The Beervana Community Welcomes All

Writing this morning at Good Beer Hunting, Holly Regan makes a wonderful post about “erasure.”

The industry’s diversity problems made national news in 2019, when the Brewers Association (BA)’s Brewery Operations Benchmarking Survey revealed abysmally disproportionate white-male representation. While researching another beer story, I downloaded that original data, looking for similar information on LGBTQIA+ people. What I found startled me. Not only were there no answers, the survey didn’t even ask the questions. In fact, I couldn’t find comprehensive data on queer craft beer workers or customers anywhere.

I encourage you to go read her full, nuanced post, which contains her story, deep reporting, and lots of data. It’s an excellent piece. As I was reading the post, it occurred to me that in making invitations to the Beervana Community, I’d made the same mistake she identifies. I didn’t make explicit what needs to be, and thus perpetuate the cultural status quo present in beer. So let me make it explicit.

Everyone is not just welcome to join the Beervana Community, but cordially invited. I am committed to providing an inclusive environment for all, regardless of gender, gender identity, race, age (as long as you’re 21!), health status, national origin, relationship status, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or religion. It will be a space where diversity is welcomed, where all members are treated with respect and celebrated for their individuality and unique experiences.

The Beervana Community will be a collaborative group who together creates its shape and decides our activities, and I will let that develop organically. The one thing I will demand is that we treat each other with respect and kindness. If that doesn’t seem like something you’re interested in and you’ve already signed up, let me know and I’ll refund your membership.

Communities thrive when members trust one another and the group as a whole. If this experiment is to develop into a robust, enriching group, we have to agree to live up to the ideal that the beer world welcomes all. We must practice what we preach. And if we’re going to develop actual relationships with each other, we’ve got to begin feeling safe together. I commit to make the group space safe for all. If you have questions or worries about this, please contact me and we can discuss it.

There will be lots of beards and blue eyes in the community, and that’s okay! But, if you have a different identity and an unusual perspective please consider joining the group. We will welcome you and your ideas with warm hearts.