On Oct 16, 2016 08:10, "Pax Ahimsa Gethen" <
list-wikimedia@funcrunch.org
wrote:
Hello all. I had a positive experience at WikiConference North America last weekend, where I gave a talk on transgender issues and
Wikipedia.[1]
I'm posting because there's an active discussion in Wikipedia Weekly
on
Facebook about choosing a host country for Wikimania 2018.[2] I am concerned that some of the suggestions are not taking into account the safety of LGBT+ people; not just those attending the conference, but
also
those living in the host country.
As a queer trans atheist in a same-sex marriage, there are a number of places where I am considered a criminal for just existing or going
about my
daily routine. This applies to some parts of the U.S. as well, by the
way;
I won't be visiting North Carolina as long as it's illegal for me to
use
the men's restroom there. Please keep these considerations in mind
when
planning meetups and conferences. Thank you.
- Pax aka Funcrunch
[1] http://funcrunch.org/blog/2016/10/12/making-connections-at-w ikiconference-north-america/
[2] https://www.facebook.com/groups/wikipediaweekly/permalink/11 14259788621851/
-- Pax Ahimsa Gethen | http://funcrunch.org
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