...then I'm sure you've seen the discussions that have erupted here over the past couple of weeks, starting with @hartt 's blog post ; if you haven't read it, then I strongly encourage you to do so.
I cannot comment on some of the things that were touched on because I haven't had the same experiences with SG as she has, but reading her blog - along with the comments in this (recently locked) thread - has encouraged me to think about this site.
I've been here for nearly 20 years, and, in that time, I have met some really fantastic people (including most of my closest friends). I've been involved in what was once one of the most active regional groups on this site, and helped to plan the Gala for several years. I understand that some of the things that made SG particularly magical in my first 10 years or so are no longer possible, given how it has grown, but that doesn't mean that it can't still be an enjoyable and interesting place to be.
Based on what I've read, and what's come in and out of my head over the past few days, there are a few thoughts that have stuck with me. I should note that I've looked at some of this through the lens of how it would be viewed through my work experiences; although I've only been with my current employer for about three years, they have been successful for fifty years and have evolved a very detailed set of processes to ensure a healthy workplace for staff.
Firstly, it seems clear that there are serious issues related to procedures/communication/staff behaviour. The sheer number of people who have used the thread to air such issues should act as a red flag - if these things were handled well in the first place, the thread wouldn't be necessary. What we are seeing now is reactive, and is a result of the lack of being proactive with respect to these issues. This is also apparent from the defensive tone in some of the comments on the thread (which in and of itself speaks volumes).
*edited to add the following: The fact that one of the current staff members also used the thread to showcase a private message in an attempt to discredit someone who registered a complaint about them also speaks volumes, was grossly unprofessional, and should not be tolerated. At the very least, there should be an apology for this behaviour.*
At the same time, many of the comments seem to be directed at particular individuals - if this were to be happening where I work now, any such comments would be investigated through HR and would not involve anyone named in said comments. The fact that this was not done here - at least not as of this writing - does not particularly inspire confidence. If a serious attempt at redressing these issues are to be made, then it is vital to avoid a conflict of interest.
It also seems clear that there are simply not enough hands on deck at HQ to handle the work required to keep things running well, and that more staff are required. My previous job was similar in that there were only a few people (myself included) to handle an excessive number of tasks, leaving us overworked, stressed, and unable to complete particularly important assignments. There's one position in particular that has been the focus of comments, with the possibility of having that task delegated by country/region, but perhaps even adding one other person will be of benefit.
The SOTD process continues to remain opaque, leading to (rightly or not) allegations of preferential treatment for particular individuals, along with a never ending series of questions about how it works - which leads to a never ending series of answers that are murky at best. This is a situation that has arisen at my own job with relation to particular procedures, and we now have a person who has been tasked with producing a clear set of steps and criteria for these procedures. We know it's going to evolve as our company and technology changes, but it's a starting point - one that should be made here as well. It doesn't have to happen overnight, and it doesn't have to be perfect right away...but it would be a start, and an easy way to demonstrate that you are clearly interested in making positive changes.
I've not taken part in many live streams, but have heard more than one comment that it is not particularly reliable, which is good for neither the model streaming or those who want to watch the stream. On top of that, everyone seems to want multiple models to stream together...and considering the number of sites out there that have this sort of a feature, it seems almost inexcusable that it's not something that can be done here, and perhaps goes back to the staffing situation.
Diversity! SG is supposed to stand for embracing all kinds of beauty, but I think it's fair to say that we're not really seeing that here. It's been said many times by many people long before me, and it's truly unfortunate that it still remains unadressed in any meaningful or thoughtful fashion. I'm pretty damn sure that both members and models would welcome more curvy/POC/disabled/LGBTQIA+ representation here, without a doubt.
Beyond that, I have a few other random things that I wanted to bring up:
* There don't seem to be too many moderators about the site these days, and I think we need to see more of them in the groups. I'm a regional group moderator, and although (fortunately) there isn't much call for me to have to step in, I'm sure that there are other groups that need attention. Another option would be to have a flag/report button for comments, although this would also mean that more staff would need to be available to react appropriately.
* The queue/MR sets need to be better curated - there are certain quality standards set in the FAQ, and I still see sets that should never have been accepted for one reason or another. This does a disservice to both the model and photographer, who may very well continue to send in sets that will never make SOTD. In a similar vein, there should be better monitoring of how many sets are submitted by models in a given time period. I know of at least one model who has had multiple sets appear in MR within a three month period, which only gums up the queue for everyone else. Thirdly, it should be curated for theme - do we really need that many sets of a particular cosplay to show up in MR at the same time?
* Compensate models who submit sets that meet with the standards laid out in the FAQ, if only to help defray the costs involved; the same also should also apply for photographers (particularly in cases where, as I understand it, they are not able to accept payment for shooting a set). Doing otherwise is not a business model - it's like being that one guy who always asks for free nudes. (On a purely personal gripe level, I would also hope that this might cut down on the posts where models continually flog their OF to the exception of everything else!)
As I said at the beginning (and if you've made it this far, thank you for reading), I've been here a long time, made great friends, and have had a ton of wonderful experiences. Although what I've written may sound negative, it does not come from a negative place - I want to see SG to continue to succeed, and continue to be a place that is interesting and enjoyable for all of us. If you have any comments about what I've written here, please feel free to share them; if there's something that you think I've missed, please let me know. I'd very much like to continue this conversation as we hope for more positive changes to this site and community.
