Accountable Spaces Policy

Last revised: April 2024

Summary

  1. Purpose 

  2. Who does this policy apply to?

  3.  Where does this policy apply?

  4. Who is responsible for enforcing this policy?

  5. Wexford Pride Accountable Spaces Policy:  Key Commitments in Our Community

  6. Wexford Pride Accountable Spaces Policy 

    1. Respect

    2. Confidentiality

    3. Freedom of expression

    4. Assume best intentions

    5. Consent 

    6. Equality and intersectionality 

    7. Participation

    8. Inclusive language 

    9. Communication

    10. Bullying and harassment

    11. Hate Speech and discrimination

    12. Complaints procedure

Purpose

As the Wexford Pride community continues to grow we must work together to continue to create a space that is welcoming and inclusive for everyone who enters it, and practices accountability in an effort to create a safer space. This policy acknowledges that while not all spaces can be truly safe due to the complex diversity of our community, we can and should make a collective commitment to creating an accountable space based on shared values of respect, equality and inclusivity. 

Wexford Pride’s Accountable Spaces Policy, created in collaboration with the Wexford Pride membership, is an agreement that all enter into when attending a Wexford Pride event or engaging in an online space facilitated by Wexford Pride. The Wexford Pride membership was consulted via an anonymised Google form that requested responses to the following questions, the responses to which have shaped and informed the development of this policy. 

  1. What words would you use to describe your idea of a safe space? (Example: these could be values or adjectives such as 'kindness', 'respect' etc.,)

  2. Pick one or more of these words and describe what this might look like in action. (Example: showing respect might look like not speaking over another person, acknowledging personal boundaries/consent, expressing active listening etc.,)

  3. What do you need to receive from others to feel heard, supported and seen in a space? (this could be an accommodation, how confidentiality is maintained and respected, how you prefer to be interacted with etc.,)

Who does this policy apply to?

Per Wexford Pride’s constitution ‘due to the persecution that members of the LGBTQIA+ community still face, no formal list of membership shall be created, made public, or otherwise published.’ For this policy, membership extends to anyone who is in attendance at a Wexford Pride event or is a member of an online space facilitated by Wexford Pride. 

Where does this policy apply?

The Wexford Pride Accountable Spaces Policy is applicable in the context of Wexford Pride events (both online and in person), trips or outings organised under the banner of Wexford Pride, and closed online spaces (such as a WhatsApp community) hosted by Wexford Pride. 

Who is responsible for enforcing this policy?

Wexford Pride encourages the collective accountability of its membership.  Each member will be made aware of the Accountable Spaces Policy either digitally or through a physical copy (present at in-person events) by a committee member. A copy of the Accountable Spaces Policy will be made available to members before their attendance (in the event they make prior contact with  Wexford Pride) or upon their attendance at a Wexford Pride event or online space. By acknowledging the receipt of a copy of the policy (either verbally or in writing), the member agrees to uphold the key commitments of the policy. If a member's conduct is alleged to have broken this agreement, this will trigger a complaints procedure to achieve a resolution that is appropriate for those impacted and reaffirm the commitments within the Accountable Spaces Policy.

Wexford Pride Accountable Spaces Policy: Key Commitments in Our Community

  1. Respect - Every member deserves to have their rights to dignity and respect honoured regardless of their sexuality, romanticism, gender identity, gender expression, race or ethnic identity (including membership of the Traveler community), disability and neurodivergence (including individuals with mental health diagnoses not always included under this term, such as Cluster A, B or C diagnoses), body type, socio-economic class, religion, family status, or housing status.

  2. Confidentiality - We are mindful that everyone is at a different stage in their journey and may not be ‘out’. What is shared within Wexford Pride spaces must remain within those spaces. It is only permissible to share outside of Wexford Pride that someone is a member with their explicit consent. This applies to sharing images or tagging people on social media.

  3. Freedom of expression - Every person has the freedom to express themselves in a way that is comfortable and authentic to them, without judgment. This does not, however, preclude individuals from accountability in the expression of sentiments that are prejudicidal in nature.

  4. Assume best intentions - We understand that the impact of our words takes priority over the intention behind them. Impact deserves acknowledgement and members should be open to correction and new perspectives. However, we should be open to giving someone the opportunity to learn and do better.

