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"You're assuming that because there isn't "diversity" the organizers must be racist or biased" Whoa, nellie! That isn't the argument, not by a long shot. Let'
by raganwald 14y ago
"You're assuming that because there isn't "diversity" the organizers must be racist or biased"
Whoa, nellie!
That isn't the argument, not by a long shot. Let's take race out of this. I organize a tech conference. All the speakers are cyclists. Why? Because I asked everyone I knew personally to speak.
I am not prejudiced against non-cyclists, it just so happens that because I cycle, I know a lot of cyclists socially. There is no malicious intent, but the result is not representative of the world we live in, just of a small pocket of the world.
Furthermore, I have absolutely and positively overlooked speakers like Sandi Metz who are cyclists, but don't ride in Ontario, or Pete Forde, who lives in Toronto but doesn't ride.
Whereas, if I sat down with the plan from the start to canvas the best speakers available, I would have cast a wider net than just my personal friends.
I have no idea what process those organizers used, but judging by the result, it did not include reaching out to a large number of qualified speakers.