Norms and Boundaries

It's up to each DisCO to have clear, consented Norms and Boundaries. In some cases these can be flexible and exploratory, in others they will be rigid (ie: on issues of harassment, discrimination and other dynamics fully incompatible with the DisCO Framework). The key is that, as with most commons, these norms and boundaries are developed by the affected communities based on their values and real-world circumstances, not the needs of the market or the biases of the state.

Description

(The following has been largely adapted from the Loomio and Enspiral Handbooks)

Norms

We collectively strive to foster an increasingly open, inclusive and caring culture.

We ask everyone to support these Personal Conduct Guidelines:

• Respect diversity - We are committed to supporting social diversity and cultural sensitivity.
• Respect our established DisCO goals and values - Be mindful of the culture we've built together and care for the collective as a living entity.
• Communicate gently- We are expected to support contemplative awareness and nonviolent communication in our relationships, in person and online.
• Communicate effectively - Your voice is welcome. Your perspective is valued. Your interests are interesting. The best thing you can do to give and receive value is to participate.
• Discuss concerns and questions - If you feel uncomfortable or uncertain about (DisCO) issues or processes, please identify your concerns with your Mutual Support Buddy. If they've already been identified in any active collective discussions, you will be invited to give your opinions even if you are not a Member.
• Resolve conflicts fairly - We commit to resolving conflicts using a Transformative Justice approach, aiming to strengthen community and to fairly recognize all serious concerns. We encourage all conflicts to be resolved with the fewest people necessary, acknowledging that everyone directly affected by the conflict needs to be involved.
• Mutual responsibility - We're all responsible, all of the time, to take positive action in response to harassment and abuse. In some instances, this may include reporting to external authorities. Everyone in the collective is expected to take this responsibility seriously.

Boundaries

Everyone in the collective is expected to support our personal rights: freedom of expression, freedom from discrimination, and consent-based interactions.

Be mindful of the damage which misunderstandings and misleading personal accusations can create. However, if you think you've been seriously harmed by any of the following behaviors, we encourage you to talk to your Mutual Support Pal or reach out to the Community Working Circle stewards to help you address the issue and resolve the conflict.

In serious cases, if you are found to act in ways prohibited by this agreement you may be asked to leave the collective through a formal proposal.

Warning Signs of Harassment or Abuse

• Threatening or inciting violence towards any persons
• Deliberate intimidation
• Undue use of tacit power or knowledge
• Unwelcome personal attention
• Unwelcome sharing of private information
• Unwelcome sharing of private communications, except to report complaints
• Jokes related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, mental illness, neuro(a)typicality, physical appearance, body size, race, or religion
• Jokes regarding a person's lifestyle choices and practices, including those related to food, health, parenting, drugs, and employment.
• Gratuitous or off-topic sexual images or behavior

TL;DR

• Everybody in the collective, no matter what level of membership, has to abide by our Norms and Boundaries. Otherwise, you might be asked to leave the collective.
• The Personal Conduct Guidelines include respecting social and cultural diversity and acknowledging our goals and values. We encourage our members to communicate openly, gently and effectively. Every member in the collective is responsible to stand up against harassment or/and abuse perpetrated towards any of its members.
• We will not tolerate any discrimination, non-consensual interaction or threat to freedom of expression.

Examples

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Why this is important

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Tensions

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Interactions with other Elements

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Related Elements

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Further reading

• Collective Norms and Boundaries discussion in Loomio

TLDR

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Image Credits

• Lead Image of Cecosesola sourced from their website.