Shared Goals

The primary goal of Game Workers Australia is to empower those working within the Australian games industry, providing them with the tools and resources to improve their working conditions and build a more equitable industry for everyone.

Access to the Game Workers Australia Community is separate to any paid membership that you may have with Professionals Australia, MEAA or any other union.

This code of conduct outlines our expectations for all those who participate in our community, as well as the consequences for unacceptable behavior.

It is expected that all community members will do their part to create safe and positive experiences for everyone.

Expected Behaviour

The following behaviors are expected and requested of all community members:

  • Assume good faith and exercise consideration and respect in your speech and actions.
  • Attempt collaboration before conflict.
  • Refrain from tone policing, silencing, or otherwise sanctioning marginalized people who defend themselves against or call out oppressive behaviour.
  • Respect people’s pronouns. Ask if you don’t know which pronouns a person uses.
  • Refrain from demeaning, discriminatory, or harassing behavior and speech.
  • Be mindful of your surroundings and of your fellow participants. Alert a community officer if you notice a dangerous situation, someone in distress, or violations of this Code of Conduct.
  • When meeting in person:
    • Remember that community event venues may be shared with members of the public. Be respectful to all patrons of these locations.
    • Practice good consent culture. Ask if you can engage with people and NEVER touch someone without their given consent.

Unacceptable Behaviour

The following behaviors are considered harassment and are unacceptable within our community:

  • Violence or threats of violence directed against a marginalized person or any member of the community.
  • Sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, classist or otherwise discriminatory jokes and language.
  • Personal insults related to gender, sexual orientation, race, class, religion, physical appearance, or disability.
  • Posting or displaying sexually explicit or violent material.
  • Posting or threatening to post other people’s personally identifying information (“doxing”) or expose their participation in the community against their will, particularly to their employer.
  • Inappropriate or non-consensual photography, filming or recording of online conversations or at events, especially pertaining to the previous point (anonymity).
  • Inappropriate physical contact. You should have someone’s consent before touching them.
  • Unwelcome sexual attention. This includes: sexualized comments or jokes, inappropriate touching, groping, and unwelcome sexual advances.
  • Deliberate intimidation, stalking or following (online or in person).
  • Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior.
  • Sustained disruption of community events including rallies, meetups, talks and presentations.

Consequences For Unacceptable Behaviour

Anyone asked to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately.

If that person refuses to stop, elected Community Officers may take any action they deem appropriate, up to and including a temporary ban or permanent expulsion from the community.

In the event that a person is expelled from a community event due to unacceptable behaviour, and the event was a paid event, no refund will be provided.

Scope

Everyone in the Game Workers Australia community is expected to abide by this Code of Conduct in all community venues both online and in-person, as well as in all one-on-one communications pertaining to community business.

This code of conduct and its related procedures also applies to unacceptable behavior occurring outside the scope of community activities when such behavior has the potential to adversely affect the safety and well-being of community members.

Contact Information

For any questions relating to this code of conduct, please contact any of the elected Community Officers.

A list of the current officers can be found here.

Definitions and Guides

This section is intended to help explain some of the terms used above.

Gender and sexual diversity

When referring to other members of the community, members are requested to follow the best practice approach on inclusive language and pronoun choice adopted by the Australian Government and available at this style guide.

Marginalization

When groups are pushed to the “margins” of a particular society and thus do not have the same access to opportunities and resources as dominant groups who occupy the “centre.” Marginalized groups are often viewed as “other” or as outsiders. Effects of marginalization may include:

  • Exclusion from positions of power or influence
  • A lack of voice or representation in media
  • Stereotyping and homogenization (“you people are all the same”)
  • Precarious living and working conditions, and reduced access to essential services and support networks
  • Increased pressure to conform to social norms and expectations
  • Increased levels of stress and anxiety, and increased likelihood of exposure to trauma

Classism

Classism is differential treatment based on social class or perceived social class. Classism is held in place by a system of beliefs and cultural attitudes that ranks people according to economic status, family lineage, job status, level of education, and other divisions. Middle-class and owning- or ruling-class people (dominant group members) are seen as smarter and more articulate than working-class and poor people (subordinated groups).

In this way, dominant group members (middle-class and wealthy people) define for everyone else what is “normal” or “acceptable” in the class hierarchy.” (source)

Ableism

“Ableism is discrimination against people with disabilities, including the expression of hate for people with disabilities, denial of accessibility, rejection of disabled applicants for housing and jobs, institutionalised discrimination in the form of benefits systems designed to keep people with disabilities in poverty, etc.” (source)