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Inclusivity in Amateur Radio
Recently, my ARRL membership was up for renewal. I thought about it for a long time, and finally decided to renew so that I could have a (very small) voice in the way the League is operating these days. There have been many recent criticisms of the ARRL. The one that I have chosen to focus on is the League’s lack of commitment to making amateur radio more welcoming and inclusive for diverse individuals. In this aspect, I think the ARRL has been failing miserably. From photographs of a seemingly monocultural leadership and membership, to a lack of discussion about who engages in the hobby, the League is far behind the curve when it comes to understanding society and who our amateur operators are. Consequently, many places in ham radio remain unwelcoming to a large number of talented, well-meaning, and genuinely good people.
I wrote this open letter to the ARRL from my own position of privilege and the associated power that comes with being a cis-gender, heterosexual white male in our society. I have decided that my directive in life is to use my power and privilege to advance those voices who are marginalized or who have been historically minoritized by society. I do this in my professional life, and I think it is important to do this in our hobby if we are to flourish and grow. Indeed, I believe we must make the hobby more inclusive to avoid becoming irrelevant.
I sent the following letter (co-signed by 44 fellow amateur operators) to a group of leaders at the ARRL. Please have a read to learn my main talking points.
To: ARRL President Rick Roderick K5UR; ARRL CEO David Minster NA2AA; ARRL Rocky Mountain Division Director Jeff Ryan K0RM; ARRL Colorado Section Manager Amanda Alden K1DDN
From: Dr. Robert (Bud) Talbot W0RMT
Dear Mr. Roderick, Mr. Minster, Mr. Ryan, and Ms. Alden-
I wanted to write about my choice to renew my American Radio Relay League (ARRL) membership for 2024. After much thought, I decided to renew and support the League, if only for the opportunity to use my voice to prompt for progressive change and growth within the ARRL.
I am representative of the perceived dominant demographic of the ARRL. As a 50-some year old white male scientist and former physics teacher, I represent what the “traditional” ARRL member looks like – quite literally, as I even wear glasses. Over the years of teaching, research, and working with students who represent our country, I have decided that my prime directive in my career and in amateur radio is to use my position of power and privilege to elevate those voices who are marginalized and minoritized in our society. Accordingly, I firmly believe that the future of amateur radio (and the ARRL) needs to be one of inclusivity, equity, and belonging for folks in our diverse world.
We should all be working to give voice to those who are underrepresented in our hobby (e.g., LGBTQIA+ folks and BIPOC individuals), and in doing so we will be working to create a more inclusive place. All too often, the response to such positions by amateur operators is “the hobby is open to anyone who wants to participate.” This is not helpful, nor is it true. By foregrounding and giving voice to older white males who are predominately heteronormative, and who often promote very conservative social and political thought, we are creating a space that is unwelcoming (and even hostile) to a large part of our population.
I know first hand that there are many amateur radio operators who are not heteronormative, cis-gendered, middle aged white men and who are doing amazing things in the hobby. But we do not often hear about them in popular social media, in ham clubs, or in the pages of QST. And they often don’t feel safe promoting their activity or themselves because of their underrepresented status. When they listen to the repeater, a talkgroup, or an HF QSO and hear people sexualizing women, using homophobic slurs, promoting violence, or discussing deporting immigrants, they turn the radio off. And this happens every single day.
A shining example of an amateur operator working to create a more inclusive and diverse space in the hobby is that of Jesse Alexander, WB2IFS and his work to engage BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ students in amateur radio through the “Exploring the Electromagnetic Spectrum” project sponsored by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) Office of Diversity & Inclusion (ODI) and Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC). I want to thank the ARRL for highlighting and promoting this project. We need to support the development and expansion of more inclusive projects like this, and highlight their successes in social media and QST. When people see more of these opportunities, they can begin to see amateur radio as a place where they belong.
Another safe place that has been created for amateur radio is on Mastodon, the decentralized, federated social network where a thriving group of diverse ham radio operators enjoy developing and sharing their passion for the hobby. This corner of the internet is amazingly active with amateur operators engaged in so many aspects of our hobby. But many stay within this space because they are actively marginalized in clubs, on repeaters, or in the pages of QST. I know of LGBTQIA+ folks on Mastodon who feel unwelcome on HF ragchews and local repeaters. Just recently, one amateur operator shared a screenshot from WSJT-X where another station had answered their CQ call and entered a homophobic slur in their reply.
We can, and must, do better if our hobby and the ARRL are to survive and be relevant in today’s society. The League needs to promote inclusivity and equity while unequivocally calling out harassment, extremism, racism, homophobia, and sexism. A published position statement on equitable and inclusive amateur radio made by the League would be a good first step. A larger commitment to this work would be in elevating diverse voices and identities by electing and appointing diverse amateur operators to positions of leadership within the League. When people literally see and hear folks in leadership positions who look and act like themselves, they feel a sense of belonging.
Racist, sexist, ableist, and extremist injustices should be denounced by the League and by all amateur operators, while working to promote and build a safe, inclusive environment. As the honorable Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stated, “The time is always right to do what is right.” And for amateur radio, that time is now. If we fail to take a stance and grow, our hobby will wither and become increasingly irrelevant.
