BAM Druid Gather Code of Conduct

All attendees, speakers, vendors, organizers, and volunteers at BAM Druid Gather are required to agree to the following code of conduct. This code applies to all of us, regardless of position or responsibilities. BAM organizers will enforce this code throughout the event. We expect cooperation from all participants to help ensure a safe environment for everybody.

The Quick Version

BAM Druid Gather is dedicated to providing a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion (or lack thereof), or technology choices. We do not tolerate harassment of event participants in any form. Harassing language and imagery is not appropriate in any venue connected with BAM, including talks, workshops, parties, FaceBook, or other social media platforms. Event participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the event without a refund at the discretion of the event organizers.

 

The Less Quick Version

A Culture of Consent. BAM Druid Gather is a place where an individual’s physical, mental, and spiritual sovereignty is honored at all times.  Together we create a culture of consent where each person determines their own degree of participation in both physical and energetic interactions. To further this environment:

• *All ritual and workshop facilitators will offer a pre-ritual/workshop briefing which will include a description of any physical touching (anointing, hugging, hand-holding, etc.), energetic touching (reiki, smudging, group intoning, collective group trance, etc.), and/or shared food/drink touching (shared loaf from which participants tear pieces, communal horn/chalice, etc.), as well as informing participants of any gendered roles in the ritual/workshop. Ritual and workshop facilitators are expected to be prepared to offer inclusive alternatives to all physical, energetic, and sharing-of-consumables for participants.
• *Attendees will seek explicit, affirmative consent before touching any other attendee.  This may be a verbal response (“yes!” or “no!”) or non-verbal (e.g., opening arms to accept a hug, or shaking head to decline). Attendees who have existing agreements about touch with each other (parents/children, family members, close friends, romantic partners, etc.) may follow their own agreements with each other.
• *Attendees should always feel free to leave a workshop, ritual, dance, hike, or other activity if they need to do so for their own health and well-being. Facilitators will give instructions on how to safely do so at the beginning of each activity.
• *While BAM seeks to promote a child-friendly environment, parents and guardians are responsible for children’s behavior at the event, not BAM staff or other attendees.  Parents and guardians should be advised that if their children are disruptive, the child may be requested to leave an activity or ritual.  Children under the age of 8 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Parents and guardians must also realize that, even in their absence, they are legally responsible for their children’s actions.

 

Definitions. “Harassment” includes: 1) offensive verbal comments related but not limited to gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion, technology choices, 2) inappropriate physical contact and/or unwelcome sexual attention, 3) deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography, or recording, and 4) sustained disruption of talks or other events.

“Harassment” does NOT include: 1) differences of opinion, 2) inadvertent, unrepeated, mild boundary infractions, 3) frank and respectful discussions of religion, politics, theology, social policy, etc., 4) inadvertent triggering–you are responsible for understanding your limits (if an otherwise respectful conversation or situation is difficult or unsettling to you for personal reasons, you have every right and a responsibility to your own well-being to step away), and 5) ill-received jokes (unless the teller, when made aware of the unwelcomeness of the humor, continues to tell similar jokes).

 

What You Can Do. All should have the opportunity to speak openly and be treated fairly.  BAM has a core belief of open, honest, and respectful communication. It is important that you feel safe and comfortable bringing up any concerns.  If you experience harassment or see harassment happening to another, please speak with a BAM staff member.

BAM will not tolerate any form of retaliation against, or victimization of, people making good-faith reports of possible violations of the Code of Conduct, or for asking questions about the Code.  A “good faith” report is one that is true to the best of your knowledge and for which you have provided all the information you have.

What We Will Do. We will look into all reported concerns with appropriate attention to confidentiality and take any necessary action.
Offending participants will be reminded of the Code of Conduct and asked to immediately stop any harassing behavior.

If a participant continues to engage in harassing behavior, BAM organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or expulsion from the event without a refund.

If the person engaging in harassing behavior is a BAM staff member, they will recuse themselves from any handling of the situation and will leave the festival venue.  

BAM staff will help participants contact local law enforcement, provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the event. We value your participation in our community.