Alcohol & Inclusivity in Tech

Alcohol is a major theme in tech culture, whether it's bonding with peers near the office keg, letting off steam with afterwork drinks, or meeting industry giants over some conference beers. Unfortunately, tech culture around alcohol often excludes people on the basis of gender, medication, religion, pregnancy, addiction, age, and more. We'll learn some of the basic pitfalls to avoid, and then talk solutions with easy-to-practice ally skills for how to discuss, serve, and approach alcohol in the workplace.

Talk given in Nov 2020 at SeaGL (virtual), and in April 2018 at Zapproved for their Ally Talks series.

SeaGL recording: https://seagl.org/archive/2020/alcohol-and-inclusivity-in-tech

Transcript

1. Alcohol & Inclusivity at Zapproved, April 2018 @feynudibranch
2. Kara Sowles Kara Sowles Community Team Manager Tech Co. Inc. @feynudibranch
3. Manager of Community & Evangelism Puppet @feynudibranch
4. Things this talk is NOT about: - The Things You Love are Bad - Alcohol is the Devil’s Blood - Inclusivity Means Lighting the Booze on Fire & Throwing It Away
5. LET’S GET PERSONAL
7. You’re at a conference afterparty, and you try to hand the person next to you a drink from the open bar. They decline. Why did they decline? Write down as many possible reasons as you can in 2 minutes.
9. “Why not?” “You want a drink?” “No, thanks.”
10. Religion
11. Age
12. Addiction
13. Medical
14. Pregnant
15. Feeling Unsafe
16. Alcohol Intolerant
17. Just don’t like alcohol
18. Why aren’t you drinking?
19. What’s your religion? How old are you? What medications do you take? Are you pregnant? Are you an alcoholic? How safe do you feel?
20. Federal / Oregon Protected Classes -- aka some of the things people in the US are most likely to discriminate based on (and it is illegal to discriminate based on) - Race - Color - National origin - Religion - Sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions) - Disability (physical or mental) - Age (18 and older) (40 and older) - Citizenship status - Genetic information - Marital status - Sexual orientation - Parent with court-imposed medical support order - Domestic violence victim status - Refusal to attend an employer-sponsored meeting with the primary purpose of communicating the employer's opinion on religious or political matters
21. I imagined that there was me, a teetotaler….
22. ...and then everyone else
23. ...And maybe there would be another person who doesn’t drink there.
24. I was wrong; it’s not that clear-cut.
25. never drinks alcohol not drinking alcohol at this time/place always drinks alcohol
26. never drinks alcohol not drinking alcohol at this time/place always drinks alcohol
27. *shrug*
28. Many temporary reasons people don’t drink alcohol ❖ Driving or biking home ❖ Headed to an activity afterwards they want to be sober for ❖ Not feeling well ❖ Going out for drinks later instead ❖ Working early the next day ❖ Working later in the evening ❖ Hasn’t eaten yet ❖ Don’t feel like drinking right now People want or need different things from moment to moment.
29. What Peer Pressure?
30. Peer pressure - Personal “We are all going out for drinks later.” Your peer makes it clear that drinking alcohol is part of fitting in with the team. At an industry event, someone you’re networking with says “I got you a drink!” expectantly. An executive congratulates you on a job well done with a glass of expensive scotch.
31. Peer pressure - Systemic Your team celebrates a successful release with champagne. Important watercooler conversation happens after work in a bar. You need the context to do your job well. “We got a keg in the office!” Every work event has alcohol; the alternative is the soda fountain.
33. This talk is about letting people make their own choices That’s all it is In order to allow people to make choices we need to give them options
34. LET’S GET SYSTEMIC
35. We’re at a tech event. Let’s grab a drink! Approach the bar
36. What drinks do you have? Nevermind, I’m fine.
37. Nevermind, I’m fine. What drinks do you have?
38. Some dark beers, some light beers, wine Nevermind, ’m fine. Nevermind, I’m fine. What drinks do you have?
39. Some dark beers, some light beers, wine Nevermind, ’m fine. Nevermind, I’m fine. What drinks do you have?
40. STAR T OVER
41. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer
42. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Nevermind, I’m fine. Do you have anything non-alcoholic?
43. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Nevermind, I’m fine. Do you have anything non-alcoholic?
44. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Nevermind, I’m fine. Do you have anything non-alcoholic? Yes, we have sodas.
45. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Nevermind, I’m fine. I’ll have a soda please.
46. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Nevermind, I’m fine. I’ll have a soda please.
47. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Nevermind, I’m fine. I’ll have a soda please. Here you go.
48. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Nevermind, I’m fine. I’ll have a soda please.
49. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Nevermind, I’m fine. I’ll have a soda please.
50. STAR T OVER
51. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Coke
52. Do you have any non-alcoholic drinks that are fancy? Do you have anything non-alcoholic that’s not Coke? Nevermind, I’m fine. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Coke
53. Do you have any non-alcoholic drinks that are fancy? Do you have anything non-alcoholic that’s not Coke? Nevermind, I’m fine. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Coke
54. Do you have any non-alcoholic drinks that are fancy? Do you have anything non-alcoholic that’s not Coke? Nevermind, I’m fine. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Coke
55. Do you have any non-alcoholic drinks that are fancy? Do you have anything non-alcoholic that’s not Coke? Nevermind, I’m fine. Uh, not really. I have ginger ale for mixers? DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Coke
56. Do you have any non-alcoholic drinks that are fancy? Do you have anything non-alcoholic that’s not Coke? Nevermind, I’m fine. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Coke
57. Do you have any non-alcoholic drinks that are fancy? Do you have anything non-alcoholic that’s not Coke? Nevermind, I’m fine. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Coke
58. STAR T OVER
59. Just give me the ginger ale, thanks. Do you have cocktail ingredients? Nevermind, I’m fine. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Coke Ginger Ale
60. Just give me the ginger ale, thanks. Do you have cocktail ingredients? Nevermind, I’m fine. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Coke Ginger Ale
61. Just give me the ginger ale, thanks. Do you have cocktail ingredients? Nevermind, I’m fine. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Coke Ginger Ale Yes, we do!
62. Can you make me a mocktail? Nevermind, I’m fine. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Coke Ginger Ale
63. Can you make me a mocktail? Nevermind, I’m fine. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Coke Ginger Ale
64. Can you make me a mocktail? Nevermind, I’m fine. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Coke Ginger Ale Sure, I can figure something out.
65. Can you make me a mocktail? Nevermind, I’m fine. DRINK MENU Light Beer Heavy Beer Belgian Beer Red Wine White Whine Local Beer Coke Ginger Ale
66. YOU WIN!
67. Let’s make this easier for the next person! sometimes it really does feel like I’m playing the same game over and over and over...
68. What kind of events are we talking about here? - Office hosting an after party for a local conference - Company holiday party - Team celebrating a big win - Departmental hangouts every Friday From small groups <---> big events
69. 1) Provide an equal number and quality of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink options
70. I see a lot of this
71. also this
73. My formula: for every 3 non-alc drinks 1 high sugar 1 low/no sugar 1 wildcard in addition to the default soda + diet soda
74. HIGH SUGAR Fancy / local sodas Ginger beer Non-alcoholic cocktails Sweet Tea Milk Tea Lemonade Juice / Sparkling Juice
75. LOW / NO SUGAR Soda water + bitters Flavored sparkling water Unsweetened Iced Tea Water with fruit in it Herbal Tea
76. WILDCARD Kombucha Non-Alcoholic Beer Drinking Vinegar Rootbeer *or* anything from the previous categories
77. Artificial Sweeteners Sugar Low/no sugar Caffeine Caffeine-Free Non-Alcoholic Beer Alcohol Non-Alcoholic Decaf Coffee
78. Artificial Sweeteners Sugar Caffeine Caffeine-Free Non-Alcoholic Beer Alcohol Non-Alcoholic Low/no sugar Decaf Coffee
79. 2) Display alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks together If the non-alc drinks are hidden under the counter, they may as well not be there.
80. Big sign that can be seen without getting in line for drinks Small sign at drink counter Drink options clearly visible Line for drinks
81. 3) Advertise alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks equally beforehand
82. ...We do our best to meet the needs of our community, and while the scope of DrupalCon makes it impossible to accommodate every single request that comes through the door, we feel very strongly that offering more drink choices is a no-brainer. That’s why, at the Opening Reception on Monday night, we will have a number of non-alcoholic options that are equal in value to alcoholic drinks. Attendees can choose from a variety of delicious craft sodas, or try our tangy alcohol-free cocktail “Don’t call me Shirley.” We hope that offering a broader spectrum of nonalcoholic drink choices will help all attendees enjoy the social events at DrupalCon, and will empower them to make the choices that feel right for them. After all, it’s not the drink in your hand, but the people you are with that will make the evening fun and memorable! - Excerpt from DrupalCon 2015 blog post https://events.drupal.org/losangeles2015/news/alcohol-drupalcon-social-events-%E2%80%93-making-choice
