Fishtrap Code of Conduct

Why a Code of Conduct is Important
Thank you for being a respectful member of the Fishtrap community. Fishtrap is committed to maintaining a welcoming and accountable environment for all who interact with Fishtrap and our programs as we carry out our mission to promote clear thinking and good writing in and about the West. Our staff is dedicated to serving our community near and far with integrity and kindness. We believe all people deserve to participate in our programs free from harm, harassment, and abuse. We invite you to create the Fishtrap community with us, sharing the understanding that we are all responsible for ourselves and must work together to thrive.

Join Us
We ask that you join our efforts to foster a healthy community both online and offline by practicing the following: respect self and others, adhere to applicable laws, embrace anti-harassment*, prohibit sexual misconduct**, and maintain honesty in communications.

Please acknowledge harassment does not include respectful disagreement or critique in good faith. Reading, writing, and other creative pursuits inherently involve risk and exposure to controversial, challenging, and sometimes offensive language.

How to Respond
If you are the witness or recipient of any harmful behavior, please report your experience to any member of the Fishtrap staff, an instructor, or a member of the Fishtrap Board. Whether or not you feel personally affected by harmful or disruptive behavior, reporting your experience and observations helps others who may be affected differently. Reports will be directed to Fishtrap’s Executive Director who will follow up on the issue with further conversations, requests to stop the behavior, discipline and possible removal of the perpetrator from the situation. Fishtrap staff, instructors, and Board will maintain confidentiality for all parties involved.

If you are asked to stop harmful behavior by a member of the Fishtrap staff, faculty, or Board of Directors, you are expected to comply immediately. Violating these expectations may be considered retaliation and result in expulsion from the event and/or future programs without a refund, reimbursement or pay. Fishtrap may involve the police or other resources when necessary or requested.

If it is determined that harassment has occurred as defined by applicalbe law, Fishtrap may hold the perpetrator legally liable for their actions under state or federal anti-discrimination laws or in separate legal actions.

If the Executive Director is the recipient, perpetrator or witness of harmful behavior, the report will be directed to the Board President.

*Harassment can be based on age, gender, gender identity, pronoun use, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, body type, personal appearance, physical or mental ability, socioeconomic status, marital status, political activities or affiliation, or any other basis proscribed by local, state, provincial, national, and federal laws and regulations.

Harassment can occur to any person, either in person or through online activities now known or unknown, and involve tactics such as trolling, stalking, using hate speech, threatening, intimidating, falsely accusing, reporting of false grievances, manipulating, or other means.

**Sexual misconduct can be verbal or physical in nature, and involve behavior such as unwelcome advances, commentary, displays, gestures, inquiries or discussion of sexual activities, orientation or gender identity.

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