[Ryan Albright]

Well this is a very interesting thread and i feel the need to post on this topic

Everyone goes to a competition to watch the robots, but yet i feel that there is more then this and we all know that alot of people, guys and girls alike go to find someone for the weekend or even longer. Now from a guy point of view yes i can say i been apart of this(....waiting for arefin to chime in), but there is a time to draw the line. Harassment is a big deal, i have seen harassment in FIRST but yet i think its very minimal. What i mean is sure in each regional there are girls and guys alike that get harassed but it could be alot worse. Now my advice to everyone. If you are a guy on a team watch over the girls to make sure they are not getting harassed and if you feel that they are, before you do anything ask the girl if she feels like she is. If she says yes then maybe just talk to the other individual and tell them that person is not interested, BUT BY NO MEANS SHOULD IT GO ANY FARTHER, SUCH AS A CONFRONTATION! If you are a girl remember the guys on your team are there for you and don't be afraid to ask for help, because the last thing you want is it to go farther then harassment. After confronting the other individual, if the harassment continues that is when you should approach a mentor on your team or theres and tell them, and that should solve the problem. But lets not get discouraged about this whole situation, FIRST is a great place to meet friends or even a boyfriend/girlfriend. Its brings people together that have the same interest. Lets just remember that robotics comes first and to have respect for each other, because in the end we are all trying to accomplish the same goal