Code of Conduct

All CATMA events and conferences are governed by the CATMA Code of Conduct

To Report an Incident

If you need to report a code of conduct violation, please send an email to info@catmavt.org.

Additional information about reporting an incident at CATMA events will be given at the individual event.

Code of Conduct: The Quick Version

All CATMA events prioritize marginalized people’s safety over privileged people’s comfort. (Watch this to understand privilege .)

Each CATMA event is dedicated to providing a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of gender and gender identity, age, sexual orientation, disability, neurodivergence, physical appearance, body size, race, or religion (or lack thereof). We do not tolerate harassment of participants in any form. Sexual language and imagery is not appropriate at any point from participants, attendees, speakers, organizers, exhibitors or vendors. Participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled at the discretion of the organizers. This could look like anything from a verbal warning to immediate expulsion from the conference.

No weapons of any kind, alcohol or recreational drugs are allowed at CATMA events. Your epi-pen is fine.

Code of Conduct: The Less Quick Version

CATMA events prioritize marginalized people’s safety over privileged people’s comfort.

CATMA is dedicated to providing a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of gender and gender identity, age, sexual orientation, disability, neurodivergence, physical appearance, body size, race, or religion (or lack thereof). We do not tolerate harassment of participants in any form. Sexual language and imagery is not appropriate at any point from participants, organizers or vendors. Participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled at the discretion of the organizers. This could look like anything from a verbal warning to immediate expulsion from the conference.

Some CATMA event spaces may have additional rules in place, which will be made clearly available to participants. Participants are responsible for knowing and abiding by these rules. This code of conduct applies to the main event venue and also to any parts of the event that take place at venues other than the main venue.

Harassment includes:

Offensive comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, mental illness, neuro(a)typicality, physical appearance, body size, age, race, or religion.
Unwelcome comments regarding a person’s lifestyle choices and practices, including those related to food, health, parenting, drugs, and employment.
Deliberate mis-gendering or use of ‘dead’ or rejected names.
Gratuitous or off-topic sexual images or behavior in spaces where they’re not appropriate.
Physical contact and simulated physical contact (eg, textual descriptions like “hug” or “backrub”) without consent or after a request to stop.
Threats of violence.
Incitement of violence towards any individual, including encouraging a person to commit suicide or to engage in self-harm.
Deliberate intimidation.
Stalking or following.
Harassing photography or recording, including logging online activity for harassment purposes.
Sustained disruption of discussion.
Unwelcome sexual attention.
Pattern of inappropriate social contact, such as requesting/assuming inappropriate levels of intimacy with others.
Continued one-on-one communication after requests to cease.
Deliberate “outing” of any aspect of a person’s identity without their consent except as necessary to protect vulnerable people from intentional abuse.
Publication of non-harassing private communication.
CATMA prioritizes marginalized people’s safety over privileged people’s comfort and therefore we will not act on complaints regarding:
‘Reverse’ -isms, including ‘reverse racism,’ ‘reverse sexism,’ and ‘cisphobia’.
Reasonable communication of boundaries, such as “leave me alone,” “go away,” or “I’m not discussing this with you”.
Communicating in a ‘tone’ you don’t find congenial.
Criticizing racist, sexist, cissexist, or otherwise oppressive behavior or assumptions.