Merge pull request #87 from code4lib/mjgiarlo-patch-1

Tweak, refine, and update CoC language

Author: phette23

code_of_conduct.md

@@ -6,140 +6,145 @@ CodeOfConduct4Lib
 Short link: <http://bit.ly/coc4lib>
 
 Code4Lib seeks to provide a welcoming, professionally engaging, fun, and
-safe conference experience and ongoing community for everyone. We do not
-tolerate harassment in any form. Discriminatory language and imagery
-(including sexual) is not appropriate for any event venue, including talks,
-or any community channel such as the chatroom or mailing list.
+safe conference (and ongoing community) experience for everyone. We do not
+tolerate harassment in any form. Discriminatory language and imagery,
+including sexual or sexualized language and imagery, is not appropriate 
+for any event venue, including talks, or any community channel such as the
+chatroom or mailing list.
 
 Harassment is understood as any behavior that threatens or demeans another
-person or group, or produces an unsafe environment.  It includes offensive
-verbal comments or non-verbal expressions related to gender, gender identity,
-gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance,
-body size, race, age, religious or political beliefs; sexual or
-discriminatory images in public spaces (including online); deliberate
-intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording;
-sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical
-contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.
+person or group, or that produces an unsafe environment.  It includes 
+offensive verbal comments or non-verbal expressions related to gender, gender
+identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical 
+appearance, body size, race, age, religious or political beliefs; sexual, 
+sexualized, or discriminatory images in public (including online) spaces; 
+deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following; harassing photography or 
+recording; sustained disruption of talks or other events; inappropriate physical
+contact; and unwelcome sexual attention.
 
 ## Conflict Resolution
 
 1. Initial Incident
 
     If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed,
     or have any other concerns, __and you feel comfortable speaking with
-    the offender__, please inform the offender that he/she/ze has affected you
-    negatively. Oftentimes, the offending behavior is unintentional, and the
-    accidental offender and offended will resolve the incident by having
-    that initial discussion.
+    the offender__, please inform the offender that they have affected you 
+    negatively. The offending behavior may be unintentional, and the
+    offender and offended may resolve the incident by having that initial
+    discussion themselves.
 
-    Code4Lib recognizes that there are many reasons speaking directly to
+    Code4Lib understands that there are many reasons speaking directly to
     the offender may not be workable for you (including but not limited to
     unfamiliarity with the conference or its participants, [lack of spoons](https://web.archive.org/web/20191117210039/https://butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/),
-    and concerns for personal safety). If you don't feel comfortable
+    or concerns for personal safety). If you do not feel comfortable
     speaking directly with the offender for any reason, skip straight to
     step 2.
 
 2. Escalation
 
-    If the offender insists that he/she/ze did not offend, if offender is
+    If the offender insists that they did not offend, if the offender is
     actively harassing you, or if direct engagement is not a good option
     for you at this time, then you will need a third party to step in.
 
-    If you are at a conference or other event,
-    find the on-call [Community Support Volunteer](csvcharge.md) or the event
-    organizer or staff person. For all Code4Lib-affiliated events, these parties
-    must be clearly listed on a publicly-accessible website such as the
-    conference website, [in this Code of Conduct repository](css_volunteers.md),
-    or [the wiki](http://wiki.code4lib.org/index.php/Main_Page).
-    If you can't find any of these, there will be other staff
+    If you are at a conference or other community event,
+    find the on-call [Community Support Volunteer](csvcharge.md) or the event organizer or
+    staff person, who should be listed on a publicly-accessible website such as the
+    conference website, [in the Community Support Squad volunteers list](css_volunteers.md),
+    or [on the Code4Lib wiki](http://wiki.code4lib.org/index.php/Main_Page)..
+    If you can't find either any such people, there will be other staff
     available to help if the situation calls for immediate action.
 
     The primary way to reach a Community Support Volunteer online is to email
-    the [email protected] address. Messages sent here are
+    the `[email protected]` address. Messages sent to the CSV list are
     visible to all Community Support Volunteers and are kept private. You may
-    use a throwaway email address if you want to ensure anonymity.
-
-    If you are in the #code4lib IRC, the zoia command to list people
+    use a throw-away email address if you want to ensure anonymity.
+    
+    If you are in the #code4lib IRC channel, the zoia command to list people
     designated as channel helpers is `@helpers`. There is at least one helper
     in the channel at most times. Helpers may not be Community Support
-    Volunteers but know how to direct you to them.
+    Volunteers but should know how to direct you to them.
 
     If you are in the code4lib Slack, you may reach a volunteer by including
     either the phrase `c4lcsv` or `c4lcss` in a message posted to a public
     channel, such as `#general` or `#code4libcon`. You may also private message
-    a known member of the Community Support Squad—their names and Slack handles
+    a known member of the Community Support Squad; their names and Slack handles
     will be posted on the aforementioned publicly-accessible website(s).
 
