Let's build better conferences, together

Published on 13 May 2019 in Miscellaneous - Lire en français

During your studies or professional life, you may find yourself attending, participating in or even organising conferences. In some fields, conferences are the best way - if not the only way - to build up a professional network, so attending them is a great opportunity.

However, access to them is not guaranteed to all under the right conditions, which represents a further inequality in professional life. But how can we ensure that these events are genuinely accessible to everyone?

I've had the opportunity to attend several conferences, and to speak at one of them. My overall experience was very positive: in addition to the technical knowledge I was able to acquire, I had the opportunity to meet and keep in touch with lots of professionals in my field and, at a complicated time in my professional life, I received advice that helped me enormously. The only fly in the ointment was the man who saw fit to take advantage of my state of intense stress a few minutes before giving my first talk: he offered me a massage ‘to help me relax’, not waiting for my agreement before placing his hands on my shoulders. So overcome by the stress of public speaking, I simply refused the massage, without reacting too much. It may seem insignificant - after all, he ‘just’ touched my shoulders for a few seconds - but it says a lot about the behaviour that some people indulge in, even in a professional environment.

I've since read many accounts of conferences given in France and other countries, which confirm that this kind of inappropriate behaviour - and unfortunately sometimes much more serious - is commonplace. So here are a few tips on how to make these events safer and more welcoming for everyone.

What can you do as an attendee?

Social interaction with the other participants is an important part of the experience. Which brings me to my first piece of advice, which may seem obvious, but to me it's essential: when you talk to someone, always start by introducing yourself. Even if you're well known. Not everyone is a physiognomist and, more prosaically, not everyone attending a conference comes from exactly the same professional background as you, so you may be completely unknown to them even if you are a reference in your field. So it's a good idea to introduce yourself and tell them where you stand (your profile/position, your area of expertise, etc.).

Conferences are a mecca for networking, and some people even come just to meet people, with little or no attendance at the various presentations and workshops. But nobody owes you a conversation. Some people are happy to talk to strangers, others are not. Someone may be open to discussion at one time of day and wish to be left alone at another. And, more simply, a person has every right not to want to talk to you, and doesn't have to justify it.

Remember, everyone is the master of their own image: don't photograph anyone without permission!

If you witness a scene that looks like harassment or assault, intervene. Either directly or by notifying a person in the organization. Many unpleasant situations can be defused just by intervening in a neutral way: interfering in the conversation in progress, indicating to one of the people involved that they are requested at another place in the building... Your mere presence can calm the spirits of some aggressors.

Finally, a conference is not a place for flirting. It doesn’t matter if it’s « the first time » that you approach someone like this, it doesn’t matter if you have « felt a real connection ». Respect other participants.

« It's already difficul to talk, as a woman, so when we receive feedback on our look on the conference hashtag, and when men make sexist comments like "it was not technical enough" or "oh it was super technical for a woman", it really doesn't help! »

Organisation: a well-prepared team is a good team

Organizing a conference requires a lot of work: finding sponsors, a location, speakers, selling tickets... But your responsibilities also include ensuring the safety and well-being of participants. And this requires some specific actions.

In 2019, it is no longer possible to have an organizing team composed only of white, cisgender, heterosexual and able-bodied men and not see the problem. Moreover, such a team will not be able to anticipate the specific needs of speakers and spectators who are not like them. It is therefore important to have people with diverse and varied profiles in the organizing team.

The various tools and facilities necessary to make the event accessible to all must be taken into account from the outset. To be really effective, they cannot be last minute additions, at the risk of turning into simple cosmetic additions without any effect.

Train yourself and your team to manage the various incidents that could happen during the conference. This will improve the way these events are handled, and you will be more relaxed.

To get an idea of the type of incidents that may occur in a conference, you can read the many testimonials that exist. You can think about the reaction to be had in case of:

• Abusive statements (sexism, racism, LGBTphobia, Ableism, fat-phobia...), whether on stage by a speaker, in a public question at the end of a presentation, in a conversation at the conference venue or on social networks;
• harassment, whether sexual or not;
• sexual assault, regardless of its “severity” (spoiler alert: “Oh, that’s nothing!”) is not an acceptable response;
• rape, for the duration of the event;
• the presence of a known aggressor, either among the speakers or in the public (we will talk about it later).

