The Grokio Community Gatherings Ground Rules are guidelines for good conduct at a GrommOff, Feabie Meet or Ferzu Event. The goal of these rules is to ensure that all attendees feel welcome and safe. Any attendee who violates these rules may be given a warning, or outright excluded from future gatherings, depending on the nature of the offense.
1. Respect others’ personal space
Gatherings can be exciting--and it can be easy to feel comfortable with people you’ve just met. But make sure you always ask before encroaching on someone’s personal space if you don’t know them and stop if someone asks you to stop. Don’t make assumptions and ask for consent and you’ll be fine.
2. No room for racism, misogyny, ableism, homophobia or transphobia
We hope this rule goes without saying, but there is absolutely no room for racist, misogynistic, homophobic or transphobic views at any Grokio Community Gathering. Period.
3. Respect the discretion of the group in public
Oftentimes, gatherings are held in public places (restaurants, parks, beaches, bowling alleys, etc.) and there will be other people nearby. Be aware that loud voices travel—if you’re talking about sensitive or potentially embarrassing topics, use your inside voice. Similarly, a public place is not appropriate for intimacy or sexualized touching. Even if the other person is comfortable with it, respect that you’re with a group in a public place and hold off until you have more privacy.
4. Illegal drug/alcohol use is not allowed
The use of drugs that are illegal in the local jurisdiction before or during a Grokio Community Gathering is strictly forbidden, as is the consumption of alcohol by those under the legal age in the local jurisdiction.
5. Guests from outside the community are only allowed with prior approval
We know that attending a GrommOff, Feabie Meet or Ferzu Event for the first time can be scary, but bringing along a friend from outside the community for support can make others feel uncomfortable and force them to edit themselves the way they do in the real world (the goal of our gatherings is to let everyone stop editing!) If you absolutely must bring a friend from outside the community and you are confident they will know how to behave appropriately, you must clear it with the organizer BEFORE the event. Any portion of a gathering occurring in a bar or pub is excepted from this rule.