🌷 Welcome to the online Ally Skills Workshop!
We're so happy you could join us today! A few requests:
Feel free to turn off your video, use your favorite virtual background, or show us your pet!
@openlifesci
Ally Skills Workshop
Yo Yehudi, Mayya Sundukova, Patricia Herterich
Slides CC BY-SA Frame Shift Consulting LLC, Dr. Sheila Addison,
The Ada Initiative, OLS
Format of the workshop
☕ 10 minute break
Q&A
@openlifesci
Yo Yehudi 🌷
Executive Director & Co-founder - Open Life Science
Previously an open source software developer and community manager at the University of Cambridge
10+ years experience in software development and management
Yo Yehudi
(They/them/she/her)
@openlifesci
Malvika Sharan 🌻
Community Manager - The Turing Way
Co-founder - Open Life Science
PhD in Bioinformatics and 6 yrs experience in training and community building
Malvika Sharan
(she/her/hers)
@openlifesci
Emmy Tsang 🌺
Community engagement manager - TU Delft & Open Life Science co-host
5 years working with scientific research communities; PhD in neuroscience
Emmy Tsang
(she/her/hers)
@openlifesci
Mayya Sundukova 🐞
Open Life Science Resident Fellow
Narrative Coach candidate, Master student in Narrative Therapy and Community Work
15 years working with scientific research; Marie Curie postdoc fellow at EMBL; PhD in neuroscience
Mayya Sundukova
(she/her/hers)
@openlifesci
Patricia Herterich 🍂
Open Life Science Resident Fellow
10 years experience working on aspects of Open Research at CERN and UK universities
Patricia Herterich
(she/her/hers)
@openlifesci
Ismael Kherroubi Garcia 📜
Director, Kairoi
Trained in Business and Philosophy; experienced in Human Resources and AI Governance
Ismael Kherroubi Garcia
(he/him/his)
@openlifesci
Esther Plomp 🌷
Data Steward @ Faculty of Applied Sciences
Previously: PhD in bioarchaeology, part of several Open Science communities
Esther Plomp
(she/her)
@openlifesci
Let’s talk about technical & academic privilege
We are more likely to listen to people who "are technical" or “educated”
… but we shouldn’t be
"Technical" is more likely to be granted to specific groups of people
We can use our technical privilege to end technical privilege!
https://frYERZelic.kr/p/ CC BY @sage_solar
@openlifesci
🍂 What is an ally? Some terminology first:
Privilege: an unearned advantage given by society to some people but not all
Oppression: systemic, pervasive inequality that is present throughout society, that benefits people with more privilege and harms those with fewer privileges
@openlifesci
🍂 Terminology
Marginalized person: a member of a group that is the primary target of a system of oppression
Ally: a member of a social group that enjoys some privilege that is working to end oppression and understand their own privilege
@openlifesci
🍂 Ally is a verb, not an identity
Being a marginalized person takes no action - it is an identity
Acting as an ally is about action - it is not an identity, which is why we talk about "ally skills" instead of "allies"
Depending on what is most relevant about you to the situation, you may switch between being marginalized or acting as an ally
@openlifesci
🍂 Example
Privilege: The ability to walk into a shop and have the owner assume you are there to buy things and not steal them
Oppression: The self-reinforcing system in a (white dominated country) of stories, TV, news coverage, police, and legal system stereotyping immigrants and people with darker skin as criminals, that benefits UK-born white people and harms immigrants and people of colour.
@openlifesci
🌷 Example
Marginalized person: A person of colour or white person with a non-native accent, applying for a job in the UK.
Ally: A citizen or english speaker with a British accent who donates to immigration reform organizations, actively objects to racist stories, calls their representatives to support immigration reform and reads news articles about this privilege
@openlifesci
🌷 Terminology
Power: The ability to control circumstances or access to resources and/or privileges
Intersectionality: The concept that people can be subject to multiple systems of oppression that intersect and interact with each other, coined by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw
@openlifesci
Why focus on ally skills?
