The Sensemakers Club seeks to host events and spaces that are welcoming and safe for anyone who is trying to make sense regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age or religion. To do this we have a strong policy against harassment* for all of our events and in all the digital and physical spaces we host our members in. 

We retain the right to take any actions to keep the event a welcoming environment for all sensemakers. This might result in actions such as:

1. Warning to the offender about the behavior
2. Expulsion from the club with no refunds

A member can be expelled from The Sensemaker Club at Abby’s discretion at any point for any reason if she feels the code of conduct has been violated. 

If someone in the club is harassing you, you witness someone being harassed by another member, or you feel like our event was not safe to you or someone else, please write to Abby directly at [email protected]. You can alternatively leave an anonymous complaint.

We can't follow up an anonymous report with you directly, but we will fully investigate it and take whatever action is necessary to prevent a recurrence.

Why have a Code of Conduct?

If you are asking yourself this question, you have perhaps not been the victim of the kinds of harassment that we are outlining here, and expanding on below. There are many members of this club who have experienced everything from micro-aggressions to harassment to assault at gatherings you might assumed to be safe “professional events”.

If you want to learn more about use of Codes of Conduct in communities like ours, check out this important work on the Geek Feminism Wiki. Their work was the prime model we used for some of the more complex bits of language you see here.

* By harassment, we mean, but are not limited to:

• Commentary or content that reinforce social structures of domination related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, religion or any other way of othering
• Sexual images or insinuations in our spaces
• Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following
• Harassing photography or recording
• Sustained disruption of events
• Inappropriate physical contact
• Unwelcome sexual attention
• Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior