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 but is not limited to:

  • 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 or history of trauma 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.