In an experiment, researchers found that when marginalized people work to increase diversity, supervisors give them worse performance evaluations
But when more privileged people work to increase diversity, supervisors give them better performance evaluations
Does valuing diversity result in worse performance ratings for minority and female leaders? http://amj.aom.org/content/early/2016/03/03/amj.2014.0538.abstract
@openlifesci
Recent relatable example:
Timnit Gebru, an AI ethics and anti-bias advocate being fired from Google.
https://www.wired.com/story/google-timnit-gebru-ai-what-really-happened/
@openlifesci
🍂Exercise: Identify your power and privilege
Privilege and power are often invisible to people who have them, but identifying them helps you act as an ally
This exercise is voluntary - you do not have to do it
If people assume you have a privilege that you do not, you can make your own decision about whether to include it
☑️ Type "done" into chat when you are done
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xlRf6265EovRoolY1DFLE4N7N_8jajNvDS9YT1_Nc_I/copy
@openlifesci
🍂What did you think?
Do you have more or less power than you thought?
Do you have more or less privilege than you thought?
Any surprises or things you hadn't thought about before?
https://flic.kr/p/H2cL7F
CC BY-SA jason gessner
@openlifesci
🍂 What this workshop is not
A certification, an apology, or a "get-out-of-jail-free card"
Representing anyone's employer or giving legal advice
Time to discuss whether oppression exists, is bad, should be stopped, etc.
https://flic.kr/p/97JC
CC BY Mark Strozier
@openlifesci
🍂 Help us create a safer space
You may leave or return at any time, for any reason, without explanation
This workshop is not recorded (but it is transcribed)
This workshop is designed to be voluntary
Please anonymize if you repeat sensitive stories (also in notes)
Share at the level of people you just met at a conference
@openlifesci
🍂 Basics of ally skills
Be short, simple, firm
Don't try to be funny
Play for the audience
Practice simple responses
Pick your battles
Public domain https://flic.kr/p/e52K1T
@openlifesci
While you're trying to help one group, don't be:
CC BY-SA Alan Levine https://flic.kr/p/9dgohA
@openlifesci
🌷 Awkward...
@openlifesci
CC BY yvonne n on Wikimedia Commons
CC BY Tom Thai https://flic.kr/p/6wLBVM
CC BY-SA 4028mdk09 on WIkimedia Commons
What if I make a mistake?
Apologize, correct yourself, and move on.
Move on.
One of my many mistakes: “Outing” others
https://twitter.com/IceSheetMike/status/1542195790055018497
Introductions
Introduce yourselves BRIEFLY:
Optional: review terminology starting on page 2:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iGj11dxJJiAjpa_-Q9CZf1H4Htu-ojo2WUJYfVhK3NM/copy
@openlifesci
Preparing for group discussion
Each group will choose a moderator to remind people who are dominating the discussion too much and invite others to share
Feel free to moderate the moderator
Choose someone to take notes and report what you discussed, and rotate this person each scenario
Joining groups is optional
@openlifesci
Scenarios & group discussion
A few more tips for group discussion
There aren't any trick questions
If you're not sure of the situation, pick one (or more if time allows) interpretations and discuss it
Focus on how someone could act as an ally in this scenario, not as a marginalized person
"You" in the scenario description is a theoretical person who could act as an ally, not a literal "you"
@openlifesci
Scenario 1: What could an ally do?
At a meeting, a woman makes a suggestion, but no one picks up on it. Later on in the meeting, a man makes the same suggestion and is given credit for it.
@openlifesci
Tip: Effective and just meetings
Good meetings have the following roles:
@openlifesci
Who is speaking in your group?
Who is dominating the discussion?
Is someone having difficulty being heard?
Are there patterns related to gender, race, age, or anything else?
How do these discussions compare to ones you have in other contexts?
@openlifesci
🌷Break time: 10 minutes
Do not sign out of the Zoom meeting!
If you do, you will have to reset your name again
Use the chat feature to message the instructor privately if you have any comments or requests
🍂Scenario 2: What could an ally do?
