EL*C Safe Space Guidelines during the Conference, 2022

The 3rd International Lesbian* Conference organised by the EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community – EL*C along with local co hosts Labrisz and qLit in Budapest, Hungary in 2022 is soon kicking off. In order to ensure the safety, well-being and comfort of all the people coming to the Conference, we as the space holders and main organizers of the event, are proposing the following guidelines related to behavior and communication in the formal and informal spaces connected to the conference. 

See the Safe Space Guidelines in PDF form here: 2022 EL_C Code of Conduct (1)

Conference Care Team

We have taken multiple safety precautions around the Conference and one of these measures is to have a Care Team on the ground in case of anything that needs discussing, mediating or resolving. The Care Team is there to ensure that the Conference goes smoothly for everyone and that each person has someone to turn to in case of any sign of distress. You can spot the Care Team members by their designated armbands. Assistance can be given in English, French, Spanish, German, Portugese, Ukrainian, Romanian, Georgian, Russian, Swedish and Serbian.

In case of severe breach of the following guidelines, EL*C reserves the right to take measures including (but not limited to) expelling specific participants from the Conference spaces. 

What to do:

• The EL*C conference prioritizes LBTQIA+, non-binary, trans and cis women and people with a diversity of backgrounds and experiences
• Ask for people’s personal pronouns and respect them without making assumptions
• Always ask for consent before hugging and/or touching another person
• Always ask for consent before taking someone’s photo and/or publishing it online
• Be considerate, respectful, and collaborative
• While communicating with others, give people you speak to the benefit of the doubt and ask to clarify the statement/opinion before making conclusions (does not apply to explicit harassment and expression of prejudice)
• Be mindful of the spaces you occupy. This is a space to (un)learn and listen. Commit to doing the work personally
• Each participant is encouraged to take active part in the discussions and share their views in a constructive manner. The conference space will be what we make of it collectively

What to avoid:

• Demeaning, discriminatory or harassing behavior, materials and speech
• Physical, written, verbal or other abuse, intimidation, threats, annoyance, harassment, stalking, pushing, shoving or use of any physical force whatsoever against any person
• Possession of any item that can be used as a weapon and cause danger to others if used in a certain manner
• Violence, threats of violence, or violent language directed against another person
• Any offensive behavior or language, including but not limited to using sexually explicit or offensive language, materials or conduct, as well as any language, behavior or content that contains curses, insults, obscene gestures, or racial, religious or ethnic slurs,
• Sexist, racist, homophobic, biphobic, transphobic, or otherwise discriminatory jokes and language
• Possessing any open can, bottle or other holder containing any alcoholic beverages, in the conference spaces designated for plenaries, workshops or other types of working spaces pertaining to the Conference program.  Please drink responsibly
• Smoking – other than in designated areas
• Use of ANY recreational drugs and similar substances is prohibited in Hungary, which is why EL*C cannot allow possession or use of said drugs at the conference venue and any other space or event curated by our organization 

A special note on harassment and prejudice:

• Our conference is dedicated to providing a safe and harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of age, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion (or lack thereof), or technology choices
• We do not tolerate harassment of conference participants in any form. Sexual language and imagery is not appropriate for any conference venue, including talks, workshops, parties, and online media. Conference participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the conference without a refund at the discretion of the conference organizers
• Harassment includes: offensive comments (verbal, written, or otherwise) related to gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, disability; inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces (including presentation slides); needless interruptions of speakers; deliberate intimidation, stalking or following; harassing materials, photography or recording; sustained disruption of talks or other events (whether verbal or otherwise); inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention
• Unacceptable behaviors & materials include intimidating, harassing, abusive, discriminatory, derogatory, or demeaning materials or conduct by any attendees of the event and related event activities. Many event venues are shared with members of the public; please be respectful to all patrons of these locations

Tools available for your safety and comfort during the conference:

• Unacceptable behavior will not be tolerated whether by other attendees, media, speakers, volunteers, organizers, venue staff, sponsors, or exhibitors
• Anyone asked to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in unacceptable behavior, the conference organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, up to and including expulsion from the conference without warning or refund
• The organizers will be available to help participants resolve the situations, as well as contact venue security or local law enforcement if there is such a need, to provide escorts, or to otherwise assist those experiencing unacceptable behavior to feel safe for the duration of the conference. You can report unacceptable behavior to designated Care Team consisting of EL*C Board Members and which includes dedicated safety/security focal points. All care team members will be wearing an arm band in addition to the conference t-shirt 
• Be mindful of your surroundings and of your fellow participants. Alert conference organizers if you notice a dangerous situation or someone in distress
• If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of conference staff immediately. Conference staff can be identified as they’ll be wearing branded clothing and/or badges
• If you are subjected to unacceptable behavior, notice that someone else is being subjected to unacceptable behavior, or have any other concerns, please notify a conference organizer as soon as possible. All reports will remain completely confidential