Out Professionals - Code of Conduct

Out Professionals welcomes the full diversity of the LGBTQ community and supportive allies. Our events bring together aspiring and established LGBTQ professionals and others who want to improve their careers through meaningful networking and other career-building events.

Welcoming and Inclusive Environment

We are committed to making our events as safe, inclusive, respectful, and enjoyable as possible. We all have different identities, views, and life experiences so it is important that everyone have a common understanding of appropriate behavior that respects others.

We require all event participants to follow this code of conduct. The behavior of others is never a justification for anyone to break this Code of Conduct in response.

Respectful Communication

• Respect other people’s identities, names, and pronouns.
• If you are unsure of the pronoun someone uses, ask them or avoid gendered language. For example, you may consider using “they” instead of “he” or “she.”
• Be inclusive and supportive of those who are less confident or who have communication difficulties so that everyone can contribute.
• Friendly, constructive discussion is welcomed but personal insults or demeaning or argumentative comments are not acceptable.

Equality of Gender Expression

• Accept people’s self-identified gender for all purposes.
• Everyone is entitled to use whichever toilet they self-define as most appropriate for their gender identity and gender expression.
• Avoid negative comments, assumptions, or stereotyping of people on the basis of their gender identity, gender expression, gender reassignment sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, nationality, class, disability, religion, beliefs, age, accent, or culture.

Networking and Confidentiality

Out Professionals welcomes all kinds of people, both LGBTQ and straight allies. Please do not assume that an attendee is LGBTQ.

Our primary mission centers around networking.

• You are encouraged to request or exchange contact information with other attendees.
• Attendees are not required to share their contact information with you.
• If personal contact information is shared with you, you may not share this person’s information with another person or entity (company or nonprofit organization, etc.) without express approval.
• Out Professionals will not share attendee Information unless necessary due to safety concerns or requested by the individual themselves.

Respectful Connecting • Personal and Sexual Harassment

Out Professionals creates a welcoming space for making and advancing professional connections. We recognize that some attendees may meet others at our events with whom they want to pursue personal connections and potential relationships.

All attendees must acknowledge and adhere to the following guidelines:

• Unwanted verbal interaction or touching is harassment.
• Nobody owes you a response.
• No means no.
• Excessive, physical displays of affection, even if mutually wanted, are not allowed at Out Professionals events.

Bullying

Bullying is verbal or physical conduct that seeks to harm, intimidate, or coerce another person.

• Those who bully another event participant will receive a verbal and/or written warning after the first instance. Further infractions will lead to a ban from all Out Professionals events.
• In severe cases, those who bully will be banned after the first instance.
• The decision of chapter leaders is final. With your registration, you have accepted this determination.

Harassment

Harassment is persistent and unwelcome conduct towards another person or persons.

Sexual harassment is one type of harassment and includes unwelcome sexual advances, unwelcome physical contact of a sexual nature, or unwelcome verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Unwelcome verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature includes the repeated making of unsolicited, inappropriate gestures or comments and the display of sexual materials.

Recognizing Harassment - It is impossible to list every type of behavior that can be considered bullying or harassment in violation of this policy. In general, any conduct that could interfere with an individual's participation in an event or create a hostile environment is forbidden. This is the case even if the offending attendee did not mean to be offensive –attendees must be sensitive to the feelings of others. Even mild offensive conduct can be considered bullying or harassment if someone has made it clear that it is unwelcome. Some examples include:

Verbal: Jokes, insults, and innuendoes; threats; degrading sexual remarks; whistling; cat calls; comments on a person's body or sex life; or pressures for sexual favors; participating in derogatory or insulting gossip.

Non-Verbal: Intimidating or confrontational body language; gestures, staring, touching, hugging, or patting; blocking a person's movement; standing too close; brushing against a person's body; display of sexually suggestive or degrading pictures; racist or other derogatory cartoons or drawings.

Any event attendee who is found harassing another guest or other person associated with an event may be asked to leave and may be potentially banned from all participation in Out Professionals, at the discretion of event leadership.

• Those who harass another event participant will receive a verbal and or written warning after the first instance.
• Further infractions will result in a ban from all Out Professionals events.
• Excessive harassment, including unwanted touching, may result in an immediate ban in participation in Out Professionals and future events regardless of whether it is a first infraction.

The decision of Out Professionals leadership is final; when registering for and/or attending our events(s), you have agreed to honor our decision.

Photography / Imagery Policy

Out Professionals uses event photography and videography to promote our events to reach other professionals for you to meet!

• Attendees are permitted and encouraged to take and post photos or videos of themselves and those that they know (with permission) on social media and other personal uses.
• Please post photos of yourself and others who have expressed a desire to be photographed and do not post photos that includes people who have not given consent to be posted.
• If you become aware of someone who appears in your photo but does not want to be in a public post, you agree to remove this photo from social media.

You may decline from being photographed or appearing in video by telling us in advance when you arrive at an event. For more information, please read our complete Imagery Policy and Privacy Policy.

General Behavior

Listen to and follow the instructions of event organizers. You may ask to speak to the chapter leader (Lead Ambassador) if you disagree with the guidance from a volunteer.

• Our events are nonsmoking and non-vaping. Please leave the premises to smoke or vape. You may return to the event.
• Alcohol consumption is optional; moderation is encouraged. Individuals who drink excessively or appear to be inebriated will be asked to leave the event. The decision of event organizers is final.
• The use or possession of illicit drugs is never permitted during our events.
• Shouting, swearing, harassing, threatening, or humiliating behavior toward others is unacceptable.
• Any event participant who damages property will be held liable.

What happens if this Code of Conduct is broken?

Please let event organizers know as soon as possible if you experience or witness anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, or which may be in breach of the Code of Conduct. Even if you do not want any action taken, please still let us know during the event or afterward by email.

Examples of actions we can do:

• Listen to you in a private space.
• Talk to the other person(s) involved, if possible.
• Ask for an apology.
• Ask them to leave you alone.
• Require them to not be where you are.
• Exclude them from the rest of the event.
• Exclude them from future events.

Thank you for reading and following this Code of Conduct.

If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, contact us.

The Out Professionals Code of Conduct is adapted from the Equality Network Code of Conduct. Thanks for their fine work in advancing the LGBTQ Community in Scotland.

Our bullying and harassment policy is adapted from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

Last Update: Monday, July 17, 2023