This is an interesting thread and appreciate your post, Teresa!
OBOL guidelines. I do think guidelines for posting should be modified. I am not
sure how, but have been reflecting on that... I agree with the sense that you
could get your head bitten off by posting certain things. I was warned about
OBOL by a man before I joined. I have described the experience of reading
some/very few (not all, certainly, and possibly 100% untrue!) that “you can
hear the ice clanking in the glass of whiskey as they type...”
I was trained to become a “troll patrol” member to weed out harmful comments on
a couple of national websites (I don’t want to mention the topic) where the
opposition is adept at trolling. One way trolls operate, as defined for these
other sites, is that if you’re not an expert on the inner workings of the
topic, then you can’t comment or your comment is 100% invalidated, etc. This
“only experts may weigh in” resonates with some (not all) of my experience on
OBOL. Many OBOL posts are great, but for every post that winds up with discord,
contentious debates or birder shaming, it takes away from the whole experience
and my interest in posting on OBOL. I don’t believe I am alone in this
sentiment and the tone on OBOL often (not always) doesn’t match my love of
learning or spending time in nature and looking for birds.
OBOL statement. I do support the board making the statement. More context would
have been helpful, but I am also appreciative of all the work needed for a new
board coming together during a pandemic. I support the OBA and encourage others
to consider becoming a member to support our state birding association.
I do want to touch on the topic of sexual assault and harassment. It is a vast
and varied experience with subtleties that can crop up (trust is one area) that
isn’t well understood even by many survivors, much less the general public.
Until recently, the topic was cloaked in shame, even though many of us have
experienced it in some form, regardless of gender. I am one of 4 generations of
survivors in my family and I have been a sexual assault volunteer advocate
where I show up at the hospital to help survivors navigate a complex system. I
know for a fact that “now” is almost always never a good time to bring it up
with families or within a community. It is a tough topic. The topic often
creates defensiveness as I believe we witnessed on OBOL with the mention of
victims/survivors. While it should be obvious, mentioning sexual assault or
harassment does not mean all people of a group (namely men in this case) are
being accused. Rather, I hope it is a time of reflection for all. As a white
heterosexual woman, I am becoming aware of situations where I made comments or
held beliefs not supportive of the experience of BIPOC or the LGBTQ community;
I have a trans son and work to especially support parents when their kids are
coming out as trans or queer. Being receptive to another’s experience is
ultimately an enriching experience.
I do want to make a distinction between physical safety and interpersonal
safety. I feel pretty physically safe out birding as a woman. I have had a few
situations where red flags made me leave. I have had situations where an
explanation of what I am doing turns into a friendly conversation. I know
that’s not true for others, male or female. As a newer birder, I haven’t always
felt interpersonally safe as I struggle with an ID. All birders make mistakes
and I certainly made more (and some big ones!) than I do now when I started. I
sometimes learn best by making a mistake! I do need to feel safe in order to
ask ID questions. Over time, I have found folks to turn to, but it can be a
lonely struggle in the beginning for many of us.
I also believe that some of the tone on OBOL is the result of some who have
amassed accomplished records or have deep knowledge about birds and felt
unrecognized. Birding is both a personal and collective effort. I have been
thinking of ways to also recognize these folks. We all want to feel good at the
end of the day.
I may have missed other replies in the long time I took to write this in
between work breaks. I have appreciated everyone else’s perspectives. I am
cautiously excited about recent developments, wherever they may go. For now, I
know that many others share some of my sentiments as we all collectively enjoy
seeing birds.
Jill
Sent from my iPhone
On Feb 25, 2021, at 8:22 AM, Teresa Hertzel <teresa.hertzel@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Margaret, you are too funny. Thank you for a good laugh! It has been suggested
a few times now that we post the guidelines once a month, and my first instinct
is that once it gets into a rhythm of appearing on the 1st of each month,
people would no longer "see it."
But I have an idea, based on having been in a Catholic school for 1st grade.
The day would open with the teacher picking a random child and saying, "Joe,
the 3rd commandment!" Then poor Joe would have to stand by his desk and recite
the 3rd commandment. The following day, she would pick another child and
another commandment. In this way, you can bet we all learned our commandments
quickly and thoroughly. How about if I pick ONE guideline to highlight each
month and post it?
On Thu, Feb 25, 2021 at 10:13 AM Margaret Stephens
<mlstep@xxxxxxx<mailto:mlstep@xxxxxxx>> wrote:
First, the OBOL list is somewhat better than it used to be, when neophyte
birders could get their heads bitten off for posting innocent questions or
comments that were then sneered at by the "elite". I certainly have been,
hesitant to post because of this. Thank you to vigilant moderators!!
On a related note, about birding or being alone in nature (or anywhere) as a
female: I don't think that men, especially white men, can fully understand the
fear that marginalized community members, including BIPOC, LGBTQIA people, and
women, generally experience being alone, and then seeing a male stranger
nearby. Will they attack because they see someone vulnerable who can be taken
advantage of violently, will they attack because they see someone that doesn't
fit their idea of what that person should look like, will they attack because
they think their color doesn't belong? This is REAL. As a female, when I see
a lone man, or a group of men or males, and I am alone, the adrenaline shoots
up and I am on guard and will generally go out of my way to avoid interaction;
I am sure this is true for others that are targeted; unfortunately, this limits
the enjoyment and experience of solitude in natural areas. White men probably
do not have to think of this. Not picking on white men, but privilege comes
with being born that way, generally. And look at the perpetrators of most
violence....for example, the Capitol mob on January 6. Therefore, there is a
duty for the privileged to work on any lack of awareness on their part; which
involves, first: LISTENING and self-education and knowing when to at least shut
up.
Do you think the OBOL guidelines need to be changed? It should be changed so
that moderators can post guidelines and reminders of the ethics of this list
and birding in general. See below.
Do you think the Board violated their own policies by posting a statement about
violence against women on the birding listserv? - No. Moderators need to
moderate.
How should OBOL handle people who are perceived as bullying others? Warn them
once, and if it occurs again, ban them permanently. Maybe they can go on
Parler instead.
How can OBOL be more friendly and welcoming? - Moderators could post a
statement on the listserv at the beginning of each month that has reminders for
respectful discussion, states the consequences if posts violate the guidelines,
states the basic ethics of birding, and includes the assertion that birding
should be actively inclusive and safe for all (?) and that birders have a
responsibility to help make nature study inclusive. State that this post is a
moderator post that is not open for discussion, and delete any posts in reply.
OBA has a few hundred members, I think it's right around 300, but I don't have
the exact number. OBOL has almost 2,000, so the vast majority are not OBA
members. Do you think OBOL should be broken off from OBA and no longer be under
their umbrella? Don't know about this.
________________________________
From: boo-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:boo-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
<boo-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:boo-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>> on behalf of Teresa
Hertzel <teresa.hertzel@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:teresa.hertzel@xxxxxxxxx>>
Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2021 4:01 AM
To: BOO List <boo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:boo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>>
Subject: [boo] Discussion
BOOers,
Here are some questions for you, although you certainly don't have to stick to
these topics.
Do you think the OBOL guidelines need to be changed?
Do you think the Board violated their own policies by posting a statement about
violence against women on the birding listserv?
How should OBOL handle people who are perceived as bullying others?
How can OBOL be more friendly and welcoming?
OBA has a few hundred members, I think it's right around 300, but I don't have
the exact number. OBOL has almost 2,000, so the vast majority are not OBA
members. Do you think OBOL should be broken off from OBA and no longer be under
their umbrella?
Treesa
