regarding our VividCon Background and Policies statement

[renenet]

On behalf of VividCon's concom, I want to express our deeply-felt apologies for the ill-considered language choices in our recently posted VividCon Background and Policies statement. If our words offended you or made you feel unwelcome at VividCon, we are truly and humbly sorry. That was not what we wanted to convey with this document. To clarify

Comments

[laurashapiro]

I assume you've seen it already, but here's the discussion in my DW journal.

Thank you for apologizing and continuing to work on this.

[renenet]

Got it! Thanks for making sure we knew.

[renenet]

Thank you for engaging with us on these issues and sharing your insights. We're listening, and we're learning.

[sasha_feather]

Thank you.

If I were in your place, there are several things I would do now: link to this apology from your background and policies page. Consider removing the accessibility section entirely, with a placeholder stating that it is undergoing revision because it did not accurately reflect VVC's policies, or something to that effect.

Just some friendly suggestions.

[anatsuno]

I second this completely. Since you're aware now that these words were ill-chosen, it would probably be best if you removed them from the page until such time as you have new text to post for VVC's accessibility policies.

Thank you for your apology.

[elynross]

We've removed most of the sections and put an apology in place. I wanted to leave some of the purely information parts about such things as accessible rooms and large print programs for members who might need that information, but I hope that what is left isn't still problematic.

[renenet]

Thank you for these suggestions and for all of your very thoughtful and useful remarks and pointers over the last couple of days. As elynross indicates above, we have removed most of the accessibility section while we revise it, leaving only some (hopefully) purely informational aspects such as the hotel's accessible rooms and the con's large print programs for members who might find that information helpful in preparation for the con next month.

[sasha_feather]

http://yhlee.dreamwidth.org/1056393.html

[renenet]

Thank you for this link!

[amnisias]

I think it is okay for you guys to cut yourself some slack. Accessibility in the world at large is a major issue for many people. You are trying to go the extra mile and aspire to be thoughtful and provide something better that suits all attendees, and that is very commendable. But it also is a tall order, given the diversity of people and their viewpoints.

If you know you've done the best you can given the circumstances at the given time we should accept the status quo as the best possible outcome but ask you to try harder and doing better next time.

[renenet]

Thank you for your expression of encouragement. We are surely trying harder to do better as we move forward.