Safer Space Policy

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Proposed Safe Space Policy [draft in progress; please edit / amend!]

1.‭ ‬Purpose

A‭ ‬primary‭ ‬goal‭ ‬of‭ The Omni‭ ‬is‭ ‬to‭ ‬be‭ ‬inclusive‭ ‬to‭ ‬the‭ ‬largest‭ ‬number‭ ‬of‭ ‬contributors,‭ ‬with‭ ‬the‭ ‬most‭ ‬varied‭ ‬and‭ ‬diverse‭ ‬backgrounds‭ ‬possible.‭ ‬As‭ ‬such,‭ ‬we‭ ‬are‭ ‬committed‭ ‬to‭ ‬providing‭ ‬a‭ ‬friendly,‭ ‬safe‭ ‬and‭ ‬welcoming‭ ‬environment‭ ‬for‭ ‬all,‭ ‬regardless‭ ‬of‭ ‬gender,‭ ‬sexual‭ ‬orientation,‭ ‬ability,‭ ‬ethnicity,‭ ‬socioeconomic‭ ‬status,‭ ‬and‭ ‬religion‭ (‬or‭ ‬lack‭ ‬thereof‭)‬.‭

This‭ ‬code‭ ‬of‭ ‬conduct‭ ‬outlines‭ ‬our‭ ‬expectations‭ ‬for‭ ‬all‭ ‬those‭ ‬who‭ ‬participate‭ ‬in‭ ‬our‭ ‬community,‭ ‬as‭ ‬well‭ ‬as‭ ‬the‭ ‬consequences‭ ‬for‭ ‬unacceptable‭ ‬behavior.

We‭ ‬invite‭ ‬all‭ ‬those‭ ‬who‭ ‬participate‭ ‬in‭ ‬The Omni ‬to‭ ‬help‭ ‬us‭ ‬create‭ ‬safe‭ ‬and‭ ‬positive‭ ‬experiences‭ ‬for‭ ‬everyone.

[need to edit below. taken directly from http://www.generationfive.org/the-issue/transformative-justice/]

  • Safety, healing, and agency for survivors
  • Accountability and transformation for people who harm
  • Community action, healing, and accountability
  • Transformation of the social conditions that perpetuate violence – systems of oppression and exploitation, domination, and state violence

2.‎ ‏Open‭ ‬Citizenship

A‭ ‬supplemental‭ ‬goal‭ ‬of‭ ‬this‭ ‬Code‭ ‬of‭ ‬Conduct‭ ‬is‭ ‬to‭ ‬increase‭ ‬open‭ [‬source/culture‭/tech] ‬citizenship‭ ‬by‭ ‬encouraging‭ ‬participants‭ ‬to‭ ‬recognize‭ ‬and‭ ‬strengthen‭ ‬the‭ ‬relationships‭ ‬between‭ ‬our‭ ‬actions‭ ‬and‭ ‬their‭ ‬effects‭ ‬on‭ ‬our‭ ‬community.

Communities mirror the societies in which they exist and positive action is essential to counteract the many forms of inequality and abuses of power that exist in society.

If‭ ‬you‭ ‬see‭ ‬someone‭ ‬who‭ ‬is‭ ‬making‭ ‬an‭ ‬extra‭ ‬effort‭ ‬to‭ ‬ensure‭ ‬our‭ ‬community‭ ‬is‭ ‬welcoming,‭ ‬friendly,‭ ‬and‭ ‬encourages‭ ‬all‭ ‬participants‭ ‬to‭ ‬contribute‭ ‬to‭ ‬the‭ ‬fullest‭ ‬extent,‭ ‬we‭ ‬want‭ ‬to‭ ‬know.

3.‎ ‏Expected‭ ‬Behavior

Participate‭ ‬in‭ ‬an‭ ‬authentic‭ ‬and‭ ‬active‭ ‬way.‭ ‬In‭ ‬doing‭ ‬so,‭ ‬you‭ ‬contribute‭ ‬to‭ ‬the‭ ‬health‭ ‬and‭ ‬longevity‭ ‬of‭ ‬this‭ ‬community. Exercise‭ ‬consideration‭ ‬and‭ ‬respect‭ ‬in‭ ‬your‭ ‬speech‭ ‬and‭ ‬actions. Attempt‭ ‬collaboration‭ ‬before‭ ‬conflict. Refrain‭ ‬from‭ ‬demeaning,‭ ‬discriminatory,‭ ‬or‭ ‬harassing‭ ‬behavior‭ ‬and‭ ‬speech. Be‭ ‬mindful‭ ‬of‭ ‬your‭ ‬surroundings‭ ‬and‭ ‬of‭ ‬your‭ ‬fellow‭ ‬participants.‭ ‬Alert‭ ‬community‭ ‬leaders‭ ‬if‭ ‬you‭ ‬notice‭ ‬a‭ ‬dangerous‭ ‬situation,‭ ‬someone‭ ‬in‭ ‬distress,‭ ‬or‭ ‬violations‭ ‬of‭ ‬this‭ ‬Code‭ ‬of‭ ‬Conduct,‭ ‬even‭ ‬if‭ ‬they‭ ‬seem‭ ‬inconsequential.

