On safe spaces

[girliejones]

I've been personally grappling with bringing an issue to WASFF relating to the values statement that is currently in preparation (http://community.livejournal.com/swancon/152957.html). However, I feel that I need to get a sense of the scale of it - is this just me? Is it just some of the

Comments

[strangedave]

Personally, I've always felt safe at Swancon, and the surrounding area doesn't bother me particularly either. But it

I think the real danger with Swancon is that feeling safe isn't the same as being safe - I think swancon, and the fandom community in general, does a generally pretty good job of making people feel safe, but sometimes that feeling of safety means people let down their defences, and get into situations they might otherwise have avoided. I don't know of bad problems that have occurred at Swancon, but I do know of problems that have occurred either elsewhere in the community, or at events with a similar 'safe space' feel (Burning Man, for example). Paradoxically, to allow people to feel and be safe, we need to be vigilant and a bit cautious.

[baby_elvis]

I personally felt that it was a less safe space once I had a child and staying wondering hoe well I really did know these people.

[girliejones]

That says a lot.

[baby_elvis]

No more than I would feel in any largish organisation like a sporting club or other group.

[strangedave]

feeling safe and feeling that your children would be safe are two very different things - and I completely and utterly agree that there are some things that would make me worry about child safety.

[girliejones]

I think swancon, and the fandom community in general, does a generally pretty good job of making people feel safe

I don't believe this is universally true, I for one, do not feel safe. And I am beginning to realise there is a chasm between people who do not know there are problems with feeling safe and those who do not feel safe. Which was why I was wanting to bring the conversation up.

[strangedave]

I certainly agree its not universally true. Everyone has different perceptions. But it seems (both from observation, and general discussion in the safe space panel last year) reasonably commonly held.

I certainly don't want to imply that there isn't a problem, I know there are problems both with perceived and actual safety. But certain personal experiences and biases of my own incline me to worry a lot more about people feeling safe when they aren't. Feeling safe isn't always positive (if its not accurate).