[diversity-talk] Neurodiversity and CoC

[Serge Wroclawski]

Just as a point of clarification, since I see words being thrown around.

Neurodiversity is a term like "gender diversity".

The term for people who fall inside the norms are "Neurotypical", and
those who fall outside the norms  as "Neurodivergent". I don't love
the se terms, but they're the terms that are currently in use.

The term neurodivergent is pretty broad in scope, and covers a wide
spectrum of conditions. What's really important here is that for many
of these conditions, social interaction is particularly difficult. It
won't always be obvious to someone else that a person has a condition.

I disagree so strongly with tmcw when he says that the situation will
be obvious and self-correcting. It won't be because there are going to
be people who won't out themselves, such as the several neurodivegent
people I've spoken to off-list about this topic. They don't want to
talk about their conditions, and we need to accept that. in fact, I
think that saying "Oh it's obvious" cuts to the point- we need a
single set of rules, but those rules need to be crafted in such a way
as to work for a group where social interaction may not be their
strongest suit.

How might social interactions be effected? For example, as I mentioned
before, standing too close, being too loud, asking socially
inappropriate questions. It can also encompass things like impulse
control issues (eg saying or doing something down that they might
regret later).

None of these are an excuse for any behavior, but it means that one
must be very precise about a problematic behavior. I've heard the term
"makes people feel uncomfortable" bandied about, and I don't see
"making people feel uncomfortable" as a specific behavior that
warrants any action.

I also feel strongly that how one handles these kinds of situations
need to be codified in the code(s) of conduct. As I mentioned on the
Github regarding mailing lists, a code of conduct is a social contract
between the community members and those in charge. That kind of
agreement needs to flow in both directions, with community members
knowing that they will be treated with respect at all times. It means
that the specific ways that the rules should be enforced need to be
codified in the same manner as the rules regarding unacceptable
behavior.

It also means that we should be holding our rule enforcers to the
same, if not a higher standard of behavior to the community at large.

Based on the number of people who have talked to me privately (and
also to Jo whose been outspoken), I think we really need to be
considering this in terms of rules, but also potentially in terms of
how we organize events.

- Serge