+    If you are on the [listserv](https://lists.clir.org/cgi-bin/wa?A0=CODE4LIB), you're 
+    in a free-for-all for public messages; however, the listserv does have a maintainer, [Eric Lease Morgan](http://www3.nd.edu/~emorgan/). 
+    In addition, there are [Community Support Volunteers](css_volunteers.md) whom you 
+    are welcome to involve.
+
 3. Wider community response to Incident:
 
     If the incident doesn't pass the first step (discussion reveals offense
-    was unintentional, apologies said, public note or community is informed
-    of resolution), then there's not much the community can do at this point
-    since the incident was resolved without outside intervention.
+    was unintentional, apologies offered and accepted, public note or 
+    community is informed of resolution), then there's not much the community 
+    can do at this point since the incident was resolved without outside 
+    intervention.
 
     If incident results in corrective action, the community should support
     the decision made by the Help in Step 2 if they choose corrective action,
     like ending a talk early or banning from the listserv, as well as
     support those harmed by the incident, either publicly or privately
     (whatever individuals are comfortable with).
 
-    If the Help in Step 2 run into issues implementing the CoC, then the
+    If the Help in Step 2 runs into issues implementing the CoC, then the
     Help should come to the community with these issues and the community
     should revise the CoC as they see fit.
 
-    In Real Life people will have opinions about how the CoC is enforced.
+    In Real Life, people will have opinions about how the CoC is enforced.
     People will argue that a particular decision was unfair, and others will
-    say that it didn't go far enough. We can't stop people having
-    opinions, but what we could do here is have constructive discussions
-    that lead to something tangible (affirmation of decision, change in CoC,
-    modify decision, etc,).
+    say that it didn't go far enough. We wouldn't dream of asking people to
+    stop people sharing their opinions, but we can steer discussions toward
+    civil, constructive dialogue that leads to something tangible (e.g., 
+    affirmation of decision, change to the CoC, modification of the decision).
 
 ## Sanctions
 
 Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply
-immediately.  If a participant engages in harassing behavior, organizers may
+immediately. If a participant engages in harassing behavior, organizers may
 take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender,
-expulsion from the Code4Lib event, or banning the offender from a chatroom
-or mailing list.
+expelling the offender from the Code4Lib event, or banning the offender from
+a chatroom, Slack workspace, or mailing list.
 
 Specific sanctions may include but are not limited to:
 
-* warning the harasser to cease their behavior and that any further reports
-will result in other sanctions
-* requiring that the harasser avoid any interaction with, and physical
-proximity to, their victim for the remainder of the event
-* early termination of a talk that violates the policy
-* not publishing the video or slides of a talk that violated the policy
-* not allowing a speaker who violated the policy to give (further) talks at
-the event
+* warning the offender to cease their behavior, letting them know that 
+further reports will result in other sanctions
+* requiring the offender to avoid any interaction with, or physical
+proximity to, the victim for the remainder of the event
+* terminating a talk
+* refusing to publish video and/or slides of a talk
+* barring a speaker from giving (further) talks at the event
 * immediately ending any event volunteer responsibilities and privileges the
-harasser holds requiring that the harasser not volunteer for future Code4lib
-events (either indefinitely or for a certain time period)
-* requiring that the harasser immediately leave the event and not return
-* banning the harasser from future events (either indefinitely or for a
-certain time period)
-* banning the harasser from any (or all) Code4Lib channels
+offender holds, including requiring that the offender not be allowed to 
+volunteer for future Code4lib events (either indefinitely or for a specified time period)
+* requiring that the offender immediately leave an event and not return
+* banning the offender from future events (either indefinitely or for a
+specified time period)
+* banning the offender from any (or all) online Code4Lib channels
 * publishing an account of the harassment
 
-
-Code4Lib event organizers can be identified by their name badges, and will
+Code4Lib event organizers can be identified by their name badges, and they will
 help participants contact hotel/venue security or local law enforcement,
 provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel
-safe for the duration of the event. Code4Lib IRC volunteers can be identified
-by issuing the `@helpers` command to the #code4lib bot named "zoia".
+safe for the duration of the event.
 
-In the case of organized events, those responsible for the event should have readily available the following information:
+In the case of organized events, those responsible for the event should make readily available the following information:
 
 * **Conference organizer:** [ORGANIZER NAME], [PHONE NUMBER]
 * **[CONFERENCE HOTEL NAME]:** [PHONE NUMBER]
 * **[MUNICIPALITY] Police Department**: [PHONE NUMBER]
 * **[LOCAL SEXUAL ASSAULT/CRISIS LINE]:** [PHONE NUMBER]
 * **[TAXI COMPANY NAME]:** [PHONE NUMBER]
 * **Community Support Volunteers:** including the [PHONE NUMBER]
-
+* **Code4lib IRC volunteers:** `@helpers` in #code4lib, or
+`/msg zoia helpers #code4lib`
 
 We expect participants to follow these rules at all conference venues,
-conference-related social events, community gatherings, and online communication channels.
+conference-related social events, community gatherings, and online 
+communication channels.
 
 We value everyone's participation in the Code4Lib community, and will all
 work to keep Code4Lib a safe and friendly space for all participants!