The Python diversity statement is an official policy of the Python Software Foundation. It reads:
- The Python Software Foundation and the global Python community welcome and encourage participation by everyone. Our community is based on mutual respect, tolerance, and encouragement, and we are working to help each other live up to these principles. We want our community to be more diverse: whoever you are, and whatever your background, we welcome you. Python.org 12 October 2009
Development process
The development of the statement was begun by the Python diversity mailing list, who were inspired by Dreamwidth's diversity statement.
The diversity list worked for approximately 6 weeks and came up with a proposed statement documented on their wiki:
- We're here because we use and love Python, and we want to be around others who use and love it too -- whoever they are, and whatever their background.
- Our community, like many open-source communities, has a bug: lack of diversity. We're working to address this bug, but it's hard to solve all at once, so we're taking it on in parts.
- Two specific points:
- 1. We're a community, and that means we're based on mutual respect, tolerance, and encouragement. We'll help each other live up to these ideals.
- 2. Our community is for everyone. Words, images, or actions that are disrespectful or marginalizing to members of the community are unacceptable.
- As members of the community, we'll use our influence to reinforce the Python community's open, welcoming, and non-discriminatory nature.
This statement was sent to the Python Software Foundation (PSF), who drafted their own statement (quoted at the top of this page), which bears little in common with the mailing list's proposal. The PSF were broadly criticised for this, and for the blandness of their statement. However, most commenters were pleased that the PSF had adopted a diversity statement at all.
Effect on other projects
The Python diversity list/statement/etc have in turn inspired some other projects to do something similar:
Responses
Positive
Critical
- "I think my issue is more the statement itself rather than the message. I mean, its rather bland and uninspiring."
- "I'm glad they have a diversity statement at all -- most open source projects don't -- but wow, my eyes glaze over halfway through the first line. It may as well be small print at the bottom of a job ad saying "X is an equal opportunity employer, blah blah our lawyers made us put this here.""