Policies
Open/Closed policy:
We run both closed and open events throughout the year.
We will not:
-Ask anyone to disclose their identity at our closed events
-Tell anyone what queerness is/isn’t
We will:
-Center queer people and their experiences, understanding that these look different for everyone
-Run events with a set of community agreements that values accountability, growth, and compassion
We run events to foster queer community, facilitate joyful experiences for queer folks, and co-create a culture of connection and care within our community. Our events center queer people and experiences. If you are a non-queer person who attends our events, please consider donating and/or volunteering with Coastal Queers.
Event Accessibility policy:
At Coastal Queers, we are committed to making our events as inclusive and accessible as possible for queer folks. We recognize that barriers such as transportation limitations, financial constraints, and other systemic challenges can impact the ability for individuals to participate.
Our understanding of accessibility is always evolving, and we strive to reduce or prevent these barriers within the limits of our capacity and resources. While we know we may not always be able to meet every need, we are dedicated to transparency about which accessibility considerations we’ve been able to implement for all of our events. We use the recommendations outlined in our “Hosting Inclusive Events Zine” as a guide for planning every gathering, ensuring our approach is intentional and rooted in creating a welcoming and low-barrier space for our community.
For questions about accessibility or to share feedback, please reach out to us at cqa.communications@gmail.com. We are here to listen and continuously improve.
Redistribution POLICY:
We believe in creating accessible and caring spaces for our queer community. To ensure that financial barriers don’t prevent participation, the majority of our events are free to attend. We also accept cash/e-transfer donations at events, though donating is never a requirement or expectation from attendees. We do a lot behind the scenes at Coastal Queers to make our events financially accessible, and donations from those who are able are always appreciated - learn more about how we fund Coastal Queers here.
Community Agreement:
Respect others identities
Use gender-neutral language (eg. folks, friends, everyone). Respect people’s names and pronouns. If you make a mistake, correct yourself and move on.
Don’t interrupt one another. Listen to the person who is speaking with the intent to understand them.
Be accountable
Practice Active Listening
Recognize that we are all coming into this space with different understandings and identities, and view mistakes as an opportunity to learn and grow.
Think about how you exist as an individual, and also about how that identity exists in relationship to everyone else. Acknowledge the power dynamics that exist in this space, where you sit within them, and act accordingly.
Prioritize respect, before understanding
Take space, make space
Respect does not require that we agree with or understand someone. Treat others kindly and with compassion.