4.‎ ‏Unacceptable‭ ‬Behavior

Unacceptable‭ ‬behaviors‭ ‬include:‭ ‬intimidating,‭ ‬harassing,‭ ‬abusive,‭ ‬discriminatory,‭ ‬derogatory‭ ‬or‭ ‬demeaning‭ ‬speech‭ ‬or‭ ‬actions‭ ‬by‭ ‬any‭ ‬participant‭ ‬in‭ ‬our‭ ‬community‭ ‬online,‭ ‬at‭ ‬all‭ ‬related‭ ‬events‭ ‬and‭ ‬in‭ ‬one-on-one‭ ‬communications‭ ‬carried‭ ‬out‭ ‬in‭ ‬the‭ ‬context‭ ‬of‭ ‬community‭ ‬business.‭ ‬Community‭ ‬event‭ ‬venues‭ ‬may‭ ‬be‭ ‬shared‭ ‬with‭ ‬members‭ ‬of‭ ‬the‭ ‬public‭; ‬please‭ ‬be‭ ‬respectful‭ ‬to‭ ‬all‭ ‬patrons‭ ‬of‭ ‬these‭ ‬locations.

Harassment includes:

Offensive comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, mental illness, neuro(a)typicality, physical appearance, body size, race, or religion Unwelcome comments regarding a person’s lifestyle choices and practices, including those related to food, health, parenting, drugs, and employment. Deliberate misgendering or use of ‘dead’ or rejected names Gratuitous or off-topic sexual images or behaviour in spaces where they’re not appropriate Physical contact and simulated physical contact (eg, textual descriptions like “*hug*” or “*backrub*”) without consent or after a request to stop. Threats of violence Incitement of violence towards any individual, including encouraging a person to commit suicide or to engage in self-harm Deliberate intimidation Stalking or following Harassing photography or recording, including logging online activity for harassment purposes Sustained disruption of discussion Unwelcome sexual attention Pattern of inappropriate social contact, such as requesting/assuming inappropriate levels of intimacy with others Continued one-on-one communication after requests to cease Deliberate “outing” of any aspect of a person’s identity without their consent except as necessary to protect vulnerable people from intentional abuse Publication of non-harassing private communication

The Omni prioritizes marginalized people’s safety over privileged people’s comfort. RESPONSE GROUP will not act on complaints regarding:

‘Reverse’ -isms, including ‘reverse racism,’ ‘reverse sexism,’ and ‘cisphobia’ Reasonable communication of boundaries, such as “leave me alone,” “go away,” or “I’m not discussing this with you.” Communicating in a ‘tone’ you don’t find congenial Criticizing racist, sexist, cissexist, or otherwise oppressive behavior or assumptions

5.‎ ‏Consequences‭ ‬of‭ ‬Unacceptable‭ ‬Behavior

Unacceptable‭ ‬behavior‭ ‬from‭ ‬any‭ ‬community‭ ‬member,‭ ‬including‭ ‬sponsors‭ ‬and‭ ‬those‭ ‬with‭ ‬decision-making‭ ‬authority,‭ ‬will‭ ‬not‭ ‬be‭ ‬tolerated.

Anyone‭ ‬asked‭ ‬to‭ ‬stop‭ ‬unacceptable‭ ‬behavior‭ ‬is‭ ‬expected‭ ‬to‭ ‬comply‭ ‬immediately. If‭ ‬a‭ ‬community‭ ‬member‭ ‬engages‭ ‬in‭ ‬unacceptable‭ ‬behavior,‭ ‬the‭ ‬community‭ ‬organizers‭ ‬may‭ ‬take‭ ‬any‭ ‬action‭ ‬they‭ ‬deem‭ ‬appropriate,‭ ‬up‭ ‬to‭ ‬and‭ ‬including‭ ‬a‭ ‬temporary‭ ‬ban‭ ‬or‭ ‬permanent‭ ‬expulsion‭ ‬from‭ ‬the‭ ‬community‭ ‬without‭ ‬warning‭ (‬and‭ ‬without‭ ‬refund‭ ‬in‭ ‬the‭ ‬case‭ ‬of‭ ‬a‭ ‬paid‭ ‬event‭)‬.

