Read on Twitter
Making a real change requires more than outing predators and providing a safe environment for coming forward. We must stop normalizing and celebrating "degen culture" in this community. We as a community have been fostering situations that are breeding grounds for poor judgment.
Take drug and alcohol abuse seriously. Don't provide it to minors. Don't party with minors. Stop sneaking alcohol into venues. Stop conflating social status with level of debauchery. Be more selective with who you share housing with especially while doing all of these things.
Being drunk is never an excuse for bad behavior, but it's a common thread in so many cases of predatory behavior and misconduct. We need to attack this issue from all sides and a community-wide culture shift is an integral part of that.
A lot falls on the hands of TOs though.
A lot falls on the hands of TOs though.
As a TO, I've always focused my effort on tourney logistics and operations, leaving the other aspects of event planning to the rest of the staff. It's become very clear to me that this mindset is shallow, complicit, and helps perpetuate deep rooted issues in the community.
Going forwards, I will ensure that my role in events expands beyond just the tournament. This includes working on measures to promote a safe environment, with adequate systems in place for reporting misconduct, preventing known predators from attending, and protecting minors.
Despite everything that's been coming to light, this community has so many truly good people in it. Let's work together to make it the best place we can. Let's be the warm, welcoming, and inclusive community we've always claimed to be.
