safer spaces policy
Everyone is welcome and free to be themselves without judgment or discrimination.
By using my website or social media spaces, you are expected to act in an open, mindful and respectful way towards every person you encounter.
This looks like:
Respecting people’s opinions, (except if that opinion infringes upon people’s human rights), beliefs, pronouns and differing points of view.
Recognising that we have specific sets of ideas and experiences within different social and cultural contexts and that these complex backgrounds form our views.
Speaking for yourself, and not claiming to speak for certain groups you may identify with.
Not judging or dismissing others’ views out of hand, but exercising empathy and imagination in conversing with others, even when respectfully disagreeing.
Respect the physical and emotional boundaries of others, and limits of understanding someone might have.
Providing content and trigger warnings before discussing genuinely distressing topics. An example of a content warning – CW: Sexual Assault and Self Harm. An example of a trigger warning - TW: eating disorders.
Refraining from discussing topics in a way that might promote risky or unsafe behaviours (e.g. methods of self-harm, drug-taking, suicide etc.)
Being particularly careful when engaging in explicit discussions on sensitive issues in depth and/or personal experiences of them online, whether you are engaging with the thread or disclosing your personal experience. You must respect that individuals have the right to define their experiences themselves.
Respecting everyone’s right to live without intimidation, harassment, or discrimination
This includes not engaging in any rankist, ableist, racist, sexist, ageist, transphobic, homophobic, queerphobic, or sizeist behaviour.
Critique that occurs in discussion should be aimed at deconstructing themes and issues, not victimising specific individuals.
Respect people’s right to privacy and self-determination. This includes not disclosing another person’s disability, sexuality or other personal information without their consent.
Not revealing people who are part of a community group. It is an individual’s right to self identify within a group and remain within the group.
“Spaces are only safe with the consistent effort of the community.”
This Policy is not an exhaustive list of every single thing we should do or not do. There will be times when each of us makes mistakes. These are opportunities to learn from each other and grow as individuals and as a community.
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Where you feel someone has done something that goes against this Policy, including me, you can choose to: approach the person, remove yourself, or report a dispute.
Remove yourself from the space or conversation if you feel uncomfortable approaching the individual or don’t have the energy to do so. Seek self-care.
I encourage the community to try and have a discussion where possible, but if that is not an option, please email kelly@wordified.com.au and include details of what happened, who was involved, screenshots, if available, and the harm it caused.
When you participate in online spaces, be aware that many people share this space, and although they may not choose to engage through comments or likes directly, your words may still have an impact. I reserve the right to delete comments and posts I consider to be breaching this Policy, such as hate speech, threats and victimisation of specific individuals, and can do so without any prior warnings.
The person who made the breaching comment/post will be informed that their comment/post has breached the Policy. If the person continues to perform the breaching act, the individual may be banned or blocked.
I should be your first port of contact for any disputes. You can reach me at: kelly@wordified.com.au
This policy was informed by ANU Women’s Department Safer Spaces Policy: http://anuwomensdepartment.org/
Date written: August 2021
Date reviewed: August 2022
Next review: August 2023