Maintaining a Respectful and Accountable Space

I understand that by entering into the grounds of the Different Games Conference, I am consenting to the following terms, by which I agree to uphold the Different Games Code of Conduct and do my part in promoting diversity in gaming communities:

I will do my best to recognize that this is a learning space for every participant.
I will give myself and those around me the space to learn.
I will address each individual by their pronouns.
I will ask before I take photos of people.
I will respect the wishes of people who do not want to be photographed or appear in photos.
I will listen to others with the intent of letting them share their perspectives and not interrupt my fellow Different Games participants.
I will remain respectful when called out.
I will not harass anyone.
If I am in a conflict with someone, I will attempt to resolve the conflict peacefully.
I will not use homophobic, cissexist, sexist, racist, ableist, or classist language.
I acknowledge that I represent Different Games to the community hosting the conference and my behavior reflects upon Different Games Conference as a whole. I agree to hold myself accountable for my actions and speech.
I will acknowledge that my behavior reflects upon Different Games as a whole. I agree to hold ourselves accountable for our actions.

Conflict Resolution

Should I find myself in a conflict, I will take the following steps in attempt to resolve the conflict:

Find an appropriate time to pull them aside to discuss their behavior. If I am not comfortable doing this, I will notify a staff member so they can address the situation.
Inform the person that what they have said or done is offensive and explain as best I can why.
Try to help them understand how to avoid it in the future.
Be open to forgiving the person for their mistake and helping them remain a part of our community.
If all else fails, ask a staff member to help mediate the situation.

(Conflict Resolution section inspired by and adapted from GaymerX’s Rules)

If you see people behaving inappropriately, please bring it to the attention of one of our staff or volunteers and allow us to respond to the situation. Or if you find yourself in conflict and have attempted to resolve the conflict and received unsatisfactory resolution, seek our assistance for mediation or support. Allow us to handle conflict resolution for any circumstance that compromises Different Games as a safe space.

Contact

During the 2016 Different Games Conference, the entire Different Games staff and volunteer staff will respond to any inquiries about safety, security, and the Code of Conduct. For more specific communication, the 2016 Different Games Conference points of contact for safety and security reports are Mattie Brice, Michael DeAnda, and Dee Dannielle.

Different Games actively opposes all forms of harassment and hate speech. If you experience any marginalizing or silencing behavior which limits your full participation please find the welcoming table by the elevators in the lobby or find a Different Games staff member.

Anti-Harassment Policy

Harassment will not be tolerated! We define harassment as:

Offensive comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, mental illness, neuro(a)typicality, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, 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 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 other vulnerable people from intentional abuse
Publication of non-harassing private communication

The Different Games Collective community prioritizes marginalized people’s safety over privileged people’s comfort. The Different Games Collective Team 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.”
Refusal to explain or debate social justice concepts
Communicating in a ‘tone’ you don’t find congenial
Criticizing racist, sexist, cissexist, or otherwise oppressive behavior or assumptions

(Anti-Harassment Policy adapted from Geek Feminism wiki, created by the Geek Feminism community)

Admission Policy

Different Games has the right to deny admission to any individual, should the individual be determined by Different Games staff to interfere with the safety and well-being of other visitors and the establishment itself.

Conclusion

If you deliberately ignore these guidelines, repeatedly disrupt the conference and other attendees, and/or no resolution can be met or agreed upon you will be asked to leave Different Games.

This Code of Conduct only describes expectations in behavior for all guests upon entering the space and how Different Games will uphold these expectations within the space. If you’d like to read more about how Different Games defines inclusivity, please read our Inclusivity Statement.

View the Inclusivity Statement

Different Games Conference ❤