MISSION
Liberation TO was created as a joint effort to organize and support mass mobilization and
community building through educational events for total liberation. STORY
Liberation TO started with a medium-term goal of supporting an Animal Rights Community Centre focused on Education and Training in Toronto. VISION
Our vision is to provide a safe space, education, training and inspiration with l
ots of support and resources for the AR community to hold regular events and possibly an annual conference with/or mass mobilization. PURPOSE
A primary goal of Liberation TO (LTO) 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
(or lack thereof), sexual orientation, ability,
ethnicity, socioeconomic status, species,
religion (or lack thereof), or other status. This code of conduct outlines our expectations
for all those who participate in our community,
as well as the consequences for unacceptable
behaviour. We invite all those who participate
in LTO to help us create safe and positive
experiences for everyone.
2. THE OPEN MODEL
A supplemental goal of this Code of Conduct
is to increase community cohesion 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
empower our community members to be the
best activists and people they can be. 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 BEHAVIOUR
The following behaviours 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, and believe in others’
good faith.
· Attempt collaboration before conflict.
· Refrain from demeaning, discriminatory, or
harassing behaviour and speech.
· Refrain from criticizing other groups or
individuals.
· Be mindful of your surroundings and of
your fellow participants. Alert community
organizers 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.
· Treat others with integrity and, in particular,
be honest in all your dealings with others.
· Live up to your duty to constructively dissent
when another community member behaves
in a fashion that is unethical.
· Call others in, rather than out.
· Be open to others’ feedback when they
express discomfort or hurt over your
behavior.
· Live up to the ideals of nonviolence
and nonviolent direct action, including
“compassion for the individual, anger at the
system.”
· Respect the privacy and confidentiality needs
of other community members or activists.
· Try to maintain a 5:1 ratio of positive/
negative feedback for other community
members.
4. UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR
The following behaviours are considered
harassment and are unacceptable within our
community:
· Violence, threats of violence or violent
language directed against another person.
· Speciesist, sexist, racist, homophobic,
transphobic, ableist, ageist, or otherwise
discriminatory jokes, language or behaviour.
· Posting or displaying sexually explicit or
violent material.
· Posting or threatening to post other
people’s personally identifying information
(“doxing”).
· Criticizing other groups, their efforts, or
members.
· Personal attacks, including those related
to species, gender, sexual orientation, race,
religion, or disability, and including both on-
and off-line insults.
· Hacking, impersonation, or any other form
of virtual harassment.
· Inappropriate photography or recording.
· Inappropriate physical contact, including
any non-consensual physical contact (no
matter how seemingly benign).
· Unwelcome sexual attention. This includes,
sexualized comments or jokes;
inappropriate touching, groping,
unwelcomed sexual advances, invasion of
personal space, and any other behavior
that makes another community member
sexually uncomfortable.
· Deliberate intimidation, stalking or following
(online or in person).
· Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the
above behavior.
· Sustained disruption of community events,
including talks and presentations.
· Dishonesty or deception to manipulate other
community members.
· Use of objectifying language toward non-
human animals, i.e. “it,” “meat,” “beef,” etc.
5. CONSEQUENCES OF
UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR
Unacceptable behaviour from any community
member, including sponsors and those
with decision-making authority, will not be
tolerated. Anyone asked to stop unacceptable behaviour
is expected to comply immediately. If a community member engages in
unacceptable behaviour, the community
organizers may take any action they deem
appropriate, up to and including a temporary
ban or permanent expulsion from any
events without warning.
6. REPORTING GUIDELINES
If you are subject to or witness unacceptable
behaviour, or have any other concerns, please
notify a community organizer as soon as
possible at: [email protected]. 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 the team at
[email protected]
with a concise description of your
grievance. Your grievance will be handled in
accordance with our existing conflict resolution
policies.
8. 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 or events –
online and in-person– as well as in all one-on-
one communications pertaining to community
business. This code of conduct and its related
procedures also applies to unacceptable
behaviour occurring outside the scope of
community activities when such behaviour has
the potential to adversely affect the safety and
well-being of community members.
9. CONTACT INFO
[email protected]
10. ALCOHOL + OTHER DRUGS
All official events hosted by Liberation TO are
open to all ages and will be free of alcohol
and other drugs. Moreover, Liberation TO
may occasionally organize events off site,
e.g. dinner gatherings at restaurants, where
alcohol will be available for purchase. In
all cases, we strongly recommend that LTO
members drink responsibly and notify an
event organizer if (1) underage members are
given alcohol; or (2) alcohol use threatens
harm against the person using it or any other
person.
11. LICENSE AND ATTRIBUTION
This Code of Conduct is based on the
document at DxE.io/conduct as of
23 June 2017