  5. Ongoing consent - Consent must be ongoing: asking once does not imply consent for the same action in future. It must also be mutual, informed and given freely. This extends beyond physical engagement to certain conversations or discussions surrounding sensitive or potentially triggering topics. “No” is a full sentence, meaning no explanation or context is necessary to support a refusal of consent. 

  6. Equality and intersectionality - We recognise that our fight for social equality is intrinsically linked to the struggle of our peers in other marginalised groups, including our Black, migrant, Traveller, Roma, neurodivergent, and disabled peers. As such we are committed to a continuous process of unlearning and relearning to support the creation of an informed, intersectional and anti-prejudiced space.

  7. Participation - How a person chooses to engage (e.g., non-verbal communication, presence without communication, presence at limited events) shouldn’t prevent them from being actively included and how a person may choose to participate should be respected.

  8. Inclusive language - The use of racist, ableist, shaming, -phobic or prejudicial language that contributes to the stereotyping of certain groups is not acceptable as this can lead to the marginalisation or stigmatisation of other community members. 

  9. Communication - Every person's voice should be valued. This includes taking turns when speaking and acknowledging each other through verbal communication and non-verbal cues. We also accept and accommodate a wide range of communication styles, such as may or may not be related to neurodivergences, disabilities, and/or learning differences. 

  10. Bullying and harassment - We have a zero-tolerance policy for bullying, harassment or sexual harassment of any kind. 

  11. Discrimination and hate speech - In committing to creating a safer space for all members, we have a collective responsibility to ensure we do not leave instances of hate speech or discrimination unchallenged. Such content will be removed by moderators of online spaces to prevent further harm. Individuals at in-person functions will be asked to revise their speech to continue to participate. Wexford Pride organisers reserve the right to request a person to leave any event or online space after either repeated offences or an offence deemed egregious.  

  12. Complaints procedure - Members reserve the right to make a complaint wherein they believe the terms of the Accountable Spaces Policy have not been upheld, be it by a fellow member or a member of the committee. While initial cases a resolutions will aim to be sought in an informal manner that supports the continued participation of members where possible,  if this is not successful or the instance concerns serious allegations of bullying, hate speech or harassment, a formal complaints procedure will be followed. In exceptional circumstances where a member or committee member's actions consistently contravene the terms of the Accountable Spaces Policy on more than three occasions, following verbal and written warnings, the committee reserves the right to limit their participation in Wexford Pride spaces.

In using the term ‘accountable spaces’ we acknowledge that no space can claim to be absolutely safe as we can’t always account for the diverse combination of experiences, needs and knowledge within our community. However, in all of our actions, we can all contribute to creating safer spaces that are grounded in shared values and commitments to accountability that ensure everyone’s safety and inclusion.

Respect

Every member deserves to have their rights to dignity and respect honoured regardless of their sexuality, gender, race, ability, socio-economic class, religion, membership of the Traveller community, family or, housing status.

Confidentiality

We have a duty to acknowledge, accommodate and support everyone wherever they are in their journey. It is important to remember that not every person may be ‘out’ in their identity or journey. To share an experience or part of ourselves with another person takes great courage, to share in another's story is a privilege. As such, information and experiences shared at an event or online space must remain within that space. This applies to sharing images or tagging people on social media, where explicit consent must be sought from the individual concerned before doing so. 

Freedom of expression 

Every person's freedom to express themselves is openly embraced and accepted. Members are encouraged to present themselves how they feel most comfortable and should not be pressured to conform, adjust or amend themselves by others.  We understand that self-expression can change and fluctuate over time, and persons should have the ability to do this in groups without judgement or being pathologised (i.e., having a label placed upon a person's expression, behaviour or experience that they do not use for themselves). We recognise that while we enjoy the freedom to express ourselves, this does not mean we are free from being accountable for the impact of our words or actions, i.e., expressions that contain a prejudicial sentiment. 

Assume best intentions

We all have shared ideas or experiences that may connect us and there may be other parts that are unique to us. We recognise the importance of giving each other space to learn from one another, to be open to new perspectives, and to make mistakes. When someone makes a mistake, we should try to assume best intentions when communicating that mistake. A person's capacity or intent can’t always be assumed. 

