[troutman]

With TAM Right Around the Corner, Some Important Announcements Latest JREF News Written by D.J. Grothe
http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/...uncements.html

Lastly, I want to address the recent online debates regarding sexism in the skeptics movement in general, and the divide surfacing around statements involving Rebecca Watson, Richard Dawkins and others in particular. I believe that this controversy gives us the opportunity to make this issue about more than online conflicts and blog wars, about more than "Team Rebecca" versus "Team Richard." I hope we can use this conflict to improve and strengthen our community, to reaffirm our intention to take diversity seriously, and to make the skeptics movement a welcoming place for all people, regardless of gender or sex or race or sexual orientation or where they stand on any given issue. We are all subject to confirmation bias, to taking a position and not budging; we all have more to learn about applying skepticism to our own views. But being unwilling to discuss these topics without recourse to personal attack or threats is counter to our goals as a skeptical movement.

The JREF takes sexual harassment seriously and we take women’s voices seriously, because we know that we are more effective as a movement when half of humanity's talent, knowledge, and experience is not ignored. That’s why we have worked to make sure that at The Amazing Meeting this year, more than half of our main program talks are by women. We’ve printed a statement in the front of this year’s conference program that makes it clear that sexual harassment and other forms of harassment are not acceptable at TAM. When we drafted the statement back in May, we did so because we want everyone to have a fun and welcoming experience at TAM, including the more than half of attendees who are coming for the first time.

All of our speakers this year at TAM have made important contributions to science or skepticism, and we appreciate the knowledge they will bring to TAM. We’re discouraged to see the depth of division in our movement that has been brought to the surface by recent statements by various leaders, but we are optimistic that the conversation and debate will generate more light than heat. We believe that an open discussion of sexism and harassment will ultimately strengthen the skeptical movement.

Here is the TAM Code of Conduct that has been printed in the front of this year's conference program:

We want TAM Las Vegas 2011 to be a welcoming experience for everyone who attends . . .

Please respect your fellow attendees by not disparaging them based on unfair grounds such as race, gender, sexual orientation, and disability; and by not making uninvited sexual comments toward others.

If someone asks you to leave them alone or to otherwise stop a behavior that is directed toward them, please do so. Continued unwanted behavior directed toward another person is harassment. People who harass others or cause multiple complaints of disrespectful behavior may be required to leave without a refund.

Problems can be reported to TAM staff or volunteers who will bring it to the attention of JREF management. A warning will be given when appropriate, but there will be zero tolerance for violence, physical intimidation, and unwanted intentional physical contact.

Let’s make TAM fun for everyone!