Division Q’s mission is to build a recreational basketball league for the queer community in Western Mass. We endeavor to create a safe place for members of our community to play recreational sports. We are inspired to create this league in contrast to the anti-queer and transphobic norms which dominate sports culture in the United States.
This agreement applies not only to players, volunteers, and organizers, but to spectators as well.
We should all strive to meet the following goals:
- Treat others with respect as people, competitors, volunteers, and fellow community members by celebrating the successes of others, welcoming beginner players, and communicating appropriately with referees.
- Be mindful of the oppression and prejudice that exists in our society and act in ways that contribute to the Division Q community as an anti-oppression community. Stand up against racism, ableism, and transphobia/transmisogyny in the queer community. Try to address prejudicial comments if they occur and seek assistance from team captains or league organizers if needed.
- Pay attention when pronouns are shared and don’t be afraid to ask. Don’t default to they/them pronouns if you have an opportunity to learn what pronouns someone uses first.
- Address disagreements with teammates, other players, and officials respectfully and productively. Do not engage in gossip, trashing, or exclusion.
When we make mistakes or feel that someone else has acted outside these values, individuals should follow the guidelines laid out in the attached Conflict Resolution Resource.
If organizers are asked to step in, we can expect the following process and possible outcomes:
- If the issue is not egregious and productive conflict resolution has not been tried, the organizers will attempt to assist the relevant parties in following the process above.
- If the issue is not egregious, productive conflict resolution has been tried, but the behavior has not changed, then the organizers will look for other solutions appropriate to the situation (such as: mediated conversation resulting in clear expectations, moving players between teams, direct instruction to change behavior, or sanctions).
- If the behavior is egregious, the Board of Directors will review the behavior by collecting statements from those involved and then determining the necessary actions.
This code is a playbook and we expect it to grow and change as the community does. If we approach situations collaboratively it is possible to create a space that facilitates Division Q’s mission of inclusion, growth, and community.
Conflict Resolution Resource
When we make mistakes or feel that someone else has acted outside these values, individuals should follow the guidelines laid out in the attached Conflict Resolution Resource.
- Assess the severity of the issue. Could the issue be resolved through a respectful, direct conversation? If not, could it be addressed with the help of a teammate or captain? Is the problem severe, requiring immediate organizer intervention (such as bullying, threatening or bigoted language, physical violence, or sexual harassment and violence)?
- When addressing issues, try following these steps:
- Be concrete: let the other person know which actions you are talking about.
- Describe feelings: let the other person know how you feel as a result of their actions.
- State wants: let the other person know what actions you’d like them to take instead in the future.
- State why: explain why you think it’s important for the other person to change their behavior.
- If someone approaches you to discuss issues they have with how you are acting in the community, try following these steps:
- Actively listen: make sure you hear what they are saying, rather than getting defensive.
- Paraphrase: after the other person describes their issues, try to paraphrase their issues to make sure you understand each other.
- Empathize: try your best to understand where they are coming from even if you disagree.
These sections on addressing issues with other community members are drawn directly from Constructive Criticism: A Handbook by Vicki Legion (aka Gracie Lyons), a Marxist Feminist activist and therapist. Legion created these guidelines to address disagreements in the liberation movements productively, but her strategies can also apply to the wider community.