A colleague of yours says, "It's great to hire more people of color, but let's not lower the bar." Before you can reply, another colleague says, "Oh yes, we'll be careful not to lower the bar."
@openlifesci
🍂Assumption-Reality-Reframe
Assumption: at present, everyone has an equal chance, regardless of race
Reality: People of color face a much a higher bar than white people, and white people often get a pass to the process
Reframe: "Actually, the problem is that people of color have to pass a higher bar, and we need to fix that."
@openlifesci
🍂Why is reframing questions a useful skill?
People will have genuine questions about some apparent
contradiction which means they have to be oppressive
Usually based on one or more of:
1. Incorrect ‘facts’
2. Ignoring systemic oppression
3. Putting onus of change on marginalized/less powerful
@openlifesci
🍂Tip: Bias interrupters
3 step process from UC Hastings WorkLife Law Center
Detailed list of bias interrupters for workplace systems:
@openlifesci
Scenario 3: What could an ally do?
On a professional mailing list you belong to, a semi-famous colleague who came out as trans a year ago starts a discussion. In the response thread, another person repeatedly mis-genders them by using incorrect pronouns
@openlifesci
Tip: Charles' Rules of Argument
https://hypatia.ca/2014/09/13/charles-rules-of-argument-the-short-version/
@openlifesci
Scenario 4: What could an ally do?
You are having lunch with a group of co-workers. One of your co-workers says something unintentionally homophobic. A gay co-worker gently corrects them. The first co-worker says, "Thank you for letting me know so nicely! I'm glad you're not one of those angry gay people."
@openlifesci
Tip: Don't reinforce unfair expectations
Marginalized people are often held to a higher standard of behavior than those with more privilege
When marginalized people are more patient, kind, or helpful than necessary, thank them in a way that acknowledges they are going above and beyond
Related to tone policing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tone_policing
@openlifesci
🌷Tip: Share your experience
Two problems: lack of knowledge, and fear of mistakes
Share your own experience learning to be a better colleague to disabled colleagues
Share articles or guides on creating a more accessible workplace and offer to help review
Help others apologize, correct themselves, and move on
@openlifesci
Goal-setting exercise
This exercise helps you make a plan for putting ally skills into practice right away
This exercise is voluntary and you do not have to show it to anyone else
Type "done" in the chat when you are done
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1k3iBHkPZ18NJQ5zrdWB5mERPXopm4trJeVIBNSQqhbY/copy
@openlifesci
Advanced ally skills
Treat ally actions as bare minimum expectation
Follow and support leaders from marginalized groups
Follow your discomfort: if something makes you feel bad, find out more and understand why before reacting
When you make a mistake, apologize, correct yourself, and move on
@openlifesci
Thank you!
@openlifesci
team@openlifesci.org
Refer a friend: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/ally-skills-1223279
CODE: OLS-TELL-A-FRIEND
Other scenarios
Scenario: What could an ally do?
You are having lunch with a group of co-workers. One of your co-workers says something unintentionally homophobic. A gay co-worker gently corrects them. The first co-worker says, "Thank you for letting me know so nicely! I'm glad you're not one of those angry gay people."
@openlifesci
Tip: Don't reinforce unfair expectations
Marginalized people are often held to a higher standard of behavior than those with more privilege
When marginalized people are more patient, kind, or helpful than necessary, thank them in a way that acknowledges they are going above and beyond
Related to tone policing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tone_policing
@openlifesci
What could an ally do?
You notice that several of your other colleagues raise their voice and speak more slowly when talking to your wheelchair-using colleagues.
@openlifesci
Tip: Share your experience
Two problems: lack of knowledge, and fear of mistakes
Share your own experience learning to be a better colleague to disabled colleagues
Share articles or guides on creating a more accessible workplace and offer to help review
Help others apologize, correct themselves, and move on
@openlifesci
Scenario 5: What could an ally do?
In a work text chat channel with a dozen people, a white coworker uses a term whose racist origin is not widely known. When a coworker of color politely points this out, they reply, "I couldn't have known that! You know I'm not racist, right?"
