Crossroads Swords Code of Conduct
(Gratefully borrowed from SoCal Swords, with permission)
Crossroads Swords is group of people who love history, swords, gaming of all sorts, and having a good time. While these things unite us, we all come from different backgrounds. Regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, size, ability, neurodiversity, or religion (creed), everyone learns better in a secure, courteous, and inclusive setting. Therefore, there will be a zero tolerance policy for overt harassment due to gender identity, sexual orientation, or race.
When participating in activities associated with Crossroads Swords, or representing Crossroads Swords in any capacity, all students must follow this Code of Conduct. The penalties vary from a verbal warning to a lifetime ban from the Society of Historical Fencing and any Society of Historical Fencing hosted events.
CROSSROADS SWORDS and CROSSROADS SWORDS EVENTS
Inclusion:
Simply stated, make people feel at ease and welcome. Become a goodwill ambassador.
We will not allow discriminatory words or behavior. This includes racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, and ableist insults, among others.
Refer to others only by their given names and pronouns. If you're not sure, ask. If you wish to use a nickname for someone, make sure they agree to it being used publicly.
Politics should not be discussed in the training room or at social gatherings. One of HEMA's strengths is its potential to create an inclusive community, and politics has no place in that endeavor.
Safety:
Prioritize other people's safety as well as your own. You will be barred from Crossroads Swords and other Crossroads Swords hosted events if we discover you have had serious incidents with other groups (HEMA, other martial arts, events, etc.) and could be a threat to the safety of Crossroads Swords instructors, students, and/or guests. Harassment of any kind will not be allowed. Sexual harassment can take many forms, including but not limited to:
Seeking sexual attention with implicit or explicit threats or rewards;
Pressure to engage in sexual activities, whether indirect or direct;
Leering at or making comments about a person's physique or appearance;
Showing photographs or objects depicting any gender as sexual objects;
Making sexual jokes or using offensive sexual language;
Physical contact that is uninvited;
Unwelcome sexually explicit electronic communications via social media, text messaging, and other means;
And any other sexually oriented verbal, visual, or physical conduct directed at a person because of their gender.
Harassment or abuse in any other form will not be allowed. For instance:
Retaliation against any individual for either filing an incident report or for assisting with the investigation of an incident report will be seen as harassment.
Do not intentionally injure a student or instructor. If you purposely disregard the safety of those around you, you will be banned from Crossroads Swords and any Crossroads Swords-hosted events.
More on Free Play Safety here: Crossroads Swords Free Play Safety Guidelines
Appearance and Hygiene:
Wear closed-toe shoes and comfortable clothing that allows you to move freely.
Remove any jewelry, watches, or other similar items, as the items may be damaged if they are left on during drills or sparring, or the items may injure you or another student.
If you are grappling without gloves, make sure your fingernails are trimmed to prevent injury to your opponent.
Maintain your gear so that it doesn't emit any particularly unpleasant odors. For example, wash jackets and pants regularly, and use OdoBan spray.
Respect:
In short, be mindful of instructors, and be respectful of the boundaries of instructors and other students.
Be an enthusiastic learner. When the instructor speaks to the class, pay attention. If you need to have a private conversation or make a phone call, do so outside so that you do not disturb others.
Be an effective training partner. Drills frequently necessitate partnering up with other pupils. Pay attention to both parts of the drill because you'll be switching roles frequently.
Don’t touch others without consent. The instructor will inform you if a drill requires touching or grappling.
Don't put too much pressure on others to participate or to justify themselves. We all have our own reasons for stopping a drill or taking a break.
When giving feedback, strive to be as helpful and considerate as possible. There's no reason to shame someone who is doing their best at the time.
Training Facilities: Respect and Safety
The facilities we use are currently maintained by Crossroads Swords, so please take care of them. Accidents happen; report any damage to a Crossroads Swords instructor as soon as possible.
Personal belongings and equipment must be kept as near to the wall as possible, on a table, or outside the training area. Items should not be left out where they could be stepped on or tripped over.
Place any trash in the proper container or take it with you.
NON-CROSSROADS SWORDS EVENTS (Tournaments, Classes, Seminars, etc.)
If you represent Crossroads Swords at a HEMA or other martial-arts event, you will be expected to obey all of the above as well as the event's rules. The HEMA community is a small world and your conduct reflects on Crossroads Swords.
SOCIALIZING WITH CROSSROADS SWORDS
After class, we might grab a bite to eat, get together for a social event, or even chat on the Crossroads Swords Discord server (link provided to all members). Everyone should still be mindful of their behavior in order to ensure the comfort of everyone, including any invited guests.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Nobody owes it to others to add them to their social media accounts. If someone declines an invitation, please accept their decision and do not pursue them. As previously said, the HEMA community is small; your behavior on social media as a member of Crossroads Swords will reflect on us. We don't wish to control your social media usage, but please consider how your actions may affect others.
INCIDENTS OF HARASSMENT AND ABUSE
Incidents regarding harassment and abuse are handled by our internal review committee. Current members are:
Jack Murray & Jess Catanzano
Please report any incidents you witness either in person or using the report form below, which allows for anonymous reporting.
Post-Reporting Process: The review committee will follow the predetermined Crossroads Swords policies, and if the incident falls outside of those policies, they will determine appropriate action. This Code of Conduct is subject to change at any time. If a significant change is made, all current students will be notified and prompted to review the updated version.
Last Updated: May 5, 2022