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DRAFT: THIS DOCUMENT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED BY THE COMMUNITY Binding bylaws of the TransAdvice Community. ARTICLE I: Core Values1. Equal Access: The community exists to ensure that every member of the transgender community has equal access to participation, resources, and support. No individual will be excluded based on their identity, background, or situation. 2. Serving the Community: Our primary focus is always on serving the needs of the transgender community at large. All actions, decisions, and initiatives should be driven by how they benefit the community as a whole, avoiding distractions from this mission. 3. Reliable and Effective Communication: Open and honest communication between members and with the broader community is essential. By fostering transparent dialogue, we can build trust, address challenges efficiently, and bring about meaningful change. 4. Self-Sustainability: We strive to be the masters of our own destiny. The community should aim to maintain self-sufficiency and only rely on third parties when absolutely necessary, ensuring we can sustain our efforts independently. 5. Dependability: We commit to being dependable in our actions and decisions. This means avoiding unsustainable agreements or plans and ensuring that all commitments we make are realistic, reliable, and within our means. 6. Transparency: All processes, decisions, and actions taken by the community will be conducted with full transparency. Members have the right to access information and be informed about how decisions are made and implemented. ARTICLE II: Meetings1. Frequency: Meetings are to be held at least once every thirty (30) days in the chatroom #community-meetings. 2. Meeting Procedure a. Opening: Each meeting will begin with an Opening Ritual (as documented in the community guide). This ritual is meant to set a positive and focused tone for the meeting.
b. Volunteer Note Taker: A volunteer will be asked to take notes during the meeting. If no one volunteers, the Agenda Committee will assign someone to compile notes post-meeting.
c. Announcements: Announcements prepared by the Agenda Committee will be shared first, allowing members to stay informed on relevant updates or news.
d. Updates and Progress: Time will be allocated for committees or members with active proposals to share updates. No more than five (5) minutes per group to ensure time for broader discussion.
e. Agenda Review: The agenda for the meeting will be reviewed, with topics being discussed one at a time in the order presented. Each topic will be allotted a maximum of fifteen (15) minutes for discussion unless an extension is agreed upon by consensus.
f. Facilitator Selection: A facilitator for the next meeting will be chosen at the conclusion of each meeting through voluntary nomination or by consensus if needed.
g. Closing: The meeting will conclude with a Closing Ritual (as documented in the community guide), expressing gratitude and reinforcing the sense of collective effort.
3. Meeting Participation a. Meetings are held in the #community-meetings chatroom to ensure accessibility for all members.
b. Members are encouraged to participate actively in discussions and share their views in a respectful manner.
c. To maintain order, the meeting facilitator will moderate the discussion by "holding a stack" of people to present their thoughts. This allows individuals to speak one at a time.
4. To facilitate a Community Meeting, a member must: a. Have attended at least three (3) community meetings within the past five (5) months.
b. Have contributed at least five (5) hours of volunteer work to the community over the past two (2) months.
c. Be familiar with the community's values and consensus process, as outlined in these bylaws.
5. The facilitator’s role is to guide the meeting, ensure adherence to the agenda, and foster respectful dialogue, without imposing personal views or decisions. ARTICLE III. Blocking1. Blocking must by accompanied by a specific Value from ARTICLE I. 2. To engage in blocking Community Members must a. Must attend at last three (3) CommunityMeetings? in a five (5) month period of time
b. Have undertaken volunteer responsibilities and maintained them in the past 2 months
3. Grounds for Blocking a. Members may block a proposal only if they believe it fundamentally contradicts the community’s core values outlined in ARTICLE I.
b. Blocks must be accompanied by a clear explanation, grounded in the core values, as to why the proposal cannot proceed.
4. Resolution of Blocks a. If a proposal is blocked, the proposer and the blocking member(s) must meet with a neutral facilitator to attempt to resolve the disagreement.
b. If the block cannot be resolved after two (2) meetings, the proposal will be tabled for future discussion, unless all parties agree to extend negotiations.