@openlifesci
Tip: Handling "white tears" without derailing
"White tears" is shorthand for white people redirecting discussions about racism towards their own distress
Marginalized people are often expected to do the emotional work of soothing people who harmed them
White people can and should redirect the conversation back towards the original topic, while doing the emotional work in a side discussion
@openlifesci
Scenario 6: What could an ally do?
You are one of the interviewers for a person applying to an operations position. You notice that their resume says they graduated from less known university. In the hiring discussion, a coworker says, "I worry that they won't be able to keep up with the rest of us."
@openlifesci
Tip: Bias interrupters
3 step process from UC Hastings WorkLife Law Center
Detailed list of bias interrupters for workplace systems:
http://biasinterrupters.org/
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
In your team's weekly meeting, you notice that the decision ends up being whatever the loudest, most persistent talker wants to do, even when most people think it is not the best solution. You also notice that more marginalized people are interrupted more often and speak for less time.
@openlifesci
Tip: Create psychological safety
Psychological safety means an environment in which people take turns sharing information
Google study showed the most productive and profitable teams have psychological safety
Two elements: sensitivity to others' feelings, and conversational turn-taking (equal speaking time)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_safety
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
A woman on your team has been successfully filling in for her direct superior for 6 months after he left. Instead of promoting her, your director hires a man from outside the company with less experience and asks her to train the new hire. When you ask why she is reporting to someone less qualified, your director tells you that the new hire has a lot of potential.
@openlifesci
Tip: What Works for Women at Work
By Joan C. Williams and Rachel Dempsey
Four patterns of subtle bias, varying by race, ethnicity, appearance, etc.
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
On a Slack channel with about 50 people, a co-worker is talking about a badly implemented software feature. They write, "That's so ghetto," followed by a smiling face emoji.
@openlifesci
Tip: Have a concise code of conduct with examples
Have a short, clear, concise code of conduct that focuses on what not to do
Specifically list common forms of oppression
Put everything else (values, how to be inclusive, etc.) in separate documents
Hand over any dispute over CoC violations to an expert
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
In a meeting you attend, several of your co-workers disagree strongly but productively over a technical decision. Later, one of the other people in the meeting tells you they were disturbed by your report's tone in the meeting. Your report is a South Asian woman and everyone else in the meeting was a white man. This is not the first time this has happened.
@openlifesci
Tip: tone policing/the “tone argument”
When members of marginalized groups advocate for themselves or their ideas, it violates expectations that marginalized people should be submissive and quiet
The same behavior in a person with a lot of privilege may be described as "passionate" or "committed"
Tone policing often uses the word "tone"
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
A co-worker comes out as trans. Another co-worker assumes you are cis and starts complaining to you privately about how ridiculous it is to expect everyone to start using your co-worker’s new name and pronouns.
@openlifesci
Tip: Read Captain Awkward
Advice blog that answers questions on social interaction from an awkward, geeky perspective
Great for "How do I get someone to stop doing something without upsetting anyone?" type of questions (hint: someone is already upset)
http://captainawkward.com
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
You are having lunch with a group of co-workers. One of your co-workers says something unintentionally homophobic. A gay co-worker gently corrects them. The first co-worker says, "Thank you for letting me know so nicely! I'm glad you're not one of those angry gay people."
@openlifesci
Tip: Don't reinforce unfair expectations
Marginalized people are often held to a higher standard of behavior than those with more privilege
When marginalized people are more patient, kind, or helpful than necessary, thank them in a way that acknowledges they are going above and beyond
Related to tone policing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tone_policing
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
You are one of the interviewers for a person applying to an operations position. You notice that their resume says they graduated from university 20 years before anyone else on the team. In the hiring discussion, a coworker says, "I worry that they won't be able to keep up with the rest of us."
@openlifesci
Tip: Bias interrupters
3 step process from UC Hastings WorkLife Law Center
Detailed list of bias interrupters for workplace systems:
http://biasinterrupters.org/
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
At a meeting, a person who is hard of hearing makes a suggestion, but no one picks up on it. Later on in the meeting, a hearing person makes the same suggestion and is given credit for it.
