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

@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?

@maayanroth

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
@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.