5. Blocking Remotely a. Members who cannot attend a meeting in real time may issue a block remotely by submitting their block in the #community-meetings chatroom or through direct communication with the meeting facilitator.
b. Remote blocks must be submitted at least twenty-four (24) hours before the meeting if possible, or during the meeting's designated blocking period if participating asynchronously.
6. Participation in Block Resolution a. Members who issue a remote block are expected to engage in follow-up discussions to work toward resolving the block. This can occur asynchronously in the #community-meetings chatroom or through scheduled discussions with the proposer and a facilitator.
b. Remote blockers will have the opportunity to participate in all stages of the resolution process, even if they cannot attend the meeting in real time. The facilitator will ensure that their input is included in discussions.
7. Handling Remote Blocks a. A remote block will be handled in the same manner as a live block, with the proposal being paused and concerns addressed by the community.
b. If the blocking member is unable to engage in real-time discussions, the facilitator may arrange a follow-up meeting or asynchronous discussion to resolve the issue.
c. As with in-person blocks, unresolved remote blocks will result in the proposal being tabled after two (2) meetings unless further negotiations are agreed upon.
ARTICLE IV: Proposals1. Proposal Submission a. Proposals must be submitted in the #community-meetings chatroom at least one (1) week before the next scheduled meeting using the Proposal Template.
b. All proposals must clearly state their purpose, intended outcomes, and how they align with the community’s core values.
2. Discussion and Consensus a. Proposals will be discussed during the meeting in the order they are listed on the agenda.
b. Members are encouraged to provide feedback and suggest revisions if needed.
c. The facilitator will work to build consensus on each proposal. If consensus cannot be reached, the proposal may be revised and revisited at a future meeting.
3. Amendments a. Proposals may be amended during discussion to address concerns or improve alignment with community values.
b. If major changes are made, the revised proposal must be resubmitted for consideration at the next meeting.
ARTICLE V: Code of Conduct1. The Code of Conduct is binding only to Community Meetings and conflicts that arise with-in the community meeting space. 2. Respect and Inclusivity: All members must adhere to the principles of respect and inclusivity, ensuring that all voices are heard and that disagreements are handled constructively. 3. Adoption of Code of Conduct: This community adopts the Code of Conduct from the Trans Advice Code of Code of Conduct: https://transadvice.org/aup. ARTICLE VI. Conflict Resolution1. Requesting Mediation: Any member may request mediation if they feel a conflict is not being resolved through regular discussion. Mediation will be facilitated by the Conflict Resolution Committee. 2. Consensus-Based Mediation: Mediation aims to reach a resolution that respects the views and needs of all parties involved. Solutions will be reached through consensus, and no party will be forced to accept a solution that violates the community’s values. 3. Ongoing Support: Follow-up meetings will be scheduled if necessary to ensure that the conflict is resolved satisfactorily for all parties. ARTICLE VII: Committees1. Moderation Committee: Authorized to enforce the Code of Conduct from Article V to the best of their efforts a. Authorized to ban or use moderation tools on IRC, Discord or any other communications platform used by the Trans Advice
b. Upon taking moderation action, members of this committee are required to report their actions to the rest of the Moderation Committee.
c. Upon taking moderation action, members are required to explain to the community their actions if the action was taken against a Community Member in good standing.
d. Moderation actions by committee members can be over written after discussion by Moderation Committee members.
e. Moderation Committee members are authorized and approved by the Moderation Committee.
2. Outreach Committee: Authorized to bring in new members from the general public via social media, flyers, and other outreach techniques a. Outreach Committee members are authorized and approved by the Outreach Committee.
3. Technical Committee: Authorized to maintain and grow the technical infrastructure of Trans Advice. a. Technical Committee members are authorized and approved by the Technical Committee.
b. Upon approval of the Technical Committee Chair members may be granted access to the technical infrastructure of Trans Advice.
c. Upon request, access to technical infrastructure must be granted to members of the Moderation Committee.
ARTICLE VIII: Definitions
Categories: Template |