@openlifesci
Tip: Effective and just meetings
Good meetings have the following roles:
https://frameshiftconsulting.com/speaking/#meeting
@openlifesci
Who is speaking in your group?
Who is speaking most in your group?
Is someone having difficulty being heard?
Are there patterns related to gender, race, age, or anything else?
How do these discussions compare to ones you have in other contexts?
@openlifesci
Break time: 10 minutes
Do not sign out of the Zoom meeting! If you do, you will have to reset your name and pronouns again
Please return in 10 minutes
You will be assigned to new groups on return
Use the chat feature to message the instructor privately if you have any comments or requests
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
One of your direct reports avoids speaking to another of your direct reports. When you ask, they say it is because that person is gay and homosexuality is against their religion and not acceptable where they grew up. When you push back, they say that you should be more considerate of people from other cultures.
@openlifesci
"Paradox" of tolerance
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox_of_tolerance
A tolerant society must be intolerant of one thing: intolerance itself (otherwise intolerance takes over)
Multiculturalism means including and welcoming different cultures - except parts that harm or exclude people
Company culture takes precedence over other cultures in this case
@openlifesci
Break time
Do not sign out of the Zoom meeting! If you do, you will have to reset your name and pronouns again
Please return in 10 minutes
You will be assigned to new groups on return
Use the chat feature to message the instructor privately if you have any comments or requests
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
A Latina coworker points out that an upcoming company-wide meeting will have all white male presenters. Several other people criticize her for being too abrasive, aggressive, loud, out of line, etc.
@openlifesci
Tip: Tone policing/the “tone argument”
When members of marginalized groups advocate for themselves or their ideas, it violates expectations that marginalized people should be submissive and quiet
Some groups are stereotyped further as inappropriately angry ("angry Black man," "angry feminist," etc.)
Tone policing often uses the word "tone"
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
Someone tells you that you have said or done something racist. You didn’t mean to be racist and don’t consider yourself a racist person.�
@openlifesci
Tip: Apologizing
If not definitely a troll, apologize immediately and sincerely for what you can genuinely say
Do research on your own to figure out what happened and whether it was racist; if so, apologize more specifically and acknowledge harm done
Process your own feelings of anger or hurt without acting on it right away
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
In your weekly team meeting, the only woman of color takes the notes for the fourth week in a row, even though that's not part of her job description. When you talk to the meeting lead about this, they say, "I ask for volunteers and she's the only one who volunteers."
@openlifesci
Tip: Fairly distribute "office housework"
"Office housework" is necessary but unrewarded work (taking notes, organizing parties, tidying, etc.)
People of color and women of all races are expected to do more of this work and punished for not doing it
"Asking for volunteers" activates this expectation
Instead, managers should assign this work to all available team members on a strict rotating basis
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
In social spaces at work, like work parties and online social chat channels, you notice that men speak far more often than women. When you ask women why they speak less, they note that women generally have less power in your company hierarchy and men with more power strongly influence the topic of conversation.
k
@openlifesci
Be welcoming and redistribute power
People with more power can express interest and encourage follow-up: "That's interesting!" "Tell me more" "Thank you for bringing up that important topic"
Automatic measurement can inform people privately if they are taking up more space than average, or as a group
Giving more power and influence to care and maintenance functions can change the power balance positively
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
A woman on your team has been successfully filling in for her direct superior for 6 months after he left. Instead of promoting her, your director hires a man from outside the company with less experience and asks her to train the new hire. When you ask why she is reporting to someone less qualified, your director tells you that the new hire has a lot of potential.
@openlifesci
Tip: What Works for Women at Work
By Joan C. Williams and Rachel Dempsey
Four patterns of subtle bias, varying by race, ethnicity, appearance, etc.
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
On a Slack channel with about 50 people, a co-worker is talking about a badly implemented software feature. They write, "That's so ghetto," followed by a smiling face emoji.
