1. Purpose
A primary goal of TAG 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, disability, ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, or 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 TAG to help us create safe and positive experiences for everyone.
2. Open Gamer Citizenship
A supplemental goal of this Code of Conduct is to increase open gamer 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
The following behaviors are expected and requested of all community members:
- 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.
- Remember that community event venues may be shared with members of the public; please be respectful to all patrons of these locations. Event venues may also have their own guidelines, which you must follow in order to participate in events held there.
- Clean up after yourself.
4. Unacceptable Behavior
The following behaviors are considered harassment and are unacceptable within our community:
- Violence, threats of violence, or violent language directed against another person
- Sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, or otherwise discriminatory jokes and language
- Posting or displaying sexually explicit or violent material
- Posting or threatening to post other people’s personally identifying information (‘doxing’)
- Personal insults, particularly those related to gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, or disability
- Inappropriate photography or recording (hidden cameras, or recording someone for purposes of exploitation or harassment)
- Inappropriate physical contact (you must have someone’s consent before touching them)
- Unwelcome sexual attention, including sexualized comments or jokes, inappropriate touching, groping, and unwelcome sexual advances
- Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following (online or in person)
- Advocating for/encouraging any of the above behavior
- Sustained disruption of community events, including talks and presentations
- Damage to games owned by another Tri-City Area Gaming member or the TAG Game Library (Note: We understand that games get wear and tear over time, and that accidents happen. It’s no problem! Just alert one of the TAG staff members so they know which games need to be replaced)
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 TAG community without warning (and without refund in the case of a paid event).
If any TAG staff members, volunteers, or other people associated with the TAG organization engage in unacceptable behavior, please report it to another member of staff, or report anonymously to our Google number (below). It is important to us that participants in TAG events feel safe, and it is our policy to maintain the level of anonymity requested by the reporter.
6. Reporting Guidelines
If you are subject to — or witness to — unacceptable behavior at one of our events, or have any other concerns, please notify a community organizer as soon as possible.
You can also send a text or voicemail using our Google number: 509-416-6386. Google will notify Brendan Quinn when this number is used.
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 TAG with a concise description of your grievance. Your grievance will be handled in accordance with our existing governing policies.
Appealing
Only permanent resolutions (such as bans) may be appealed. To appeal a decision of the working group, contact TAG with your appeal and the TAG board will review the case.
8. Photography and Video
Please be aware that photographs, as well as video and audio recordings, will occur at events, and that members’ likenesses may appear in these recordings. Attending TAG events constitutes an agreement by members and visiting professionals the free use of their likeness for TAG promotional material without compensation.
9. Minor Attendees
Children are welcome to attend all TAG events, but all attendees under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. In addition, when registering for any event, attendees under the age of 13 must provide parent or guardian information should TAG staff need to contact them.
10. Communication
Occasionally, TAG will email you with general information about upcoming events. These emails can be opted out of at any time, but we’ll be sad to see you go.
You can sign up for our newsletter on our website: tricityareagaming.org/join-our-mailing-list
11. 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 in TAG spaces or when they pertain to TAG community business.
This Code of Conduct and its related procedures also apply to unacceptable behavior occurring outside the scope of community activities when such behavior has the potential to adversely affect the safety and well-being of community members.
12. License and Attribution
This Code of Conduct is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license.
Portions of text derived from the Django Code of Conduct and the Geek Feminism Anti-Harassment Policy with permission.