[Osmf-talk] Should OSMF adopt a policy about State of the Map conference in places that are LGBTQ*/etc unsafe?

[Geoffrey Kateregga]

Hello Amanda,

We have had a discussion about your suggestion on the OSM Africa WhatsApp
Group, and I would like to share here our thoughts on the matter.

Willy [OSM Cameroun] We are all for inclusion....there is violence
everywhere. At some point we have to consider the position of the majority,
if OSM has to face politics now, we will not get out of it. Like the
problems of terrorism, are we safer in Europe or Africa? And if we organize
an event in the USA and we all get shot by the police because of our skin
color what will we say?
Let's go back to the cartography and reserve the exceptional situation for
punctual behavior. The respect of beliefs and cultures is also inclusion...
We should not set rules on these issues but judge situations according to
the level of risk and according to the situation instead of giving the
impression of imposing visions.
I personally don't have a problem with people's sexual orientation.

Geoffrey [OSM Uganda] There are also things like Visa restrictions, where
its not easy for many people from Africa to travel to some countries
because of Visa restrictions, should State of the Map be removed from those
countries, because its not easy for people to travel to those locations?

Willy [OSM Cameroun] If we are all equal we should be able to travel
everywhere without any discrimination on Visa, Let's stay focused.

Geoffrey [OSM Uganda] The point is, there is no country that favors
everyone 100%, there will always be some challenges, LGBT laws, visa
restrictions, covid vaccination rules etc

Claire [Osm DRC] Indeed, and in my understanding, all of these aspects were
taken into account during the selection process, to find some balance in
all of these constraints. Personally, I think it should stay so. Instead of
pre-blacklisting any country

Geoffrey [OSM Uganda] It is the governments putting these laws, not the OSM
community in that country, the blacklisting would be punishing the
community, because of the country's laws that they did not make or even
support

Trudy [OSM Zambia] Inclusion doesn't call for this. This shouldn't even be
proposed.

Marie [OSM Cameroun] I humbly think that OSM is not above the law and in
the countries, it is not OSM that decides these laws. In other words, if it
is true that OSM is apolitical, it should also not focus on issues such as
religion, sexual orientation and so on. As Willy said previously, Let's
focus our energies on cartography and open source.

Demeveng [OSM Cameroun] OSM operates in all these countries regardless of
the restrictions so SOTM can also happen regardless of these restrictions.
OSM is not a lawmaker and what we do best is mapping, so please let's map.
We all have so many things that we can rase to justify why or why not SOTM
should not happen somewhere but that's not the goal I think.

Kind regards,
Geoffrey Kateregga [OSM Uganda | OSM Africa]


On Thu, Oct 7, 2021 at 12:13 AM Amanda McCann <
amanda.mccann at osmfoundation.org> wrote:

> Hello OSM friends,
>
> So here's an idea... I've previously complained when an organisation holds
> an event in a place where it's “illegal to be gay” and claim that the event
> is a “safe space”. Since I'm on the OSMF Board, I would be wrong for me to
> continue to complain about other organisations and not try to suggest such
> a policy for the OSMF.
>
> The OSMF grants a trademark licence (for the “State of the Map” trademark
> which the OSMF legally owns) to regional event conferences, and legally,
> the OSMF runs the annual State of the Map conference.
>
> There are several different wordings of this policy possible. My initial
> idea of a policy is: “you can't have a SotM for [REGION] in a venue if
> same-sex sexual activity is illegal (& that's being enforced) there, *and*
> there is a place in [REGION] where that is legal (or illegal & not
> enforced)”. This covers bi/pan/queer/etc people.
>
> I can't easily think of a simple rule for trans/gender identity issues
> that's as clear cut for the very basic level (e.g. many countries have
> required gender segregated toilets for a long time and the laws requiring
> ”birth sex” are new and uncommon, legal gender recognition might not be so
> relevant for a visitor, etc) so I'll stick to this for now. I am OK with
> “State of the Map [COUNTRY]” happening in a country where it's illegal
> everywhere. My goal is to prevent anyone having a *legal downgrade* with
> “State of the Map”.
>
> Many in OSM have spent a long time improving things for minoritized
> groups, and maybe this is just another step in that process. I am only
> mentioning “illegal to be gay” because it's a simple, clear standard. I
> think it could be benefitial to include other standards too (e.g. I believe
> some countries forbid women from driving). I am focussing on LGBTQ+ issues
> because that affects me personally, and I know a lot about it. I encourage
> other minoritized people to speak up if they want.
>
> So what do yous, the wider OSM(F) community think about the OSMF adopting
> this policy (or something like it, or not adopting anything new policy)?
>
> --
> (P.S.: I recently changed my name)
>
> A. McCann
> Secretary
> OpenStreetMap Foundation
>
> Name & Registered Office:
> OpenStreetMap Foundation
> St John’s Innovation Centre
> Cowley Road
> Cambridge
> CB4 0WS
> United Kingdom
> A company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales
> Registration No. 05912761
>
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