CEPC preamble initial

CEPCPreamble.md

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+# CEPC Preamble
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+The W3C's Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct sets our to create a positive environment for W3C in which all participants feel safe and respected. It documents behaviors that are expected as well as behaviors that are unacceptable.
+It can be helpful to call attention to certain features of the code from time to time so that we are aware of what it includes. There is a lot of nuance in this code, and it is worth reading through the whole thing [link].
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+(note to speaker - choose one or two examples each time you present) 
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+1. Have empathy when discussing sensitive issues. You do not know about others' lived experiences. Avoid making jokes or callously mentioning sensitive topics, such as stalking, sexual assault, the pandemic, mental health, or disability. In cases when the need arises to discuss these issues and how they affect people do so with tact and empathy taking into account the gravity of the situation. 
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+2. Be inclusive and promote diversity. Seek diverse perspectives. Diversity of views and of people powers innovation, even if it is not always comfortable. Encourage all voices. Help new perspectives be heard and listen actively. If you find yourself dominating a discussion, it is especially important to step back and encourage other voices to join in. Provide alternative ways to contribute. 
+This might mean allowing a new person to become the AC rep. This might mean paying attention to how much time you spend talking in a meeting or how often you join the queue. It might mean sharing slides a few days before a meeting so that people have an opportunity to read and translate them into their native languages. Inclusion is about making people feel welcome. 
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+3. Think of others’ needs from their point of view. Use preferred names, titles (including pronouns), and the appropriate tone of voice. Therefore, be formal and conservative in what you do and liberal in what you accept from others and acknowledge the contributions of your peers. 
+It is impossible to be aware of all of someone else's needs without asking them what they need. This can be as simple as how to pronounce a name or more subtle, like recognizing that some people prefer to contribute by listening. Avoid making assumptions others' preferences and needs. When in doubt, ask, and respect the response. It's important to recognize the contributions of others. 
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+Unaccetpable behaviors include:
+4. Offensive comments related to socio-economic status, sexual orientation, religion, race, physical appearance, neurotype, nationality, mental health, language, indigeneity, immigration status, gender, gender identity and gender expression, ethnicity, disability (both visible and invisible), caste, body, or age.
+It is never acceptable to say something offensive. You might not realize that your comments are offensive. This code priorotizes impact of statements over intent. You might not have intended a comment to be offensive, but it can still be hurtful. In such a situation, an apology or correction is still be called for.
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+5. Misgendering someone by deliberately referring to a person using the wrong pronouns or by using someone's proper names or other terms that person has asked not to be used, also known as deadnaming.
+When someone provides a name to refer to them by, respect the information they provide about themselves even if it is different from information with which you are familiar. Someone may have gone through a recent life change that brought about a name change. Someone may have recently married, divorced, or transitioned. 
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+6. Stalking or physically following or invading someone's personal space after a request to stop.
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+Respect people's personal space, especially if they've expressed a preference for a boundary. Different cultures and individuals have different tolerances for what is considered an appropriate amount of space when talking. Some people prefer to avoid any touch. So much more so, do not follow others. Stalking is an extreme form of this that is certainly not acceptable.
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+7. Microaggressions, which are small comments or questions, either intentional or unintentional, that marginalize people by communicating hostile, derogatory, or negative beliefs. Be aware that, regardless of the speaker's intentions, some phrases or constructions lead people to expect a patronizing statement to follow, and avoid such phrases. For example, beginning an interjection with "Well, actually..." can set this expectation and be taken as a sign of disrespect. and Feigning surprise at someone’s lack of knowledge or awareness about a topic.
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+The list of examples in the code is more extensive. Microaggressions is a large and complicated category. In How to Be Antiracist, Ibrahim X Kendi explains that he does not use the term "microaggression" anymore because "A persistent daily low hum of racist abuse is not minor." Microagressions are daily, commonplace, often unintentional indiginties that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative prejudicial slights and insults toward any group, particularly culturally marginalized group. So often the person responsible for the microaggression is unaware of it "Your name is so exotic." "How did you not know that?" "You must not know about this, so I'll explain.". So often, this guidance confuses people or makes them uncomfortable. Learning about things you have done that might have put others on the defensive is uncomfortable and should lead us to examine our behaviors, tweak our wording, and look for phrasing that is a little more inclusive.
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+Safety versus Comfort
+8. This Code prioritizes the safety of individuals, particularly those in marginalized communities, over the comfort of others, for example in situations involving. 
+* "Reverse" -isms, including "reverse racism," "reverse sexism," and "cisphobia" (because these things don't exist)
+* Reasonable communication of boundaries, such as “leave me alone,” “go away,” or “I’m not discussing this with you”.
+Communication in a tone you don’t find congenial.
+* Criticisms of racist, sexist, cissexist, or otherwise oppressive behavior or assumptions.
+
+This simply means that the CEPC was written out of concerns for safety, not out of concern for comfort. In the CEPC priority of constituencies, safety, especially of marginalized comminities comes first. If something makes someone feel unsafe, we stop that behavior, even if it has the appearance of uncongeniality. Saying "leave me alone" is totally appropriate when one's safety is compromised. Feeling uncomfortable is not the same as feeling unsafe, and it does not have the same priority.
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+We have guidance on what to do when you've made a mistake. We all make mistakes, and CEPC outlines how to go about apologizing or correcting your errors.