@openlifesci
Tip: Have a concise code of conduct with examples
Have a short, clear, concise code of conduct that focuses on what not to do
Specifically list common forms of oppression
Put everything else (values, how to be inclusive, etc.) in separate documents
Hand over any dispute over CoC violations to an expert
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
A woman in your company goes on maternity leave. You are discussing which projects to assign to people after she has returned, including one that is in her area of expertise and requires some travel. A co-worker says, "She has a small baby, I'm guessing she won't want to travel."
@openlifesci
Tip: What Works for Women at Work
By Joan C. Williams and Rachel Dempsey
Four patterns of subtle bias, varying by race, ethnicity, appearance, etc.
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
Your team announces that the next team-building offsite activity will be playing laser tag.
@openlifesci
Tip: Inclusive offsites
Design your offsite meetings to be inclusive
Make a list of marginalized groups and spend time researching how each might feel left out
List of more inclusive and less inclusive offsites here:
https://geekfeminism.wikia.com/wiki/Inclusive_offsites
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
You are eating lunch in the employee kitchen when a group sits down near you. One person comments loudly “If I ate that, I’d be as big as a house!” A higher-weight coworker is sitting nearby and can clearly overhear.
@openlifesci
Tip: Weight discrimination at work
“Fat talk/diet talk” is seen as bonding but creates a hostile environment for other employees
Higher weight people face workplace discrimination, particularly women, regardless of ability to do the job
Body size is falsely equated with virtue: self-control, hard worker, in good health
Workplace “health initiatives” often discriminate against higher weight and disabled employees
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
A colleague of yours consistently uses male pronouns to refer to software and people of unknown gender ("he crashes on start," "what would he do?"). When you tell them it makes you uncomfortable to treat maleness as the norm, they say that male is the default gender in their first language and you should be more considerate of people from other cultures.
@openlifesci
"Paradox" of tolerance
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox_of_tolerance
A tolerant society must be intolerant of one thing: intolerance itself (otherwise intolerance takes over)
Multiculturalism means including and welcoming different cultures - except parts that harm or exclude people
Company culture takes precedence over other cultures in this case
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
You are part of the performance review process and see a lot of feedback for other employees. The feedback for several women include comments like "Needs to work on her communication style," or "too aggressive." Many fewer men's reviews have the same problems.
@openlifesci
Hint: it’s not the women
"When we analyzed a sample of performance evaluations of men and women across three high-tech companies and a professional services firm, we found that women consistently received less feedback tied to business outcomes. [...] 76% of references to being "too aggressive" happened in women’s reviews, versus 24% in men’s."
Shelley Correll and Caroline Simard, https://hbr.org/2016/04/research-vague-feedback-is-holding-women-back
@openlifesci
Tip: Bias interrupters
3 step process from UC Hastings WorkLife Law Center
Detailed list of bias interrupters for workplace systems:
http://biasinterrupters.org/
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
At a meeting you run, a person with moderate proficiency in English makes a suggestion, but no one picks up on it. Later on in the meeting, a person with high proficiency in English makes the same suggestion and is given credit for it.
@openlifesci
Tip: Effective and just meetings
Good meetings have the following roles:
https://frameshiftconsulting.com/speaking/#meeting
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
A colleague of yours consistently expresses disdain for gender non-conforming people, including queer people. When you tell him this makes you uncomfortable, he tells you that making fun of gender non-conforming people is part of the culture he grew up in, and you shouldn't try to impose your culture on him.
@openlifesci
"Paradox" of tolerance
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox_of_tolerance
A tolerant society must be intolerant of one thing: intolerance
Your company culture takes precedence over any individual person's culture if they request tolerance for their intolerance
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
You are in a hiring committee discussion trying to decide between two candidates, a Latina woman with non-traditional educational background and several years of full-time experience, and a white man with no full-time experience from a top-tier school. Someone says, "I know we said that experience is more important than educational background, but this guy's education is so stellar I think we should make an exception."
