[AusNOG] Common Sense needs to prevail

[Skeeve Stevens]

You're now part of the problem, not the solution.

...Skeeve

*Skeeve Stevens - Founder & Chief Architect - *eintellego Networks Pty Ltd
skeeve at eintellegonetworks.com ; www.eintellegonetworks.com

Phone: 1300 239 038; Cell +61 (0)414 753 383 ; skype://skeeve

facebook.com/eintellegonetworks ;  <http://twitter.com/networkceoau>
linkedin.com/in/skeeve
Cumulus Linux / Open Networking - Cloud - Consulting - Juniper - Cisco - IPv4
Brokering


On Tue, Oct 9, 2018 at 10:15 AM John Edwards <jaedwards at gmail.com> wrote:

> Flirting with "a cute guy or girl" at an industry function is
> inappropriate.
>
> There are apps for that now, save the face to face for professional
> relationship building.
>
> Imagine thinking that someone was interested in you for your skills or
> experience, only to find that you misread "innocent flirting". That might
> affect your career choices and the industry as a whole would be poorer for
> it. At the very least it wasted your time in exploring legitimate
> networking opportunities.
>
> Bonus "PC gone mad" points for sharing a mildly racist anecdote and
> obliviously lowering the tone of the place a little bit more.
>
> John
>
>
>
> On Tue, 9 Oct 2018 at 08:02, Skeeve Stevens <
> skeeve+ausnog at eintellegonetworks.com> wrote:
>
>> I hate to do this. I'm going to contradict my previous post about this
>> not being the forum for such discussions.
>>
>> This post is not to start another thread war, so if you want to abuse or
>> say something else to me, please do it off-list.
>>
>> I've been catching up on the posts re Sexual Harassment in our industry.
>> I didn't read all of them, there were just too many. So I don't know if
>> this perspective was addressed.
>>
>> Firstly, I will state categorically that Sexual Harassment is wrong.
>> SEXUAL HARASSMENT is wrong. Flirting or saying hi to a cute girl (or guy)
>> is not wrong.
>>
>> I hate seeing people go politically correct mad and destroying perfectly
>> good situations because of a few idiots who should be punished. That said,
>> the incident should be looked into to make sure facts/accusations are
>> accurate, as a misunderstanding or wrong accusation can easily destroy
>> someone as badly as being actually sexually harassed. Bevan was right to
>> make the announcement, and right to send the warning of what would occur
>> next time.
>>
>> But we need to make sure our industry doesn't have all the fun and
>> opportunity to meet new people squeezed out of it. I'd hate to see events
>> where people are afraid to even say hi to someone they fancy (damn I'm old)
>> due to incidents such as these.
>>
>> I say this because I have a different experience than most people here in
>> that I met my wife at an Ausnog event.
>>
>> It was an industry drinks (pre-conference I believe for Ausnog #2)...
>> there was a cute girl named Shanti (white) and her friend Lynette (Sri
>> Lankan) which I found highly amusing based on their names. We had lots of
>> fun with that and there was much flirting to be had.  I wasn't too naughty
>> (based on the result), but I do recall my staff carrying me out of that
>> event due to way too much alcohol.
>>
>> It turns out Shanti was the one managing the event on loan from Vocus. As
>> a sponsor of Ausnog #2, I had some interactions with Shanti the following
>> few days (my staff were previously doing it - but I was smitten), and
>> during the actual conference spent most of the time outside doing more
>> flirting with this amazingly cute girl who for some reason was giving me
>> the time of day.
>>
>> I don't recall any of that event really except Vijay Gill being awesome
>> and Geoff Huston doing his thing. Apart from that... no idea.. I was a
>> little smitten.
>>
>> A few days later I headed to Christchurch for my first APNIC event (#26)
>> on James Spenceleys recommendation and by some stroke of luck (for me),
>> James brought along Shanti too.  Well, that was that. It was my first
>> APNIC, and James asked Shanti to 'keep me amused' [it was all his fault!!]
>> as we were obviously getting on well. Well, that was the end of that.
>>
>> 10 years later, and recently having our 7th Wedding anniversary, and
>> being the happiest husband ever that I met and fell for one of the very few
>> women at the AusNOG conference.
>>
>> So. Sexual Harassment is bad bad bad... and anyone who does anyone that
>> is not welcome should be taken care of harshly. But, trying to meet people,
>> is not a bad thing, and as long as people are respectful, people should
>> continue to continue to have fun at these events and not be scared of
>> meeting new people, for whatever reasons.
>>
>> ...Skeeve
>>
>> *Skeeve Stevens - Founder & Chief Architect - *eintellego Networks Pty
>> Ltd
>> skeeve at eintellegonetworks.com ; www.eintellegonetworks.com
>>
>> Phone: 1300 239 038; Cell +61 (0)414 753 383 ; skype://skeeve
>>
>> facebook.com/eintellegonetworks ;  <http://twitter.com/networkceoau>
>> linkedin.com/in/skeeve
>> Cumulus Linux / Open Networking - Cloud - Consulting - Juniper - Cisco - IPv4
>> Brokering
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>>
>
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