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FCG SAFE SPACE POLICY

Forest City Gallery is dedicated to providing a harassment-free, safe space for every person. FCG believes that every person has the right to feel safe and included at any event, and to be treated with respect and dignity. FCG will never tolerate discrimination or hateful speech or acts, which include but are not limited to racism, sexism, white supremacy, heterosexism/homophobia, cissexism/transphophia, queerphobia, ableism, ageism, sizeism, sexual harassment, and any and all acts of violence and harassment. This is in effect at all times and under all circumstances at FCG, at all FCG off-site events, and throughout all programming—including workshops, residencies, events, mentorships, and all other spaces that FCG hosts, both online and offline. Anyone who violates this code of conduct may be sanctioned or expelled from these spaces at the discretion of the staff, Board of Directors, and FCG volunteers.

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Harassment includes but is not limited to:

  • Offensive, derogatory, threatening, aggressive, or silencing comments (related to gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, age, language, body size, nationality, religion, socioeconomic standing, or otherwise);

  • Unwelcome comments regarding a person’s lifestyle choices and practices, including but not limited to those related to food, appearance, health, parenting, drug use, and employment;

  • Nonconstructive criticism and microaggressions in the form of comments, “jokes”, or otherwise;

  • Deliberate misgendering or deliberate use of “dead” or rejected names;

  • Gratuitous or off-topic sexual conversation or behaviour, and unwelcome sexual attention;

  • Inappropriate physical contact without consent;

  • Deliberate intimidation, in the form of physical or social intimidation;

  • Online harassment;

  • Deliberate “outing” of any aspect of a person’s identity without their consent;

  • Publication or nonconsensual sharing of any private communications;

  • “Reverse”-isms, including but not limited to “reverse racism,” “reverse sexism,” and “cisphobia.”

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Reporting

 

If you are made to feel unsafe, witness, or have something to bring to our attention, or if you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us and report the incident(s). This code of conduct applies to FCG spaces, but any concern brought to our attention—either at FCG spaces or outside of FCG spaces—will be taken seriously. We will respect confidentiality requests to protect victims of abuse.

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Other useful contacts

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  • Anova Sexual Assault Centre: 519-642-3000

  • Assaulted Women's Helpline: 416-863-0511 or Toll Free: 1-866-863-0511 or TTY: 1-866-863-786

  • Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), London Middlesex: 519-601-8055 or Toll Free: 1 844-360-8055

  • Yellow Taxi: 519-657-1111

  • PFLAG London: 519-686-7691

  • Emergencies: 911

  • Non-urgent law enforcement: 519-661-5670

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Enforcement

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If any person or persons engage in harassing behaviour, they will be asked to stop and will be expected to comply immediately. If they continue to engage in harassing behaviour, FCG staff and volunteers retain the right to remove any person or persons from an FCG space in order to maintain a welcoming space for everyone. Removal of a person or persons from an FCG space may be temporary or permanent and includes removal from FCG in-person spaces or online in the form of deleting and blocking. In the case of removal from a paid event, no refund will be awarded. All actions and reports will not be discussed publicly.

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Mask Bank

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Forest City Gallery is excited to run Mask Bank: our free community KN95 distribution programme for our community; visitors, members and non-members alike. KN95 masks are available upon arrival to the gallery to use during your visit. You are also invited to take a pack of masks with you for your daily use. In accessing the Mask Bank, we ask that you take what you need, and no questions will be asked upon pickup. Please ask FCG Directory Ruth or our Gallery volunteers to access the Mask Bank during our regular hours of operation or at any of our events. We hope this programme serves the arts community, which has been uniquely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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We would like to thank Bona Fide Masks for freely providing Forest City Gallery with authentic Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for our community. See our form (link) for further information on the Mask Bank and to request and schedule specialized assistance during your mask pickup at the gallery. 

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Questions, Concerns, Feedback

 

If you have any questions as to enforcement, review process, or reporting process, or have a suggestion to improve our safer space policy please contact our director at: director@forestcitygallery.com

 

*Thank you to Geek Feminism for providing an outline for this safer space policy.

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