73 de W0RMT
Robert (Bud) M. Talbot III, PhD, ARRL Member
Co-signatories: Chuck McManis, AI6ZR; Mark Smith, N6MTS, ARRL Life Member; John Duksta, N1DUK; Tom Cuchta, PhD, KE8QZC, ARRL Member; Evan Heisman, KC2IHX, ARRL Member; Vance Martin, N3VEM, Former ARRL Member; Ian Nicholson, KD0ROB; Matthew Burton-Kelly, PhD, W1CDN, ARRL Member; Mark P. Snyder, M.D., Ed.M., AE4WX; Adam Shea, NA9R; Steve Clower, AC9XS, Former ARRL Member; Pete Ezzo, KO4IAA; Darrell “Dick” Johnson, KA6HUM; David Croyle, N6XE, ARRL Member; Denis Kieft, KI7KLT, Former ARRL Member; James Elliott, KK7FMM; Robert Davidson, PhD, WA7IUT, ARRL Member; Radostin Rusev, KZ2FUR, LZ2CFW; Toshen Golias, KE0FHS; Caleb Smith, KZ0P, Former ARRL Member; Lionel Lenoir, KJ7OFH, ARRL Member; Benjamin Becker, KE8TDE; Devin Berg, PhD, N9DRB; Brendan O’Connor, K3QB, ARRL Volunteer Counsel, Trustee, Narwhal Amateur Radio Society; Edward L. Platt, Ph.D., KC1DYK, ARRL Member; Gregory Godsey, K5CVD; Christopher J., M0YNG, admin of mastodon.radio; Ian Renton, 2E0UXV; Chris Anderson, N6CTA, ARRL Member; James Wilson, KC8JC, ARRL Member; Scott Clitheroe, VE3QBZ, RAC Maple Leaf Operator Member; Joe Kopera, KC1SRI; Ethan Schoonover, W7ZOO, Co-founder Cascadia Radio; James Wells, KJ7ARR; Jeff Rizzo, AJ6IY; Patrick Baker, KJ7LFP; Eric Rucker, KD8KXK; Keith Elliott, W6KME, ARRL Member; Jeff Highsmith, WJ3FF; Jim Carson, WT8P, ARRL Member; Mike White, N9UXC; Mark Ingalls KF7AZY; Ariana Rydzkowski, VA3NYA; Evelyn Jacobson, WB0VHF, ARRL Life member, Gold level Diamond Club member, W0MR/Mining ARC trustee
I received the following response from ARRL CEO David Minster. To date, I have not received responses from any of the other recipients of my letter.
Bud
Thanks for your thoughtful email.
Speaking as CEO, there’s three things I’d like to respond to your letter with:
- ARRL does not make political statements as a matter of policy. Clearly the organization does not participate in any communications that could be interpreted as supporting hate or bias of ANY type, and as long as I am CEO, never will.
- I am, as far as I can tell, the only CEO who has ever written about Diversity and Inclusion within ARRL and amateur radio. And I was mercilessly beaten for doing so via numerous emails. Notably the one thread shared by respondents was: don’t write about things that are not directly related to amateur radio.
- Finally, our HQ staff is diverse. We have people from all backgrounds including LGBTQ. I was challenged, angrily, about why I hired a transgender manager. I told the gentleman that I didn’t hire her – I RECRUITED her!
Bud, I believe that the way ARRL conducts itself is very much aligned with what you’d expect from us as an organization. And although I have pushed the line out a bit with my editorial columns, we really stay away from making statements for the sake of making statements as a matter of policy.
Very 73.
David, NA2AA
So it would seem that the League views developing welcoming and inclusive environments as “political” and will make no such statement. And it seems that they are a bit defensive about this (“the staff is diverse”). Notably, there was no response to my suggestion that the League elevate diverse voices by appointing diverse folks to leadership positions. That non-response speaks volumes, I think.
The work of making spaces welcoming and inclusive is only seen as political if one politicizes it because they disagree with the position or are threatened by the potential outcomes. Human dignity is not political. I see dignity as Kant wrote about it. Dignity is afforded to every individual based on their rational autonomy. But I suspect that a philosophical treatise on dignity will do very little to advance this position within the League.
Of course, many inferences can be drawn from this limited response. But I will assert that if the ARRL does not embrace and welcome all of the creative, diverse, and active amateur operators into the hobby by foregrounding their work, we all suffer from the technical debt due to the lack of inclusion. And our hobby is at risk of becoming completely fractured and irrelevant.
Let’s keep this conversation going. I know that I will do so! Please feel free to reach me on Mastodon @bud_t@m.ai6yr.org
Addendum: Reply to the ARRL Response
I replied to the ARRL’s response with this:
David-
I want to thank you for your reply, and for writing about and promoting equity within the League. I’m sorry you saw my letter and suggestion to make a statement as “political.” It is clearly not meant to be. In my experience, people often politicize issues of equity and justice when threats are perceived. I would hope that our membership would see equity not as political, but as being a good and just amateur operator who shows dignity towards others.
I am happy to be a member of the ARRL and will continue to work to create a welcoming and inclusive place for new and diverse amateurs, as I know you will too. I hope that we can work together towards this end. Please reach out if I can help the ARRL achieve these shared goals.
73 de Bud
Update: some thoughts on commenting
I’m happy that so many people are engaging with this post and talking about the issue. If you’ve left a comment but it has not been accepted, then you either a) engaged in name calling and/or use of profanity, or b) launched an ad hominem attack against me because you don’t agree with my position. I am more than happy to accept comments from those who disagree, and to have a discussion. But I will not give voice to those who engage in either of the above practices.
And for every disagreeing or combative comment I have received, I have received at least 4 or 5 comments in support of this letter. So that is a pretty good ratio! Though it is telling that many of those supportive commenters have reached out to me privately because they don’t feel safe voicing their support publicly. But that’s why folks like me need to speak up. Have a great day!
