[OSGeo-Conf] Code of conduct - definition of "sexualized images"

[Eli Adam]

On Jan 10, 2015 3:19 AM, "Cameron Shorter" <cameron.shorter at gmail.com>
wrote:
>
> Hi Gina,
> I understand that you are the point of contact for the O'Reilly
conference code of conduct. [1]
>
> The Open Source Geospatial (OSGeo) Conference Committee is currently
discussing setting up a code of conduct for conferences [2]. I like the
O'Reilly wording, and have suggested OSGeo adopt something similar.
>
> However, one thing I find lacking is a clear definition of "sexualized
images". Does O'Reilly have guidelines for assessing whether an image is
"sexualized"?
>
> Would it be appropriate for a presenter to include an image from a main
stream media commercial?

I think the issue here is relevancy.  Sexualized images aren't necessarily
entirely prohibited.   Irrelevant sexualized images are entirely
prohibited.  If your talk is about open source software used in making
commercials, then showing any commercial made with the software that passed
the broadcast rules where it was shown would be fair game (preferably these
commercials would be selected based on popularity, success, or other
criteria appropriate for evaluating commercials, not just attention
grabbing images).  This might (or even likely) include sexualized images.
The exact same image in a web standards talk is entirely inappropriate and
prohibited.

>Likewise, could such images be displayed by vendors at conferences? I'd
expect so. However, large proportions of main stream commercials make use
of young, "sexy" models.
>

Same thing, if it is relevant it is fine.  If it is not relevant it is not.
If an ad agency that uses open source software and sponsors, they could
include portions of their work.   The same images at a hardware vendor
sponsor would be inappropriate.

Those are my opinions and how I would approach it.  Context is as important
as the actual image.  This requires judgement and is difficult to set
criteria for all situations.  The US Supreme Court in defining "obscene"
has become the punchline of many jokes,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_know_it_when_I_see_it but it does hint at
the difficulty in defining such things.

Some CoC incidents are minor and require nothing more than a brief
discussion about the CoC and agreement to discontinue the offense.  In most
cases of mildly inappropriate images in a presentation, you will be asked
to revise it and err on the side of caution for the rest of the conference,
not kicked out.  And perhaps have a discussion about why they were
inappropriate in the first place.

The offenses and responses are both on a continuum, it is the duty of
reasonable people on the LOC to correctly determine that.  You ran a
FOSS4G, click through these,
http://geekfeminism.wikia.com/wiki/Timeline_of_incidents, and decide what
you would have done for each of these had they happened in 2009.  Some
could be addressed by a brief conversation and agreement to discontinue the
offense, others by contacting law enforcement and passing the issue from
the conference to the legal system (although the conference could also take
additional measures).

Best regards, Eli


> I'm interested to hear your thoughts. Feel free to forward this email to
appropriate people.
>
> Regards,
> Cameron Shorter
>
> [1] http://www.oreilly.com/conferences/code-of-conduct.html
> [2]
http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/conference_dev/2015-January/thread.html
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> Conference_dev mailing list
> Conference_dev at lists.osgeo.org
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