Guidelines
Good company starts here.
A few shared expectations help everyone feel comfortable showing up.
Be decent.
Respect people, pronouns, family structures, disabilities, and differences. Harassment, slurs, threats, and unwanted advances have no place here.
Listen before advising.
Ask if someone wants ideas or just wants to be heard. Share your own experience without diagnosing someone else or claiming to speak for their family.
Let people choose what to share.
Passing is always fine. Don’t ask for proof of a diagnosis, press for personal details, or turn a conversation into an interrogation.
Keep other people’s stories private.
Don’t repeat identifying stories outside the group. Peer spaces cannot promise absolute confidentiality, so share thoughtfully.
Ask before taking a photo.
Attendance is not consent. Get an explicit yes from every identifiable person before taking or posting a photo. No default crowd photos, recordings, or livestreams.
Respect each other’s boundaries.
Ask before sharing contact details or adding someone to a group or mailing list. Let people decide what they want to take part in.
Help keep the gathering comfortable.
Drinking is optional. Respect personal boundaries and the venue’s rules. Hosts may interrupt a conversation or ask someone to leave when behavior undermines safety or belonging.
Speak up when something feels wrong.
Tell a host or use the contact form for a community concern. A lead will review concerns privately, hear relevant perspectives, and decide next steps. You can ask for a second lead to review a decision.
Core gatherings are for adults. We do not provide childcare or emergency services. For an immediate emergency, call 911.
You don’t have to have it figured out.