[Foundation-l] Concern for the safety of Wikimanians in Alexandria

[Mike Godwin]

Marc Riddell writes:

>  Thanks, Chad, for your clarification. I am frankly amazed by the  
> decision to
> hold the event in Alexandria. Given what has been said about the  
> cultural
> and social attitudes toward homosexuality; it would be like having a
> sponsored gathering in 1950s Birmingham, Alabama, and telling the
> African-Americans not to "flaunt their blackness". It is one of the  
> most
> insensitive decisions I have heard an institution make in a long time.

I want to be clear about one point -- no one at the Foundation has  
urged anyone not to "flaunt" anything at Wikimania.

There is plenty of reason to believe that all sorts of expressions of  
affection between men or between women are acceptable public behavior  
in Alexandria (as in many other cultures).  As I've said, I'm  
consulting with a number of sources to obtain good guidelines for all  
of us to follow. I hope to have further useful information soon.


--Mike