@openlifesci
Tip: Bias interrupters
3 step process from UC Hastings WorkLife Law Center
Detailed list of bias interrupters for workplace systems:
http://biasinterrupters.org/
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
A co-worker shares an article on your work Slack claiming that white men are biologically more suited to STEM careers, saying "I don't agree with all of it, but it has some good points." Another co-worker replies, saying that they disagree with the article but we have to be tolerant of co-workers with different political views because diversity of thought is important too.
@openlifesci
"Paradox" of tolerance
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox_of_tolerance
A tolerant society must be intolerant of one thing: intolerance itself (otherwise intolerance takes over)
Your company culture should tolerant and inclusive of everything except intolerance itself
Short take: company culture takes precedence over intolerant opinions or cultural beliefs
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
On a company mailing list, someone writes “How would you explain this [technical thing] to your grandmother?”
@openlifesci
Tip: Charles' Rules of Argument
https://hypatia.ca/2014/09/13/charles-rules-of-argument-the-short-version/
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
One of your co-workers asks another co-worker to stop saying "crazy." The second co-worker has never heard this request before and doesn't understand it, and gets angry at the first co-worker. When pointed at the code of conduct, the second co-worker says they can't see anything in the code of conduct about saying "crazy."
@openlifesci
Tip: Have a concise code of conduct with examples
Have a short, clear, concise code of conduct that focuses on what not to do
Specifically list common forms of oppression
Put everything else (values, how to be inclusive, etc.) in separate documents
Hand over any dispute over CoC violations to an expert
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
On a company Slack channel, a co-worker responds to a suggestion of yours with, "That's so gay!" and a smiley face emoji.
@openlifesci
Tip: Read Captain Awkward
Advice blog that answers questions on social interaction from an awkward, geeky perspective
Great for "How do I get someone to stop doing something without upsetting anyone?" type of questions (hint: someone is already upset)
http://captainawkward.com
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
When discussing which of two final candidates to make an offer to, a co-worker says, "I know we agreed experience is more important for this position, but the younger candidate has a degree from Stanford, which I think makes them better than the older candidate with ten more years of experience."
@openlifesci
Tip: Bias interrupters
3 step process from UC Hastings WorkLife Law Center
Detailed list of bias interrupters for workplace systems:
http://biasinterrupters.org/
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
At a party at work, a male manager makes a joke about how much sex another male coworker must have had in order to have so many children. Everyone is holding an alcoholic drink.
@openlifesci
Why talking about sex at work is harmful
Double standard for straight sex and gay sex
"Family size" talk can be racism & religious discrimination
Some racist stereotypes are about sex or genitals
Fertility, pregnancy, adoption can be highly emotional
@openlifesci
Why talking about sex at work is harmful, cont'd
Strong pressure to "be cool" about sex
Assumes parents are cis and straight
Double standard for sex for men and women
Sex talk => objectification & harassment of women
Take-away: Save talking about sex for outside of work
@openlifesci
Myths about alcohol and bad behavior
The immediate physiological effects of alcohol are:
Everything else (violence, sexual advances, rude comments) is voluntary and under conscious control:
http://www.sirc.org/publik/drinking4.html
@openlifesci
How to counter cultural messages about alcohol
Don't serve alcohol at all (surprisingly popular!)
Serve high quality non-alcoholic beverages
Serve at same stations with same prominence
More tips on serving alcohol in an inclusive manner, by Kara Sowles:
https://blog.valerieaurora.org/2018/03/30/cross-post-alcohol-and-inclusivity-planning-tech-events-with-non-alcoholic-options/
@openlifesci
Scenario: What could an ally do?
You are part of a hiring committee. A woman interviewer reports that an applicant refused to make eye contact with her and seemed dismissive of her questions. A man who interviewed the same applicant reports that they were enthusiastic and warm, and advocates strongly for advancing the applicant to the next level.
@openlifesci
Tip: Listen to and amplify marginalized voices
Marginalized people are the early warning system for harmful employees: they often see the signs first
If you aren't a member of the marginalized group, you may have difficulty believing experiences like these
When a marginalized person shares these experiences, view it as a valuable, limited time learning opportunity
Amplify and back up these kinds of reports
@openlifesci