Comment by a male member of the audience in response to a conference that addressed women in computing:

“I’ve been going to computer science conferences for 25 years and this is the first time I’ve seen so many women, and they’re young and pretty.”

« No need to spell that, it's obvious! »

When you write the different communication media of the event (website, information emails to speakers, etc.), do not assume that «people know»: explain. For some people, your conference will be the first event of its kind to attend: they will not have all the codes and will not necessarily know what is expected of them, what should or should not be done, etc. In addition, for some, especially neurodivergent people, not having precise information on the course of the event in advance can be a major source of stress. Clearly indicate how to access the conference venue (public transport, parking, bike parking, access for pedestrians, etc.), what facilities are available on site (for example, whether or not there is a rest room), the layout of the premises, what should be provided by speakers (computer, cable, slideshow format, etc.), and any practical information that seems relevant.

« I spent the first 25 minutes of the first profesionnal event I went to in the lobby, pretending to look at the sponsor companies stands, as I did not know where the two amphitheatres were where the presentations were taking place, and I did not dare to ask someone this question that seemed stupid. »

Money is the sinews of war

Organizing a conference is expensive. Quite logically, the tickets are expensive, often several hundred euros, to which must be added travel and accommodation costs. How do we ensure that access to conferences is not reserved for the richest or those who can be financed by their companies?

Students, the unemployed and people with disabilities can be offered reduced rates; it is also possible to do so without justification, on the principle of trust, some conferences do. To finance these tickets, it is possible for example to set up a donations system: imagine that your full price is 200 €, you can offer a place at 40 € each time your donation pool reaches 160 €.

Allowing students, unemployed women, people in a first poorly paid job or self-employed who do not roll on gold to participate in these events is enabling them to learn, to build up a network, and possibly to obtain clients or a job which they otherwise could not have obtained.

In the same vein, there are initiatives such as Diversity tickets, which allows people from under-represented groups in tech ("This includes, but is not limited to: racialized people, LGBT+ people, women and people with disabilities"), to obtain free seats for participating conferences.

Open bar? Open problems

Is the presence of alcohol really necessary in a professional event? This question may seem strange, but it deserves to be asked: alcohol is served at one time or another in the vast majority of professional events, sometimes even freely (the famous «open bar»).

This raises several problems. First of all, when alcohol is available, it is the “default” choice for many people, and anyone who does not want to drink it has to justify not drinking. It's very annoying as it is, and is even more when you want to keep the reason private (pregnancy, religion, health problem, alcoholism, etc.).

Secondly, excessive drinking often leads to behavioural problems – which are not at all excused because “I was a little drunk”, just to be clear. From a simple, overhonest discussion with a potential recruiter to sexual assault and overt racist comments, everyone is better off without these kinds of interventions.

Finally, your speakers and participants will be in much better shape for the morning conferences and workshops if they have been fueled by tomato juice and ginger ale that if they have emptied keg after keg until the end of the night.

Offering only soft drinks is much cheaper and avoids a lot of potential trouble. For those who would absolutely love their pint or their rhum and coke, there's always the possibility to continue the evening in a nearby bar.

Badges, information vectors

The badges distributed to conference participants and speakers often contain the same information: their name, job title, the company they work for and a way to contact them (e.g., Twitter handle). Some conferences offer to add some useful indications:

Pronouns to be used to address the person: «he/him», «she/her», «they/them»... This information ensures that all participants are addressed in the correct manner, and standardizes the use of the singular they or other neutral pronouns.

It is also possible to offer stickers to put on your badge to indicate if you are open to discussion, if you only want to discuss with people you know, or if you do not want to discuss at all.

Finally, we have already briefly discussed the question of photos above, here is an easy way to find out: some conferences offer two colors of straps, to indicate whether one agrees to be taken in a photo or not.

Make your event really accessible

The accessibility of an event is not only measured by the presence of ramps or other things that facilitate the access for disabled people, although these remain essential. The diversity of disabilities implies a diversity of solutions.

For example, most conferences offer a buffet for lunch, and it is rarely possible to sit down. However, for a person who can not stand for long time, who has difficulties with proprioception or who is dyspraxic, it is essential.