That said, we understand that the impact of our words takes priority over the intention behind them. Impact deserves acknowledgement and members should be open to correction and new perspectives. However, as stated we should be open to allowing someone to learn and do better

Consent

Each person is entitled to take up space in a way that they feel comfortable and safe, with their boundaries respected. Everyone expresses themselves differently and is comfortable with varying levels of interaction, communication and familiarity. It is important to respect people’s boundaries when they share them. A person's boundaries may change depending on a person's circumstances, experience or environment. Consent must be ongoing: asking once does not imply consent for the same action in future. Consent must also be mutual, informed and given freely. This extends beyond physical engagement to certain conversations or discussions surrounding sensitive or potentially triggering topics before introducing this for discussion, ask those around if it is okay to do so first. “No” is a full sentence, meaning no explanation or context is necessary to support a refusal of consent. 

Equality and intersectionality

Wexford Pride recognises that our fight for social equality is intrinsically linked to the struggle of our peers in other marginalised groups, including our Black, migrant, Traveller, Roma, neurodivergent, and disabled peers. As such we are committed to a continuous process of unlearning and relearning to support the creation of an informed, intersectional and anti-prejudiced space. Nobody has the right to speak over the experience of another person. As allies to one another, it is our responsibility to educate ourselves and remain open-minded, to recognise and respect the emotional labour of those sharing their experiences of marginalisation, and not to place a burden upon others to teach us. 

Inclusive language 

The use of racist, ableist, shaming, -phobic or prejudicial language that contributes to the stereotyping of certain groups is not acceptable as this can lead to the marginalisation or stigmatisation of other community members. We acknowledge that people are at different places with understanding and language, so we can support one another in highlighting potentially harmful language, taking ownership of our mistakes, and committing to do better. 

Participation

How a person chooses to engage (e.g., non-verbal communication, presence without communication, presence at limited events) shouldn’t prevent them from being actively included and how a person may choose to participate should be respected. This includes taking reasonable steps to accommodate and support different modes of participation and removing barriers to participation where possible. Members have a right to engage in movement, stimming, breaks and sensory accommodations without having attention drawn to or judgements made regarding them. 

Communication 

In Person - We will make an active effort to ensure everyone who would like to participate has an opportunity to by checking in with them.  Each person's voice is valued. We can show this by acknowledging through verbal communication or non-verbal cues. We accept and accommodate for a wide range of communication styles such as may or may not be related to neurodivergences, disabilities, and/or learning differences.  We will respect people's contributions by taking turns to avoid speaking over people.   

Online - It can be challenging to decipher tone and intention in online communication. To ensure communication in online spaces remains accessible, we can split up large bodies of text with paragraphs. We can define our tone using tone indicators (e.g., /s - sarcasm). We can clarify the use of acronyms for those who may not be familiar. We can avoid using flashing gifs for those with photosensitivity. We should always include trigger warnings in advance of introducing potentially triggering topics. Ideally, these should be formatted in bold/capital letters at the beginning of a text (e.g., tw homophobia).

 

Young people 

All Wexford Pride events are for those aged 18 years and above, except for our annual Pride in the Park celebration, where minors may attend as part of a participating group or with a guardian. While we encourage the expression and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ youth voices in our community, we do not have the capacity at this time to support a space for minors. If a young person under 18 years expresses interest or requires support, they will be signposted to the FDYS LGBTQI+ youth group. 

Bullying and harassment 

Wexford Pride holds a zero-tolerance policy to bullying, harassment or sexual harassment of any kind. Bullying is an ongoing and deliberate misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that intends to cause physical, social and/or psychological harm. It can involve an individual or a group misusing their power, or perceived power, over one or more persons who feel unable to stop it from happening. Harassment occurs when bullying is targeted toward an individual based on protected grounds such as gender, sexuality, ethnicity, disability, civil status, age, family status or religion. Sexual harassment is any form of unwanted verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. In both cases, it is defined as conduct that violates a person’s dignity and creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for the person and is prohibited under the relevant governmental Acts. 

