FEMME CONFERENCE 2012 POINTS OF UNITY STATEMENT

The Femme Conference Points of Unity Statement is intended to make this event a supportive, non-threatening environment.

I. We enter this space with a commitment to mutual respect, mutual aid, anti-oppression, advocacy, conflict resolution, non-violence, direct democracy, and community building.

II. We respect everyone’s names, preferred gender pronouns, expressed identities, and experiences. We avoid making assumptions, promote mutual appreciation, and understand
that no one is required to share information about their identities or experience(s).

III. We support the empowerment of each person and strive to continually acknowledge the histories and structures of oppression that marginalize some and divide us all.

IV. We commit to making spaces as accessible as possible; physically, socially, and personally.

V. We do not engage in violence or threats.

VI. We obtain explicit consent for physical touch or using others’ belongings.

VII. We recognize that certain behavior can be triggering for individuals, such as trivializing or dismissing someone’s thoughts or experiences.

VIII. We commit to hearing each other and creating opportunities for all voices to be heard.

IX. We accept a shared responsibility where we hold ourselves and one another accountable to these agreements, without violence, judgment, or assumption of intent.

X. We encourage open minds and open hearts. We do not assume the intentions of others in order to foster a non-judgmental and accessible environment.

XI. We promote inclusive learning spaces. We encourage anyone who is feeling less than familiar with terminology, concepts, or context to ask questions in the spirit of personal growth.

Accessibility and Awareness Committee

The Awareness and Accessibility Committee is dedicated to promoting accessible, safe, inclusive spaces throughout this space. Committee members will be onsite at the conference and available to anyone who need assistance or support of any capacity. Committee members will be wearing clearly identifiable name tags and stationed at registration during the conference in case of any issue that needs to be addressed arises.

In the event that a person is harmed or triggered by a situation or participant, or experiencing difficulty in any capacity, it is up to their discretion to bring it to the attention of Awareness and Accessibility Committee. We guarantee privacy and confidentiality in such an event and will do our best to honor the individual’s needs.

We respect confidentiality and protect all shared personal information. You can reach us at access [at] femme2012 [dot] com