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I think for me the thing that trips me up is the phrase "two days before". At two days before, any sort of cancellation (event, speaker, whatever) has some pretty significant impacts that are likely not desired or intended.
To attend at a conference people need to:
Most of these things are done at least a week prior to the conference. Conference attendees also have an idea of the sessions to expect and will be disappointed to not attend those (though understanding in many cases).
The impacts on speakers might be higher. Every time I give a talk I'm spending the week prior to a talk practicing it every night or almost every night, even if it's an old talk. I want to make sure that the attendees get the best possible experience and my presentation is optimized.
If it's a new talk, I've also been prepping the slides for at least the month before. New talks often require accompanying code, demos, or research which also goes on.
Cancelling a conference or a talk has a huge impact. Suddenly saying "Oh yeah, we forgot to give diversity even a cursory thought, my bad. Let's call it off" is probably not the right move in this case.
An honest apology at the beginning of the conference and a call for more diverse attendees to talk with the organizers about the factors that might have led to this alignment is much more appropriate.
Understanding why more diverse applicants didn't submit, get accepted, or confirm their talks is the key factor here. Mentoring early on, even starting during the prior year's event for the next year's sessions might be a solution. Listening is certainly a big part of the solution.
And, I think honesty is a big part of the solution. Being honest and transparent about your CFP process, discussing whether or not blind reviews and panel reviewers were used is important. Talking about evaluation criterion is important. Providing feedback and mentoring upon request for speakers who are rejected for all submitted sessions is important.
Cancelling doesn't feel like the right move - at least at that close of a date to the event. But it shouldn't be flagged that close to the event either. During session scheduling the conference organizers should have several personas in mind for session attendees and think "What would this person want to attend?". Thinking about speaker selection from their perspective should be part of this. If you find, when scheduling, confirming, or evaluating your CFP results that your demographics are highly skewed, that is the time to take action.
Good discussion on a touchy topic with many complex factors.
All good points.
As a speaker, I think there is a level of responsibility. I know some folks would put it all on the organizers.
For myself this is what I do to be responsible:
I can understand if there is "undue burden" on the speaker that it's not fair or expected for them to take action.
For you Matt, I can understand the undue burden
Not all speakers are equal and I view most of the speakers here well-practiced in public speaking events, and its not Paid Time Off but rather they are paid by the work or its business as usual, so the cost of cancellation to themselves is low and the reuse is high.
And you are a smarter man than I - and a much bigger deal!
I love where your mind is on this.
I am second guessing myself on this stuff all the time.
This stuff is fluid and so contextual so changing or shifting your minds is just going to keep happening lol.
Look at Andrew's other posts, the guy is nothing but a woketist in every single way yet he screams from the comfort of his canadian butt in a society that has everything given to him.
I'd like if these clowns that scream for all these random inclusion over-exaggerated crap, to be in a country with real problems and see if they would be willing to trade their comfortable starbucks-morning routine to walk 10 kms to fetch water.
I don't live in Ottawa buddy.
😆
you have 7 suggestions. suggestion 3 happens twice.
Oh! Thank you for pointing out lol. I'm dyslexic so this stuff really goes unseen by me lol
no problem!
That's how these people try to deal with the fact that whatever they try to push onto others is nothing but another political agenda.
In their ideal world, you would have to start a sentence by apologising a hundred times for things you might say or said. "The sky is blue, and by blue I don't intend to..." such bs.
You know in Canada we apologize a considerable amount.
Like I say sorry ever other sentence LOL so I'm not sure I mind what you're suggesting
Lol! Your ability to shake off these trollish comments with a laugh is applause-worthy, Andrew.