If a member feels they have experienced an instance of bullying, harassment or sexual harassment, they can bring this in confidence to the attention of a committee member either verbally or in a written format. Two committee members will meet with the member to discuss the situation and any steps that they would like to take going forward. Additional support services should be signposted. Full confidentiality will be upheld by the committee member, except for instances where there is an indication of a threat to the individual's safety and well-being or the safety and well-being of others. This confidentiality applies regardless of the member accused of bullying, including in the case of the accused is a current or previous committee member.

Discrimination and hate speech 

Hate speech is any communication that is made in public with the intention or likelihood of being threatening or abusive and likely to stir up hatred against people because of their: race, colour, nationality, religion, ethnic or national origin, membership of the Traveller or Roma community, sexual orientation, disability, neurodivergence, mental health status, body type, gender identity, gender expression or romantic or sexual identity. Discrimination occurs when a person or group is treated less favourably in comparison to others based on who they are perceived to be. This can occur directly (such as intentional exclusion from a space) or indirectly (through plans or policies that do not take due consideration of diversity and inadvertently discriminate as a result). 

In committing to creating an accountable space for all members, we have a collective responsibility to ensure we do not leave instances of hate speech or discrimination unchallenged. Such content will be removed by moderators of online spaces to prevent further harm. Individuals at in-person functions will be asked to revise their speech to continue to participate. Wexford Pride organisers reserve the right to request a person to leave any event of online space after either repeated offences or an offence deemed egregious.  

The burden of responsibility should not be left to the affected person or group to resolve an issue. Instances of hate speech or discrimination can be raised in confidence, written or verbally, with a committee member. Two committee members will meet with the member to discuss the situation and steps they would like to take going forward, signposting additional support services as necessary. Full confidentiality will be upheld by the committee members, except for instances where there is an indication of a threat to the individual’s safety or well-being or the safety and well-being of others. 

Complaints procedure 

Members reserve the right to make a complaint wherein they believe the terms of the Accountable Spaces Policy have not been upheld, be it by a fellow member or a member of the committee. While in initial cases a resolutions will aim to be sought in an informal manner that supports the continued participation of members where possible,  if this is not successful or the instance concerns serious allegations of bullying, hate speech or harassment, the following complaints procedure will be followed. 

  1. The member raises the complaint with a member of the committee verbally or in writing via email, referring to where in the Accountable Spaces Policy the instance relates to. 

  2. Two committee members will meet with the member concerned, who reserves the right to have an additional neutral party attend with them. The meeting will seek to establish the details of the instance to identify actions to be taken in response by the committee. Signposting of appropriate additional support services will also be made available to the member concerned. 

  3. Following the meeting, a committee member will approach the person accused regarding the incident with reference to the Accountable Spaces Policy. The accuser will not be named. A meeting with two committee members where the member concerned reserves the right to the presence of an additional neutral party to attend with them. The details of the accusation will be explained and potential actions to be taken to seek a resolution.

  4. Terms of confidentiality will be communicated clearly to all parties and will be maintained except when there is an identified risk to individual safety or wellbeing or the safety and wellbeing of others, in which case the disclosure of confidential information (with the member's consent) may be required to an appropriate support body in the interests of safety.

  5. The outcome of both meetings and associated actions or commitments to be undertaken in response, in line with the terms of the Accountable Spaces Policy will be communicated to all parties in writing via email. Parties reserve the right to appeal this decision.

  6. If an individual is found to have broken the terms of the Accountable Spaces Policy in multiple instances, the following will apply. In exceptional circumstances where behaviour poses an immediate physical danger or harm to themselves or others, a member will be immediately requested to leave the space. 

    1. A verbal calling-in from a committee member with reference to the terms of the Accountable Spaces Policy

    2. A written warning from the committee member, including a copy of the Accountable Spaces Policy 

    3. A meeting with two committee members, with the member concerned to request the attendance of an additional neutral party, to discuss the Safe Spaces Policy and the continued participation in Wexford Pride spaces and events. 

    4. While every effort will be made to support the inclusion and participation of members, if a member continues to break the terms of the Accountable Spaces Policy following this, the committee reserves the right to limit or exclude the participation of this member from all Wexford Pride spaces. The member will be informed in writing of the terms of this decision. The terms of return to Wexford Pride Spaces will be dependent upon a member's ability to demonstrate a commitment to upholding the terms of the Accountable Spaces Policy in their participation.