Our Code Of Conduct

The Open Savannah community expects that Open Savannah network activities, events, and digital forums:

Open Savannah reserves the right to remove anyone in violation of these policies from any Open Savannah event, network activity, or digital forum. Repeated offenses may mean not being welcomed back to future Open Savannah events.

Open Savannah’s Anti-Harassment Policy

All Open Savannah network activities, events, and digital forums and their staff, presenters, and participants are held to an anti-harassment policy, included below.

In addition to governing our own events by this policy, Open Savannah will only collaborate with groups that offer an anti-harassment policy to their attendees, or are willing to implement one. For information on how to offer an anti-harassment policy to your group, see this guide.

Open Savannah is dedicated to providing a harassment-free experience for everyone regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, religion, or any other identifying characteristics. We do not tolerate harassment of staff, presenters, or participants in any form. Sexual language and imagery is not appropriate for any Open Savannah event or network activity, including talks.

Harassment includes but is not limited to: offensive verbal or written comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, or other identifying characteristics; sexual images in public spaces; deliberate intimidation; stalking; following; harassing photography or recording; sustained disruption of talks or other events; inappropriate physical contact; unwelcome sexual attention; unwarranted exclusion; patronizing language or action; or conversation topics that make others uncomfortable.

If a participant engages in harassing behavior, the organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or expulsion from Open Savannah network activities, events, and digital forums. Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. Anyone in violation of these policies may expelled from Open Savannah network activities, events, and digital forums, at the discretion of the Brigade Core Team.

If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of the Brigade Core Team immediately. You can contact them using the contact information listed below or in person, if you are comfortable doing so.

Event staff or forum administrators will be happy to help participants contact security or local law enforcement, provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the event. While all of our organizers and facilitators are ready to help, please let them know if you would prefer to be assisted by someone of your choosing.

You can also contact Open Savannah about harassment at yall@opensavannah.org and feel free to use the email template below. The Open Savannah Brigade Core Team acknowledge that we are not always in a position to evaluate a given situation. However, we are hopeful that by providing these guidelines we are establishing a community that jointly adheres to these values and can provide an environment that is welcoming to all.

If you cannot reach member of the Brigade Core Team and/or it is an emergency, please call 911 and/or remove yourself from the situation. We value your attendance and hope that by communicating these expectations widely we can all enjoy a harassment-free environment.

This policy is based on several other policies, including the Ohio LinuxFest anti-harassment policy, written by Esther Filderman and Beth Lynn Eicher, and the Con Anti-Harassment Project. Mary Gardiner, Valerie Aurora, Sarah Smith, and Donna Benjamin generalized the policies and added supporting material. Many members of LinuxChix, Geek Feminism and other groups contributed to this work. Special thanks to Ashe Dryden for compiling accessible Code of Conduct reference materials.

Email Template for Anti-Harassment Reporting

SUBJECT: Safe Space alert at [EVENT NAME]

I am writing because of harassment at an Open Savannah event, [NAME, PLACE, DATE OF EVENT].

You can reach me at [CONTACT INFO]. Thank you.

Default contact information for Open Savannah events.

Open Savannah Brigade Core Team & Organizers

Local Resources