In order to make the lectures and workshops accessible to deaf and hard of hearing participants, you can have ASL interpreters [1] and a velotype system (a way to do live subtitling).

ensory hypersensitivity is also to be taken into account: if you plan to use light effects or loud/shrill/high-pitched sounds in your presentation, think about warning, if possible before and if not at the beginning of the conference. More generally, warn for any content that could inconvenience the public, whether substance or form.

If you have the opportunity, provide a quiet room to be able to isolate from people and noise. This is useful for autistic people with sensory overload, for example.

The call for speakers

Most conferences operate with a call for speakers, that is to say that each can propose one or more conference or workshop topics, and the most relevant ones will be selected by the organizing team. Sometimes some of the seats are automatically allocated to “big names”, because they have a conference that works very well (it is common for a person to give the same lecture – or variation on the same topic – at several events, especially professional speakers) or simply because their presence can attract an audience. Some conferences do not have a call for papers and all speakers are directly invited.

The first good practice is to call on speakers. You can have the best intentions in the world, make sure not to choose the same people every year, to vary profiles... By definition, you will only think of people who are known or part of your network. In this case, it is almost impossible for new people to enter the conference circuit, and thus enjoy all the benefits I mentioned above.

In your call for speakers, say that you are looking for varied profiles, because it is not self-evident. For years, the same people have succeeded each other on the scenes of all professional events (do I really need to specify that they were white, cisgender, able-bodied and mostly heterosexual men?), often with the same type of career path and approach. If you are working to change things, say so. Say that you refuse to have only white men on stage, say that you are looking for people with atypical backgrounds, with different experiences. Better, if you know women, racialized people or LGBT+ people in your field, invite them to propose topics; as minority people, their socialization and education do not encourage them to speak. Get out of your circle of friends and colleagues, to give a chance to people who do not have the same background as you.

Try to give as much priority as possible to those directly concerned by a subject: we do not need yet another round table of men to talk about the place of women in this or that field. Beware however: people belonging to a minority group are not only experts on themselves, and do not want to be invited only to talk about the discriminations or difficulties concerning them.

Be sure to renew the orators from one year to the next. This will allow new people to access the recognition associated with the status of speaker – they are indeed in greater need of it than the “old ones” that everyone knows already –, but will also be more interesting for the public, who does not necessarily want to see the same people again and again for 10 years. Conference regulars tend to be the first to answer calls for speakers; new applications can be examined first to counter this. A follow-up of previous speakers, as well as conference topics already presented elsewhere in the year can be another way to not become a running gag like these music festivals that program the same 3 groups every year!

If you can, offer help to people who submit a topic for the first time. It is not easy to know how to formulate one’s topic or what title to choose when one is not familiar with the habits of the environment. Each conference has its own identity, topics of choice and language tics. Sometimes, the fate of a proposal is played out in a few words or a formulation; it is as well to give newbies all the keys so that they have as many chances as others. Also, the prospect of being helped once their subject has been chosen may encourage some to start. Organize rehearsals, offer mentorship, in short assure people that they will not be catapulted in the arena without any help.

Do not select a known/proven attacker, even if he is the most prominent person in your domain. No matter what status, knowledge or achievements a person has, there is no justification for promoting an aggressor. To invite an aggressor is to legitimize him, to say that his expertise (or his well-placed friendships...) are worth more than the lives and careers of the people he attacked. When an aggressor participates in an event, his victims have the choice between being confronted with him again or being put out of their social life [2]. In some circles, it is equivalent to a professional death. For every talented aggressor, there are twenty equally talented people who did not build their careers by destroying others. They are sometimes harder to find because they do not spend their time fighting their way through the front of the stage, but they are worth looking for.

Last point: once your speakers are selected, be perfectly clear on the expected behaviors and those prohibited, to avoid ending up with sexist «jokes» in the slides, for example. Which brings us to the next point.

What can I do as a speaker?

First of all, since this is apparently not obvious to everyone, do not make sexist, racist, ableist or LGBTphobic remarks in your slides, even under the guise of humor. Think about the examples you use, I’m thinking of the interfaces "so simple that even my mom knows how to use them", as we often hear in tech conferences. This expression maintains the image of a technology mastered only by men, when this is totally wrong.

