Speaker rider

Before I say yes to an event, I research it as best I can to make sure it aligns with my values. I'm a practising Buddhist, and my life is guided by the precepts, so I won't take on anything that conflicts with them. In short, they're commitments to kindness, generosity, contentment, truthful and meaningful speech, tranquillity, compassion and wisdom.

Trans rights matter to me deeply, especially given the hostility trans people face in the world right now. I stand with transgender and nonbinary people, and with the wider LGBTQIA+ community - and I won't speak at, or lend my name to, events that don't welcome and protect them.

I live with a mostly invisible disability that fluctuates day to day. At my worst I've relied on a wheelchair and strict energy pacing, though I'm glad to say I haven't needed the wheelchair for about five years now; on a good day I run 10k and work long days. I'm the most well I've been in a decade, but only through relentless management of my health. So I won't speak at events that aren't accessible to disabled people - it's exclusionary, and needs like mine, and anyone's, can vary from one day to the next.

Speaking is a privilege, and I'm grateful to every organiser who's hosted me well. I'd like to keep using that privilege to make the landscape more accessible and more welcoming to marginalised communities. This rider is long because it explains things some people have never had to think about. Many events meet most of it as a matter of course. If yours can't meet everything here, it's not necessarily a no - it usually just means a conversation and a genuine commitment to improve.

What I speak about

Open source and digital sovereignty, community building, marketing automation with Mautic, women in tech, innovation, accessibility, and living an active life with a disability. I give conference talks and keynotes, run practical workshops, and join panels - in person or online.

Fees, travel and hosting

• Travel covered. Unless the event is in my home city (Ipswich, UK) or fully remote, I ask the host to cover travel.
• Accommodation covered, for the length of the event and within walking distance of the main venue. For events outside the UK I ask for one extra night before (within Europe) and one before and after (further afield), so I can manage my health and still take part fully. This one isn't negotiable.
• Please offer to book travel and accommodation on my behalf. A reimbursement-only model excludes anyone who can't front the cost for weeks or months, and please keep the venue card on file rather than expecting a personal card for the hold.
• Honorarium. For for-profit events and companies, my fee is £1,000-£2,000 (or the equivalent). Where there are several speakers, we should all be paid equally - I don't support paying 'headline' speakers more. I'm glad to waive the fee for non-profit and community events with free or low-cost tickets.
• A ticket to the full conference, which I'd hope goes without saying.

Accessibility of the event

• Every space accessible - attendee seating, the stage itself, and any social or networking events. Making the stage accessible shouldn't depend on a known disabled speaker being booked; needing to be lifted onto a stage is not something anyone should experience. Please follow the Equality Act / ADA or an equivalent standard.
• Live captioning. It helps far more people than you'd think, including me - I process written information more easily.
• Gender-neutral and accessible toilets, including at least one option that is both.

Diversity, safety and conduct

• A code of conduct that's actually enforced, with clear examples of unacceptable behaviour and trained people ready to act on complaints. The Drupal Events Code of Conduct and the Contributor Covenant are thorough models.
• Real action on diversity across speakers, sponsors and attendees - not a line about 'trying' for balance. I won't be the token woman on an all-white or otherwise undiversified panel.
• Pronoun options on name badges and materials, always optional to share.
• Scholarships done well - call them scholarships, not 'diversity' scholarships, be transparent about selection, and include travel, or you're limiting them to locals.
• A commitment to attendee and speaker safety, with no selling of anyone's data, especially to sponsors.

On the day

• An accessible stage (as above).
• A wireless microphone for everything on stage, including audience Q&A. A lapel or head-worn mic works best for me - a handheld is hard to manage alongside a wheelchair or mobility aid, if your speaker happens to be using one. Please tell me in advance if options are limited.
• A tall stool or chair on stage, so I can perch if I need to.
• A confidence monitor, so I can see my slides and move around to manage pain rather than standing at a lectern.
• A visible timer if you're keeping to strict timings - applied equally to everyone.

My content

• I keep the rights to my own material. Recordings and live streams are fine as long as they're captioned and free (no paywalls). No censoring or rebranding of my content, and I present from my own slides, in my own format.
• I present from my own laptop (or a provided one, by arrangement) rather than an unfamiliar setup.

If things go wrong

If an event, its speakers, sponsors or partners become a serious problem, I keep the right to withdraw - including asking not to be associated with it afterwards - with any resulting costs down to the organiser. I've never had to use this, and I'd always rather solve a problem together first.

This rider is a work in progress and will keep evolving.