Codes of Conduct 

My job as a speaker is to challenge the listener. Not simply by overwhelming the listener with mountains of CSS rules or pages of PHP. My job is to challenge their ideas, their perceptions, and their comfort. 

My job is not to assuage the sensitivities of a small number of individuals in contrast to the whole. This is the equivalent of designing for IE6. 

We can argue whether specific content in my talk was appropriate or not until the cows come home. If one were to judge by the overwhelmingly positive response of those present, the content was highly appropriate. From the stage, I saw a sea of smiling faces, men and women alike. "Appropriateness" is purely subjective, but content should still be judged based on context.

The two cartoons people have referenced were suggestive, no question. But they were in no way pornographic nor were they completely irrelevant to the context of my presentation. And the social commentary depicted in the cartoons was squarely aimed at ridiculing men, not women. I am absolutely baffled how the tenor of cartoons within the context of my talk was lost on the people who took offense and I am not alone in this puzzlement. 

The imagery should simply have never led to the massive overreaction it garnered. What is most distressing is that continued efforts by a few people to repackage the meaning of the cartoons to suit their own agendas poses a very real possibility of hurting far more than only my reputation and my business. This is completely unacceptable on every level.

I took responsibility for my talk and its content the moment I took the stage. I vetted the content with numerous people of both sexes prior to speaking and I practiced for weeks to make sure that my audience would get what they paid for. My audience got me, ALL of me. I never expected everyone to like me.

If we are talking now about a code of conduct for speakers, why are we also not talking about a code of conduct for conference goers? 

Why do conference attendees get a free pass for interpersonal or online conduct? Why do they get the ultimate power to judge? Why do they get the exclusive right to rip elements of a talk completely out of context and repurpose them to suit their personal morality or grievances? Why are they not required to explain in detail why they found a specific slide or comment objectionable? Why are they allowed to publicly defame a speaker over something they personally found objectionable?

This entire controversy was started by a single individual who used the word "porn" to describe a cartoon in my talk. No context was given. No description of the slide was offered. No explanation was provided to explain why this person found it offensive. Only a single word was tweeted and required by a jury of avatars to convict me of sexism. 

Terms like "porn", "sexist", and "misogyny" are used to end conversation. In situations like this, they are used to prove a point without providing context.  This is the equivalent of shouting "fire" in a crowded room. Once such language is used, it makes no difference whether the viewer misinterpreted the message, slide, or illustration. All conversation ceases. The accused is burned at the altar of morality and the accusers get to waltz away from any responsibility for their overreaction.

I'm not suggesting that people do not have a right to be angry or to engage in debate. Quite the opposite. I welcome discussion. 

But in my case, there has been no explanation, only accusation. Most importantly, there has been virtually no conversation with me whatsoever, only judgement. 

Over the past six days, I've been labeled sexist, misogynistic, immature, insensitive, unprofessional, childish, and a pornographer among many other insults in very public forums. I've also been called a "royal first-class fucktard" and incited a rabid group of social warriors who didn't even attend the conference to call for banning me from ever speaking again.

Behavior such as this is equally, if not more reprehensible. It's definitely hypocritical and it represents an alarming trend of vengeful reverse intolerance in our industry far more serious than a couple jokes about gender stereotypes that a few vocal people found offensive.

To the EE community, EECI, and EllisLab: I am truly sorry my cartoons have led to this debacle.

~Paul