At 2019-06-28T11:48:18+0200, Gerardo Ballabio wrote: > Hello all, > I've just seen this on https://micronews.debian.org/ : > > "In support of #pridemonth, Debian changes its website logo. The > Debian Project welcomes and encourages participation by everyone > https://www.debian.org/intro/diversity " > > May I please ask who decided that and where was it discussed? (I can't > find anything about it at least on -project.) It's consistent with what I personally perceive to have been the values of the project for at least the past 20 years. > I do not think that this is appropriate. Welcoming diversity is one > thing, supporting pridemonth is another thing. Pridemonth is a set of > events with a definite political connotation. Can you please articulate: 1. what the definite political connotation of Pride Month is (feel free to cite a representative source); 2. how it is in conflict with the position statement at the official project URL you cite above; and 3. what aspect of the political connotation of Pride Month you find objectionable, if any. > I don't think that Debian should take sides on any specific political > issues (except of course issues that have a relation to free > software), A great many issues have a relation to Free Software; among them is the problem of discrimination against and devaluation of software contributors and professionals who identify as non-cis, non-straight, and/or non-binary. More broadly, I consider the political project of not mere tolerance, but an embrace of diversity as consistent with the liberal tradition of John Stuart Mill, which is some centuries old and underpins the cultural milieu which gave rise to the Debian Project in the first place. > especially if that hasn't been discussed at large among project > members and there isn't a clear consensus. It has been discussed for many years, and in my estimation the Project reached a position of non-accommodation with those hostile to the values celebrated by Pride Month. It may be worth remembering that Pride Month originates as a commemoration of a resistance action against a culture of police violence and impunity. The Stonewall Riots of 1969 are well-known in the United States. > Is it just me (and am I being blatantly wrong, if so please enlighten > me) or do others share my concern? It is worthwhile on occasion to revisit even fundamental questions and positions, and evaluate whether they continue to the serve our project. From my perspective, Pride Month has many objectives yet to achieve. For instance, Taiwan recently became the _first_ nation in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, not the last. It's widely agreed that Asia is a big place with lots of people. Just to set a milestone, perhaps we can revisit this question when over half the world's population enjoys a right to same-sex marriage. Regards, Branden
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