Current PSF Statement Suggestion:

The Python community is a global community. The Python Software Foundation, and the broader community of which it is a part, welcome and encourage participation by all. Our community is based on mutual respect, tolerance and encouragement, and we strive to help each other live up to these ideals. We would like our community to be more diverse, so we extend an especially warm welcome to everyone who will broaden it.

Other Statement Suggestions

Here are a list of other diversity statements. Please leave the original intact (other than grammar edits) for reference, and include additional, numbered versions for further discussion.

Original Diversity List Suggestion

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.

Diversity Appendix:

We have created this diversity statement because we believe that a diverse Python community is stronger and more vibrant. A diverse community where people treat each other with respect has more potential contributors and more sources for ideas.

Although we have phrased the formal diversity statement generically to make it all-inclusive, we recognize that there are specific attributes that are used to discriminate against people. In alphabetical order, some of these attributes include (but are not limited to): age, creed, culture, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, language, nationality, neurodiversity, physical ability, politics, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, size, and subculture. We welcome people regardless of the values of those attributes.

The Python community welcomes people no matter what languages they are fluent in. (Although core Python development is done only in English.) The Python community encourages the creation of user groups in all locales, and many of them are listed at http://wiki.python.org/moin/LocalUserGroups Many of these user groups also have mailing lists in the locally preferred language.

If you want to help create a more diverse Python community, we encourage you to join the diversity mailing list at

About Our Community:

If you want help, please ask! In return for help given, we request only that you be helpful and tolerant in return. Please jump in with suggestions if you have anything to contribute, however small.

If you are giving help and have seen a question one too many times, create a web page with the answer and point to it. If you have seen a question far too many times and just want to scream, stand back and allow others to answer.

Much of our community is moderated in some way: list admins, conference organizers, and wiki maintainers (to name a few) help to ensure that our community is a welcoming place. If you have been treated in an unwelcome or disrespectful way, please let one of them know.

All Positive - Aahz

The Python community welcomes you. Yes, you. If you look around our community and see few other people like you, we still welcome you. We know that our community lacks some kinds of diversity; while we work on increasing diversity, we declare in public that everyone who wants to join the Python community has an invitation.

What is Diversity Anyway

Supporting diversity mean being open to people who are different. It means that, if you are different, you are not met with opposition because of that difference. It means being treated according to a set of standards of good behaviour and good communication which transcends individual and cultural heritage. It means being good to one another. Unfortunately, people being excluded and mistreated on the basis of their differences is a long and widespread human phenomenon. The Python Community hereby acknowledges that it as a responsibility to do its best to support anyone who has been unreasonably alienated, and therefore also its responsibility to take positive action to correct poor behaviour where it is found occurring in its official mailing lists, publications and other fora.

Because of the long history of human conflict, there are a number of specific differences which have been incredibly problematic. The Python Community would like to assure you that you are welcome, irrespective of sex, age, the colour of your skin, your caste, cultural heritage, your personal history or sexuality. We would like to assure you that to be welcomed as an active participant, all that you need to do is to treat other people with the same respect that you would like afforded to you. As a community, we feel that we are tolerant and accepting of difference, but would like to assure you that we are happy to actively support the principles of acceptance and diversity herein expressed should any specific problem arise.

Please remember that you are participating in a public forum and that you are expected to maintain an appropriate standard of language and acceptance of diversity.

DiversityStatementDiscussion (last edited 2009-09-22 10:35:13 by 193)

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