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Comment by drcube | Hacker News Reader

I supposed "diversity" doesn't include diverse standards of humor? "Let's not offend anybody" is a losing game. Somebody WILL be offended, so my advice is to ignore the offenderati and communicate your own way. People will listen or not, but that's on them.

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The OP isn't saying "let's not offend anybody." She's asking conference speakers and organizers to maintain a minimal level of professionalism and respect as is standard in pretty much any other industry.

Dirty/sexist jokes in professional conferences do not count as "diverse standards of humor." They just make our industry look immature and unwelcoming.

"""The OP isn't saying "let's not offend anybody." She's asking conference speakers and organizers to maintain a minimal level of professionalism and respect as is standard in pretty much any other industry."""

So basically make it as boring as an insurance convention...

So not being sexist makes an industry boring? Maybe we need to throw in some racism and make things even more edgy!

What slides from the presentation were sexist?

"So not being sexist makes an industry boring?"

No, but being self-important and all-too-cautious and "professional" makes it.

I doubt neuroscience conference sessions these kinds of problems. There might be sexists, especially among older faculty. But they probably have the good judgement to not put it in their talks.

False dichotomy. There's a broad middle ground between the positions "Don't do anything that may ever offend anyone. Humor of any sorts is completely unacceptable" and "Dick jokes totally belong in official presentations at industry tech conferences".

Counter-point:

  I communicate best by using live nude people up on
  stage in an interpretive dance. The human body is
  beautiful. If you are offended by it you should just
  leave. If you decide to ban me from your conference
  you are just trying to censor my free speech.

The counter point is very valid in so far that if you describe this act as a "Demonstration of Ten Dirty Sex Acts and How to Perform Them" that you will get similar reactions by self-proclaimed saviors of morality as they received to their talk.

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