Mastodawn

Serge from Babka

Folks, if you run a conference and you tout your commitment to diversity, take a moment to check a calendar and see if there are any big holidays that your event falls on.

Sometimes you can't help but schedule it on a holiday for someone, but a quick check can often make a difference.

And if you're asked about it later by someone who is de-facto excluded, address it by a commitment to consideration next year, or apology, or something similar. Don't just ignore them.

#diversity #marginalization #DefactoExclusion #EventPlanning #Conferences

Maayan Roth Sep 17, 2024

@serge Is this a subtoot of Grace Hopper, which has conflicted with the Jewish holidays literally every year and has never ever made a change despite receiving feedback every single time?

Or is there some other conference scheduled over Erev Yom Kippur this year?

Serge from Babka Sep 17, 2024

There are a lot of reasons why I wouldn't attend Grace Hopper, even if I were allowed to attend (which I don't think I am as a cis male), but this thread was what prompted this toot:

https://babka.social/@serge/113147729424966444

Though as you and others point out, this is a common issue with Jewish holidays.

Serge from Babka (@[email protected])

@[email protected] I'm so sad to have to miss this. Will there be another one soon (preferably not on the most holy day of the Jewish calendar)?

Babka Social

Maayan Roth Sep 17, 2024

@serge There are lots of cis men at Grace Hopper each year, but yeah. I stopped even considering going, because the conflict with the holidays is consistent and at this point, almost looks deliberate.

Kellyann Sep 17, 2024

@serge Reminds me how my seminary scheduled a faculty gathering on Yom Kippur...several times...despite sharing faculty with JTS.

Serge from Babka Sep 17, 2024

@greenmountaingirl

"No one attending expressed any objection to this when it was raised at the conference"? ;)

Kellyann Sep 17, 2024

@serge If I'd known at the time...

Does make me wonder whether any faculty members raised the issue.

Serge from Babka Sep 17, 2024

@greenmountaingirl

I'm sure one of the Jews probably said something to someone.

Kellyann Sep 17, 2024

@serge Oh, they did! Sorry, I meant any faculty members *besides the one who told me about it.*

Apparently the administration's response was a big shrug.

Serge from Babka Sep 17, 2024

@greenmountaingirl

Kinda feels like

https://quotefancy.com/quote/908871/Stephen-Colbert-And-though-I-am-a-committed-Christian-I-believe-everyone-has-the-right-to

Stephen Colbert Quote: “And though I am a committed Christian, I believe everyone has the right to their own religion – be you Hindu, Jewish, or...”

“And though I am a committed Christian, I believe everyone has the right to their own religion – be you Hindu, Jewish, or Muslim, I believe there are infinite paths to accepting Jesus Christ as your personal savior.” — Stephen Colbert quotes from QuoteFancy.com

Kellyann Sep 17, 2024

@serge Ugh! What the hell, Stephen??

Joshua Sep 17, 2024

@greenmountaingirl @serge That’s gotta be a joke…

Yiddish Song Of The Day Sep 17, 2024

@greenmountaingirl @serge

Colbert is a comedian so that is obviously meant to be a joke, making fun of "inclusive" evangelical Christians.

Kellyann Sep 17, 2024

@yiddishwordoftheday @serge You'd think so, but from other serious statements he's made, I'm truly not totally sure.

Yiddish Song Of The Day Sep 17, 2024

@greenmountaingirl @serge I've watched Stephen's show for a long time, I am 100% positive he said that as a joke because, as I said, he is a comedian.

Kellyann Sep 17, 2024

@yiddishwordoftheday @serge Thank you. I get that he is a comedian, I used to watch The Colbert Report every night, but he regularly gives interviews on serious matters, and I've been really disappointed in some of the things he's said in those.

If you have the actual context for this quote, that would be helpful.

Serge from Babka Sep 17, 2024

@greenmountaingirl

While Colbert's recent actions towards Jews have been really shitty, this quote is from his "Steven Colbert" character days.

@yiddishwordoftheday

Kellyann Sep 17, 2024

@serge @yiddishwordoftheday Thank you!

Theodore Casser Sep 17, 2024

@serge This annoys the snot out of me in general because EXACTLY - it takes a few seconds to check calendars and look for important days in general for all people.

But honestly? It takes more than an apology. It takes a commitment AND CONSISTENT FOLLOW-THROUGH. It's not just good enough to fix it for next year - it needs to be part of the process going forward.

(Because I know more than a few orgs who've apologized, fixed it for a year or two, and then... do the same thing again when they think the dust has settled.)

TerryB Sep 17, 2024

@serge Ah. When I was a (UK) National Union of Teachers activist they always held the national conference over Pesach. I never once, ever, was able to go to Conference.

Just Ezra, Thanks Sep 18, 2024

@serge RH or YK?

Serge from Babka Sep 18, 2024

In this case, Yom Kippur.