Milisha Magazine

Safer Spaces

We say ‘safer’ realising that no space can be entirely safe for everyone. Although there is often discourse on ‘equality’, we realise that not everyone experiences spaces in the same way as others.

Safer spaces are welcoming, engaging and supportive. We want Milisha and it’s subsequent meetups and events to be spaces where people take care of one another. We want people to feel that they can let their hair down and be themselves, knowing that they will be supported.

We are asking people to be proactive in creating a safer space.

People using this website and attending subsequent events are asked to be aware of their language and behaviour, and to think about whether it might be offensive to others. This is no space for violence, for touching people without their consent, for being intolerant of someone’s religious beliefs or lack thereof, for being creepy,sleazy, racist, ageist, sexist, heterosexist, transphobic, ablebodiest, classist, sizist, or any other behaviour or language that may perpetuate oppression.

Milisha aims to be a survivor oriented space. This means that when decisions need to be made, the “benefit of the doubt” will go to the survivor in preference to the perpetrator.

There can be no definitive list of behaviours / comments / situations which make people feel uncomfortable. The main thing is to concentrate on how your actions are affecting others, and modify your behaviour as appropriate.

Try to remain open to discussion of ways to improve communication in the space, and continually question the privilege you have (e.g. from being older, from being an “experienced” activist, from utilising the space more frequently, from your ethnicity, from your gender, etc). It’s YOUR responsibility to ensure you aren’t taking up too much “space”, and devaluing or disregarding the opinions and experiences of others.

What we need to do to create a safer space:

• Respect people’s physical and emotional boundaries
• Always get explicit verbal consent before touching someone or crossing personal boundaries
• Respect peoples opinions, beliefs, differing states of being and differing points of view
• Be responsible for your own action. Be aware that your actions do have aneffect on others
• Take responsibility for your own safety and get help if you need it
• Look out for kids at all times and try not to leave anything around that would endanger kids
• The space is drug free.

Any individual or group engaging in violence or verbal assault (including sexual violence and harassment) within the space will automatically be excluding themselves. The gathering will be asking them to leave the convergence space.

This website

While many of us experience inequality because of gender diversity, it is important to understand that this is not the only type of inequality that gender diverse people may experience. Discrimination based on age, race, gender history, sexuality, disabilities, economic situation or language skills are not welcomed and will result in the offender being sanctioned and removed from site privileges. This is an open and communicative space that welcomes everyone, but we ask that they adhere to this Safer Spaces Policy.