[diversity-talk] Neurodiversity and CoC

[Serge Wroclawski]

I don't know of any specific code of conducts that address
neurodiversity, and in some ways that's because our community doesn't
operate like any software project. It's closer to Wikimedia; I'll
reach out to the Wikimedians and see if they have any ideas.

It's a really delicate issue because you can't just say that a
behavior is okay because of a diagnosis. I was at an event for another
community and someone  put a serving utensil in their mouth and then
back in the collective food. It is likely that this person was
neurodivergent, but that doesn't make the behavior any less
disgusting.

Off the top of my head (without further research) I'd say we flip the
"strikes" around, and make the first one private. This is often what I
do as part of the DWG- I'll try to message someone privately before
taking any public action like a 0 hour block).

Secondly, I'd say we need to name very specific behaviors. ie not
"When you're gross" but "When you put the public utensils in your
mouth" and also why "People don't like it because they are afraid of
germs" or "You're standing very close and when you do that, people
feel uncomfortable".

The thing is not to shame people if at all possible. Shaming a
neurodivergent[1] person will just increase their anxiety and
discourage them from participating and I don't think that's what we
want (at least it's not what I want- I just a place where everyone can
participate).

I'll do more research on this topic to see if Wikimedia has done any
work on it. If not, we may be working on new territory.

- Serge

[1] This is apparently the correct term for non-neurotypical.