Dublin 2029 aims to build a community for all fans, and Codes of Conduct (CoC) help to make an inclusive community. With that in mind, please take a moment to review our Code of Conduct and Anti-Harassment Policy. This Code seeks to create safer space by discouraging anti-social behaviour and helping everyone to feel comfortable.
This Code applies to the Dublin 2029 bid team in all our interactions (face-to-face and online) with each other and the general public. (‘Team’ here refers to anyone involved in the bid or who volunteers to help at a Dublin 2029 activity – such as fan tables, parties and outreach events.) It also guides us as to the behavioural standards we hope to see from those attending our events, and how to act when these are not met.
The Code is a living document and we expect it to change over time to reflect changes in and beyond fandom as well as the bid ethos. We welcome feedback and suggestions for improvement; please feel free to contact us at bidchairs@dublin2029.ie .
Dublin 2029 prioritises marginalised people’s safety over privileged people’s comfort. This means criticisms of established forms of oppression and marginalisation will not be considered as violations of our CoC.
Credit where it’s due: this Code of Conduct is loosely based on Geek Feminism’s example anti-harassment policy and multiple Worldcon bid & CoCs, all created by volunteers, as adapted for the Dublin 2029 Worldcon Bid.
Dublin 2029 and other conventions
While we are bidding for the 2029 Worldcon, we will often be active (e.g. running parties) at other conventions with their own Codes of Conduct. We will comply with those Codes and associated processes (e.g. for Incident Reporting). We will maintain our own processes for events and activities which are not covered by host event Codes in this way.
How can I help?
- Read and follow this Code of Conduct. Ask your friends to read it as well.
- Ask first! The easiest way to avoid issues is to check before doing something, and it only takes a moment.
- Remember that the Dublin 2029 team and the people we interact with come from all over the world; cross-cultural misunderstanding can easily happen, so consider this in your humour and interactions, both online and in-person.
Expectations and Policy
Everyone involved with Dublin 2029 is expected to show respect towards other team members, as well as venue staff, the general public, and the various communities associated with the bid or event taking place. Dublin 2029 aspires to be a bid that welcomes people of all ages; children will be present at many events and in open spaces, so please consider this in your conduct.
Dublin 2029 is committed to providing a harassment-free bid experience for all, inclusive of race or ethnicity; gender identity and expression; sexual identity or orientation; neurodiversity; disability; physical ability, appearance, or body size; age; religion; or fiction/fandom preferences (this list is not exhaustive).
We do not tolerate harassment in any form. Behaviour, in person or online, that will be considered harassment includes, but is not limited to:
- Intimidation, stalking, or following;
- Unwelcome physical contact;
- Unwelcome sexual attention;
- Comments intended to belittle, offend, or cause discomfort;
- Misgendering or deadnaming;
- Photographing or videoing members without their consent;
- Treating cosplay/costumes as consent for contact or interaction;
- Body shaming;
- Sustained disruption of talks or other events;
- Sexually graphic or otherwise inappropriate images in public spaces;
- Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behaviour;
- Wearing costumes t-shirts, badges or other items that are offensive, or the wearer has been asked to remove in the past; refusing to remove or cover items that are pointed out to the wearer as offensive by the committee or a representative of the committee;
- Microaggressions.
The Dublin 2029 Bid Team will not act on complaints regarding:
- “Reverse discrimination”, such as reverse racism and cisphobia, because challenging biases and privileges is not a form of discrimination;
- Reasonable communication of boundaries, such as “leave me alone”, “go away”, or “I’m not discussing this with you;”
- Refusal to explain or debate social justice concepts;
- Communicating in a ‘tone’ you don’t find congenial;
- Criticising racist, sexist, cissexist, or otherwise oppressive behaviour or assumptions.
In addition, we are bound by the Ireland’s equality legislation. You can find information on this here.
Anti-Racism Statement
Racism is present across all sections of society, including our own fannish communities. Dublin 2029 is committed to being as close to oppression-free as possible, and central to this is our policy on racism, including prejudice, bias, the expression of privilege, aggressions, and microaggressions. This includes contributions made in discussion sessions and also things said to and about other Dublin 2029 team members as well as members of the public.
During the bid process – from launching the bid to the end of the site selection process (and hopefully beyond!) – we want to ensure no one is talked over, ignored, or dismissed. We are committed to making the Dublin 2029 bid as accessible as we can to people from all racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Incidents and Reporting – Team Members
Dublin 2029 team members are bound by the Codes of Conduct of any events we attend. You should always follow the reporting procedures set out in those Codes of Conduct in the first instance. You may additionally choose to make a report via the Dublin 2029 process. This will allow us to keep track of issues and spot repeat offenders.
Issues arising at our own events or online should always be reported via the Dublin 2029 process.
You can report harassment or other Code of Conduct violations by email to coc@dublin2029.ie . Anyone who feels the Code of Conduct has been violated by a team member may use this method of reporting at any time. This email address will be continuously monitored.
What Happens if You Make a Report?
Our main reporting method is via email. Once you submit a report, our Listener Team will respond to you as quickly as possible. They may follow up with you to gain a better understanding of the issue, and what you would like to happen next. We understand reporting can be upsetting, and we aim to handle the process as respectfully as possible and try to support you. The Listener team will proceed at their discretion, based on the content, context and wishes expressed in your email.
The Listener Team is a group of people whose mandate is to receive reports on potential violations of the Code of Conduct. They can escalate issues appropriately, discuss them in a totally confidential manner, and/or act as mediators, according to the wishes of the person raising the issue.
However you report an issue, you won’t be asked to confront anyone, and we will do our best to protect your identity if we take action as a result of your report. Details of your complaint will only be disclosed to relevant Bid team members who are dealing with it. We will keep you advised of the progress we’re making in handling the issue, and of any action we decide to take. We will take your views into account when deciding on that action.
The Dublin 2029 team has the right to take any actions needed to keep our bid and events welcoming for all. Measures taken may include warning the offender, mediating solutions between parties, or taking any other action the team considers necessary.
Behaviour at Dublin 2029 Events
We will actively monitor and act to ensure that attendees at our events (particularly parties) meet the standards set out in this Code. This includes online interactions around the event. We understand that this sometimes needs a more immediate intervention than provided for by the full reporting process.
- We will explicitly assign accountability for Code of Conduct compliance to an appropriate Dublin 2029 team representative at each event;
- We expect attendees to behave and drink responsibly and engage respectfully at all times. We will reinforce this with our signage and other communications;
- In the event of inappropriate behaviour, we will speak to the individual(s) concerned. Depending on the nature of the incident, and the views of those they have affected, we may;
- ask them to modify their behaviour;
- ask them to leave the event;
- and if appropriate, support a report under the host convention’s Code;
- We reserve the right to deny entry to individuals who we believe are unable to reliably abide by the expected standards of behaviour.
Blocking Policy for Social Media
The decision to block any individual from our social media feeds is not something Dublin 2029 would ever make lightly. However, there are instances where this course of action is necessary to provide our volunteers with a safe and supportive working environment, or to ensure online bid spaces remain a safe and welcoming space for all. Individuals may be blocked for the following reasons:
- Breaking any of the elements of the CoC when engaging with the Social Media platforms (which are extensions of the bid).
This applies both to direct engagements with our social media accounts and to engagements with other users in online bid spaces. - Patterns of repeated disruptive or bad faith engagements with our social media accounts and/or other users in our online bid spaces.
- Repetitive messaging engagements through social media rather than the appropriate channels for formal complaints, requests for information etc., once those channels have been made available to you and engaged with.
We will attempt to communicate with any individual if they infringe this policy and again prior to formally blocking them.