Boosting Signal on the Readercon Fail, and fallout

[lagilman]

Readercon isn't one of my regular conventions, but it's local-ish, and it always had a good reputation for being well-run and interesting, etc. They also had a "safe space" policy of zero tolerance for bad behavior, including sexual harassment.

This year, they failed in a rather major way, backtracking on their stated policy and changing "banned forever" to "banned for two years" because when he said he was sorry - not to his victim, but to the convention Board, when he was questioned after the fact.

The community has not been shy in making their opinions known: http://readercon.livejournal.com/21805.html


I said what I needed to say in the comments there, but I will add this, here. Readercon's board has stated, publicly, that their written and posted policies are not to be trusted, that they will change the rules on the fly, and predators are given more consideration than their victims (and potential victims). That makes Readercon not a safe space, but a danger zone.

I regret the fallout on behalf of those who've put their time and effort into making Readercon an enjoyable convention, and didn't deserve to be treated this way by the Board, but I see no reason to go somewhere my safety is considered less important than coddling a known offender.

UPDATE: The Readercon convention committee is reportedly voting on overturning the Board's decision. Many of them were Not Happy. So there's that, at least. We'll see if anything changes.

Comments

[goddesssaint.livejournal.com]

I had never even heard of Readercon before all this hit the news. Now, I have no interest - not in the con, not in attending. Wait, I am interested in what they learn from their screwup, or even if they learn. Ms. Valentine reported the harassment, how many other victims, of this individual or any other, did not? The board's behavior has simply reinforced their belief that reporting an incident will do no good and that the powers that be don't give a damn.

[nick-kaufmann.livejournal.com]

Precisely. It's clear Readercon is no longer a safe environment, or one where the Board cares about the safety and comfort of its attendees. Why would I want to be someplace like that?

[quarkwiz.livejournal.com]

I'm extraordinarily disappointed in René. I hadn't realised till Keith's post that that's who perpetrated this unpleasantness. I hope he has a good long think. Not sure I even have the patience to hear his side.

[lagilman]

This (reportedly) isn't the first time he's been called on his behavior. So I don't think he's thinking what you want him to be thinking.

And you already know what my take is on someone who puts hands on a woman, unwanted. Especially after already being told to go away.

[quarkwiz.livejournal.com]

Dammit. :-(

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I've been reading up on this. Thing is, even if the concom upholds the con's policy, the damage *is still done* as long as that Board is in power. They've put the privilege of a SMOF over the convention's printed policy, the comfort of all attending women, and their own reputations. If the Board itself does not repeal this, then the Board is effectively announcing that it does not grasp the problem no matter what the concom does.

[lagilman]

Yes, exactly. The board has utterly failed to understand that "Oh no, HE isn't a BAD guy, you misunderstood and he's really sorry now, he SAYS so" is the kind of thing that sets of OH HELL NO alarms in many of us.... and for valid and proven reasons.

Especially when it's about a repeat offender.

Most of us know how to deal with being hit on. Most of us don't mind a one-polite-try-no-thanks-you're-gone best shot. But when someone refuses to take no for an answer, follows us round the convention hotel, and lays hands on us against our will? Banhammer.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Follows against protest, touches without permission, and THEN makes it all about "she won't let me apologize" instead of "I won't leave her alone even now" - it's like a checklist of creeper. But apparently he's a big name and he apologized to the people who count... the ones with the Y chromosome.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

And it's not just Readercon's bad behavior that bothers me, but the broader implications for the community. Next time I see a con's policy on sexual harassment, there's a part of me that will think "Well, Readercon's policy wasn't worth the paper it was printed on, wonder if this one is equally flimsy?"

[wolfsilveroak.livejournal.com]

Oh wow. That's not cool in any way. Just the fact that they changed the ruling, period, is not cool.

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

The board has let everyone down, IMO, including their own concom and they ought to take their collective revolver into the library and resign.