83. XOXO
86. 4) If listed cocktails are being served, list an equal number of non-alcoholic mocktails.
87. ★ Specialty drink? Make both alc + non-alc versions ★ Small gatherings: Let people spike their own punch ★ List mocktail options clearly on the drink menu
89. Source: https://ernest.ly/blog/conference-beverages.html
90. https://alcohol.stanford.edu/alcohol-drug-info/staying-safe/eanabs
91. 5) Have water freely available, in clear sight, and easy to obtain.
93. Big sign that can be seen without getting in line for drinks Small sign at drink counter Drink options clearly visible Line for drinks Water table
94. 5) Have & enforce a Code of Conduct
95. Institute, enforce, and promote a Code of Conduct. Ensure everyone understands what behaviors are acceptable. Workplace - Employee conduct guidelines External event - Code of Conduct
96. Complete Section
97. So it turns out this isn’t so hard Personal solutions -- - Don’t pressure people - Don’t question why they’re not drinking alcohol - Discourage others from associating ‘culture fit’ with alcohol Systemic solutions -- - Have options; the absence of choice *is* pressure - Make those options clear - Have & enforce a Code of Conduct
98. Why is this so tough for tech to talk about?
99. Is it because alcohol & morality get tangled up in ways that discourage people from seeking help?
100. ...and that make people imagine that someone who’s not drinking, is judging them?
101. Is it because alcohol is often used to cover over sexual assault in tech, blaming the victims and letting harassers and rapists off the hook?
102. Is it because alcohol is treated as currency, used as a substitute for monetary compensation for labor?
103. Is it intertwined with tech’s need to set itself apart from the stodgy world of business?
105. Oh --- and not serving alcohol at all is a great option, too.
106. What’s next? You may not run events, but your actions can have a big impact. You can shape the practices on your team. You can help others learn how to be more thoughtful around alcohol. You can ask if there will be tasty non-alcoholic options. We’re building this industry’s culture together.
107. How did this talk happen? Zapproved paid me money to make it! Go Zapproved!
108. Thank you! Kara Sowles @feynudibranch April 2018 at Zapproved karasowles@gmail.com
109. Read on for a few bonus slides
110. Free tools I used to make this talk To get photos: Flickr, searching by Creative Commons license To pixelate the photos: http://c64.superdefault.com/ To draw pixel art: https://make8bitart.com/ by @jennschiffer
111. Want to share this talk? Here’s a handy blog post from way back in 2014 with most of the salient points called “Alcohol & Inclusivity” https://blog.valerieaurora.org/2018/03/30/cross-post-alcohol-and-inclusivity-planni ng-tech-events-with-non-alcoholic-options/ It was originally published in Model View Culture; this link is a repost on Valerie Aurora’s blog.
112. Read more More articles on alcohol in tech to check out Tea and Tech Culture, by Alice Goldfuss http://blog.alicegoldfuss.com/tea-and-tech-culture/ On Alcohol and Tech Culture, by Ryn Daniels https://ryn.works/2014/10/28/on-alcohol-and-tech-culture/ The UX of Alcohol Abuse, by Victor Yocco https://modelviewculture.com/pieces/the-ux-of-alcohol-abuse-reflections-on-a-year-of-sobriety This is...Teetotaling in Tech, by Jess Vadino https://medium.com/@jessv/this-is-teetotaling-in-tech-91f7b1b902a0
113. A question: Analysis of the answers: https://ernest.ly/blog/conference-beverages.html
114. Image credits All photos listed are from Flickr.com Desert by Gerben van Heijningen, (CC BY-NC 2.0) Bacardi Daiquiri by Paul Shen, (CC BY-NC 2.0) Talking by Klarika Huszar, (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) (overpriced) peppermint tea by poppet with a camera, (CC BY-NC 2.0) Svyturys Wheat Beer by Mike, (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) Wheat by Rafał Malinowski, (CC BY-NC 2.0) danger sign by Devlon Duthie Follow, (CC BY-NC 2.0) there's a baby in there! by Mark von Minden, (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) Pills by Jay, (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) Broken bottle by Long PHAM, (CC BY-NC 2.0) Youth Classes Gallery by The Crucible, (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) Dome by Leo Reynolds, (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) Mosque by Hovic, (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) Nara Todaiji by Andrew, (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
115. Okay that’s all! Have a great week, stay kind. @feynudibranch