« One speaker talked about optimizing his time and productivity with shortcuts, macros, etc. It was great except when he presented his automatic answer program to Tinder matches. Half the audience... applauded. I was shocked and reported it to the organizers, but the harm was done... » [3]

Feel free to ask for help, especially if this is your first time giving a talk. Being a good speaker is not innate, and many experienced speakers will be happy to help you, whether it is to develop your content or make you do rehearsals before the D-day.

Finally, if you are a man, refuse to participate in a conference composed entirely of men; if you are white, refuse to participate in a conference composed entirely of white people, etc.

The « Code of Conduct »

The Code of Conduct – or CoC – is a document that lists the rules of an event. As with the call for speakers, the first good practice is to have one. Of course, the presence of a Code of Conduct will not prevent people from behaving badly, but its absence is a good indicator of the lack of interest of the organizers in these issues.

It should be clear, complete and easily accessible. Ideally, it should be available on the event website but also posted on site. There are several models, do not hesitate to take inspiration from them, to offer a document as complete as possible.

Once this code of conduct is defined, it must be applied. For this, it must indicate, in addition to the behaviors encouraged and prohibited, their consequences. You are not obliged to list in detail the sanctions corresponding to each point of the CoC, but they must have been foreseen in advance.

The most important thing about the Code of Conduct is that it applies to everyone, "rock stars" and staff included. The slightest exception creates a precedent that cannot be remedied, and puts participants at risk by telling potential attackers that they are safe.

Last CoC best practice: provide a phone number and an email address to be contacted – potentially anonymously – in case of problems. This allows victims to quickly warn the staff and get help as soon as possible. Attention, this must be accompanied by human and material resources available on D-day. It is therefore necessary to organize it in advance: an additional volunteer, a dedicated communication channel, you see how to adjust.

What to do in the event of an incident

The first thing to do is to believe the victim. Believing the victim is paramount. It is already complicated enough to react when you are assaulted, especially when it happens in your professional environment, so as not to risk seeing your word questioned.

In the event of an incident, involve the victim in decisions. Being insulted, harassed or even assaulted is violent and often accompanied by a loss of control that is very difficult to live with. By involving the victim in the management of the incident, we give them a piece of control back. They can refuse to take part in the handling, in which case do not insist, but it is important to offer it.

Whatever happens, ask her if she wants the incident to be handled publicly or not, and make sure that she agrees to be named before doing it. It is not uncommon for victims of sexist, racist, validist and LGBTphobic discrimination or aggression to be stigmatized because of the act they have suffered, whether through the famous guilt questions to know if the victim did not "ask for it" or outright exclusion (95% of women who report sexual harassment lose their jobs).

Similarly, offer to contact the police if necessary but do not do so without the victim’s express permission. The filing of a complaint is in many cases difficult (sometimes considered more violent than the initial assault!), because of the poor training of police officers in the matter. A victim is under no obligation to file a complaint, and it is quite indecent to pressure them to do so – for example with the argument "did you think about future victims?", the ultimate way of blaming a victim, who needs it like a third thumb. Ask the victim what they need. Support? A quiet corner to isolate and calm down? The presence of a known participant? Offer without imposing, and let the victim know that they can change their mind and ask you for help later if they wish.

This has already been addressed in the Code of Conduct, but: do not make any exception, never. Your star speaker, all-expenses-paid guest from the US and headliner of the conference harassed a participant? Apply the penalty. Did any of the organizers make racist comments? Apply the penalty. If you communicate clearly on the topic, always within the limits of what the victim authorizes, no one can blame you for anything. It often happens that an speaker is unavailable at the last minute (a gastroenteritis, train problems, a family imperative...) and is replaced on short notice, and no one would think to refuse the replacement. This case is no different.

Finally, it is important to take stock once the event is over in order to identify what has been effective and what has not, and think about how to prevent this incident from happening again. Should we adapt the Code of Conduct? Change the organization of the days? Better supervise some parts of the event

I hope that these few tips will be useful to you so that your professional events go as well as possible, both for participants and speakers..

If you have other tips or testimonials do not hesitate to post them in comment!