{"id":6029,"date":"2022-07-04T23:59:22","date_gmt":"2022-07-04T22:59:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/technophilosoph.com\/2022\/07\/04\/traegst-du-deine-unterwaesche-auch-heute-anmerkungen-zu-einem-veranstalterkodex\/"},"modified":"2022-07-05T00:17:48","modified_gmt":"2022-07-04T23:17:48","slug":"are-you-wearing-your-underwear-today-too-notes-on-an-code-of-conduct-at-events","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/technophilosoph.com\/en\/2022\/07\/04\/are-you-wearing-your-underwear-today-too-notes-on-an-code-of-conduct-at-events\/","title":{"rendered":"“Are You Wearing Your Underwear Today, Too?” – Notes On An Code of Conduct at Events"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The founder of a lingerie label, Ilana Biasini<\/a>, organized the network meeting SHEDoes | Gr\u00fcnderinnen Netzwerk<\/a> (female founder network) with other women in Mannheim. There she presented her underwear brand and the company. Since she was looking for investors, she exchanged business cards with those present. In the course of the event, one of these investors approached her from behind, grabbed her buttocks and asked her<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you wearing your underwear today too?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

That’s what New Work designer Kira Marie Cremer<\/a> reported on a LinkedIn post<\/a>. And she was just as shocked as Biasini herself and every other woman who had heard about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though the problem is not new and has also come into focus in the venture capital scene<\/a> since the @metoo movement at the latest, we should not make the mistake of continuing to regard it as normal and only discuss it among women and behind closed doors. There are some measures that we can and should take. And these also bring attention to the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So one measure is that organizers can announce that already at the beginning. As someone who organizes visits to Silicon Valley with delegations of companies, thought leaders and other interesting people, I always list a few ground rules at the first meeting with the delegations. Among them are how to behave toward minorities and women during the visit. Neither do I want to hear any derogatory remarks nor of any assaults. Anyone who is reported to me must leave the delegation immediately and will not be present again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even as a woman, you should take initiative when possible. A female Google employee friend recently told me about a delegation from the Middle East at Google headquarters in Mountain View, where, after exchanging contact information, a delegation member asked her if she was free for dinner with him and if she would like to come to his home country, where “they would certainly have fun.” After a brief shock and wondering how that had been meant, she reported it to her colleagues, who then relayed it to the delegation leaders. This person was no longer wanted as a guest or customer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At an event at Berkeley University, I first came across an anti-harassment code that had been read out by the organizers right at the opening. And I was delighted. Not because this code of conduct was necessary. No, I was because it was explicitly mentioned, sending the clear signal of what unacceptable behavior is and how the code of conduct will be enforced. Sometimes you have to spell it out. I would like to see such a code at every event, and especially from the organizers who think their event doesn’t have this problem. Then all the more I want it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is TechCrunch’s code in full, which also included email addresses and phone numbers to report incidents:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TechCrunch will not tolerate any type of harassment of attendees, including the following but not limited to:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n