[LRUG] Suggestion

[Warren Guy]

Aanand Prasad wrote:
>> I will admit that I did ask this question at least a couple of times, and I am truly sorry if that bothered or offended anyone.
...
> The effect, in aggregate, of having this conversation again and again is harmful far beyond the innocent intentions of any one person asking it: the othering of those who don't fit the norm. The question behind the question, as Hari Kondabolu puts it: "Hey. Why aren't you white?"[1]
...
> This is a microaggression[2], undoubtedly, and it should be treated as one: largely unintentional, perhaps even well-intentioned, but nonetheless harmful and something we should be taking direct action to avoid. Because we *want* more people in our social spaces who don't fit the norm.
>
> It takes a bit of extra effort to watch that we're not alienating people, but it's worth it.

I'm aware of this phenomenon and its harm, but to be honest I can't
quite get my head around how the analogy fits here.

To me, making an assumption that everyone at an LRUG event is a Ruby
developer just like you seems far from inclusive. If Monday's meeting
was typical in this regard, there are all kinds of developer,
pseudo-developer, and non-developer folk at the meetings. The community
comprises all kinds: developers; hobbyists; beginners; entrepreneurs;
managers; and others who won't identify themselves as "developers".[1]I
can't imagine anyone being offended by someone inquiring what their
interest in Ruby is, at a Ruby meeting.

While personally I would not be offended by someone assuming I was or
was not a Ruby developer, to suggest that we all assume that everyone
*is* a developer seems to seek only to exclude. Stephen's original post,
regardless of any intent or lack thereof,really gave me the impression
that non-developers do not belong, or are less welcome than "Ruby
developers", at LRUG events. I do not assume that Stephen's comment had
any malicious intent. I just thought it was worth making the point that
we're not all developers and that it is exclusionary to assume so.

Warren

[1] For clarity, I don't intend to exclude beginners, hobbyists, etc,
from also considering themselves Ruby developers. Some will, some won't.
I think it's a personal thing.