6.‎ ‏If‭ ‬You‭ ‬Witness‭ ‬or‭ ‬Are‭ ‬Subject‭ ‬to‭ ‬Unacceptable‭ ‬Behavior

If‭ ‬you‭ ‬are‭ ‬subject‭ ‬to‭ ‬or‭ ‬witness‭ ‬unacceptable‭ ‬behavior,‭ ‬or‭ ‬have‭ ‬any‭ ‬other‭ ‬concerns,‭ ‬please‭ ‬notify‭ ‬a‭ ‬community‭ ‬organizer‭ ‬as‭ ‬soon‭ ‬as‭ ‬possible.‭ [‬CONTACT‭_‬INFO‭_‬HERE‭]

Additionally,‭ ‬community‭ ‬organizers‭ ‬are‭ ‬available‭ ‬to‭ ‬help‭ ‬community‭ ‬members‭ ‬engage‭ ‬with‭ ‬local‭ ‬law‭ ‬enforcement‭ ‬or‭ ‬to‭ ‬otherwise‭ ‬help‭ ‬those‭ ‬experiencing‭ ‬unacceptable‭ ‬behavior‭ ‬feel‭ ‬safe.‭ ‬In‭ ‬the‭ ‬context‭ ‬of‭ ‬in-person‭ ‬events,‭ ‬organizers‭ ‬will‭ ‬also‭ ‬provide‭ ‬escorts‭ ‬as‭ ‬desired‭ ‬by‭ ‬the‭ ‬person‭ ‬experiencing‭ ‬distress.

7.‎ ‏Addressing‭ ‬Grievances

If‭ ‬you‭ ‬feel‭ ‬you‭ ‬have‭ ‬been‭ ‬falsely‭ ‬or‭ ‬unfairly‭ ‬accused‭ ‬of‭ ‬violating‭ ‬this‭ ‬Code‭ ‬of‭ ‬Conduct,‭ ‬you‭ ‬should‭ ‬notify‭ ‬GOVERNING‭_‬BODY‭ ‬with‭ ‬a‭ ‬concise‭ ‬description‭ ‬of‭ ‬your‭ ‬grievance.‭ ‬Your‭ ‬grievance‭ ‬will‭ ‬be‭ ‬handled‭ ‬in‭ ‬accordance‭ ‬with‭ ‬our‭ ‬existing‭ ‬governing‭ ‬policies.‭ [‬LINK‭_‬TO‭_‬POLICY‭]

[NOTE:‎ ‏Every‭ ‬organization‭'‬s‭ ‬governing‭ ‬policies‭ ‬should‭ ‬dictate‭ ‬how‭ ‬you‭ ‬handle‭ ‬warnings‭ ‬and‭ ‬expulsions‭ ‬of‭ ‬community‭ ‬members.‭ ‬It‭ ‬is‭ ‬strongly‭ ‬recommended‭ ‬that‭ ‬you‭ ‬mention‭ ‬those‭ ‬policies‭ ‬here‭ ‬or‭ ‬in‭ ‬Section‭ ‬7‭ ‬and‭ ‬that‭ ‬you‭ ‬include‭ ‬a‭ ‬mechanism‭ ‬for‭ ‬addressing‭ ‬grievances.‭]

8.‎ ‏Scope

We‭ ‬expect‭ ‬all‭ ‬community‭ ‬participants‭ (‬contributors,‭ ‬paid‭ ‬or‭ ‬otherwise‭; ‬sponsors‭; ‬and‭ ‬other‭ ‬guests‭) ‬to‭ ‬abide‭ ‬by‭ ‬this‭ ‬Code‭ ‬of‭ ‬Conduct‭ ‬in‭ ‬all‭ ‬community‭ ‬venues‭—‬online‭ ‬and‭ ‬in-person‭—‬as‭ ‬well‭ ‬as‭ ‬in‭ ‬all‭ ‬one-on-one‭ ‬communications‭ ‬pertaining‭ ‬to‭ ‬community‭ ‬business.

9.‎ ‏Contact‭ ‬info

‎[‏YOUR‭ ‬CONTACT‭ ‬INFO‭ ‬HERE‭ ‬--‭ ‬this‭ ‬should‭ ‬be‭ ‬a‭ ‬single‭ ‬person‭ ‬or‭ ‬a‭ ‬small‭ ‬team‭ ‬who‭ ‬can‭ ‬respond‭ ‬to‭ ‬issues‭ ‬directly‭]

10.‎ ‏License‭ ‬and‭ ‬attribution

This‭ ‬Code‭ ‬of‭ ‬Conduct‭ ‬is‭ ‬distributed‭ ‬under‭ ‬a‭ ‬Creative‭ ‬Commons‭ ‬Attribution-ShareAlike‭ ‬license.