You know, there's been a lot of bad publicity about cons and harassment. I'd like to thank you for turning the story around. We may not be perfect, but we are trying to get it right. I hope this encourages others.
I understand (and even share) your concerns about facilitating a witch hunt. Internet mobs are scary. They are this because they have power. It is that scary power that I called upon, deliberately, to out Dustin. Because I don't want the police or a criminal conviction for him. I want people to know what he did. I want them to have the option of not having him as a friend, a date, an invitee, or a volunteer if they feel what he did warrants those private actions
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My concern about posting his contact information is that virtual mobs do not always stay virtual. It is entirely possible that someone with poor judgment could take this as license to do physical harm to him in the real world.
That still might be appropriate if it has a likelihood of preventing future incidents. However he's probably already banned from every con he's likely to attend, so we're probably looking at diminishing returns on that front.
Great points. Taking this stuff seriously is a big part of helping to prevent a culture where really severe abuses occur, and I agree that we need to focus on making it easier for people to report problems and get good backup.
Y'all seem like a relatively rational bunch as compared to some of the forums I've linked here from. So I'm going to ask a question that I've been afraid to ask until now
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Thanks for replying with so much thought and self-awareness. I half expected someone to tell me to lighten up, it's all in good fun. I'm glad for the increased respect and understanding I see developing here.
I've always been a small person, and after my own attack, I'm very aware of how easy it is for me to be "man-handled," even when it's not by a man. Sometimes I think I'm too sensitive, other times I think I can't be the only one with trouble enforcing the boundaries of my personal space. If I was six feet tall, I think I would still feel uncomfortable with things other people view as playful.
I really appreciate you're willingness to talk about this stuff. It's pretty rare. Thank you.
I suspect that physical size can make some difference in how these things play out. I'm short, but big (I would be of above-average mass even if I wasn't fat, and I add being fat onto that) so people tend to interact with me in a manner informed by that. People tend to respect my physical space simply because I take up a fair bit of it
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I understand (and even share) your concerns about facilitating a witch hunt. Internet mobs are scary. They are this because they have power. It is that scary power that I called upon, deliberately, to out Dustin. Because I don't want the police or a criminal conviction for him. I want people to know what he did. I want them to have the option of not having him as a friend, a date, an invitee, or a volunteer if they feel what he did warrants those private actions ( ... )
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My concern about posting his contact information is that virtual mobs do not always stay virtual. It is entirely possible that someone with poor judgment could take this as license to do physical harm to him in the real world.
That still might be appropriate if it has a likelihood of preventing future incidents. However he's probably already banned from every con he's likely to attend, so we're probably looking at diminishing returns on that front.
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Thanks for replying with so much thought and self-awareness. I half expected someone to tell me to lighten up, it's all in good fun. I'm glad for the increased respect and understanding I see developing here.
I've always been a small person, and after my own attack, I'm very aware of how easy it is for me to be "man-handled," even when it's not by a man. Sometimes I think I'm too sensitive, other times I think I can't be the only one with trouble enforcing the boundaries of my personal space. If I was six feet tall, I think I would still feel uncomfortable with things other people view as playful.
I really appreciate you're willingness to talk about this stuff. It's pretty rare. Thank you.
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