[diversity-talk] Neurodiversity and CoC

[Tom MacWright]

Serge: what substantive changes to the CoC do you propose that would
address the issue of neurodiversity?

On Tue, Oct 14, 2014 at 11:57 AM, Serge Wroclawski <emacsen at gmail.com>
wrote:

> 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
>
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