Email group Guidelines

These are our guidelines for the email group.

+ It takes a village - We're all in this together. This group is about empowerment, sharing efforts, and finding practical answers together. Please behave here with the same standards of behaviour you would follow in real life, in someone else's private home.

+ Assume good faith - The key to successful interaction. People are basically helpful. Your optimistic approach will promote friendliness, caring and support.

+ Model desired behaviour - Welcome new members, show your good manners, help newcomers, defuse bad behaviour and promote values of caring and sharing. It's possible for well-intentioned people to make mistakes. Ignore negative posts. Each one of us can be a positive role model. Acknowledge and build on people's positive contributions.

+ Glass houses - Online groups are communities of glass houses. Take care in what you write. Email lists are usually archived and your words stored for a very long time in a place where many people have access.

+ Use 'methinks' stance - Please phrase your remarks - "In my opinion..." or "My experience is..." People become passionate to win some sort of arguement.

+ Speak within the law - Transition takes place in a social, legal and medical context. The law can be an ass and sometimes laws need to be changed. If a law is unfair, it's no excuse to break it. No matter how unfair or unjust you believe laws are, please don't suggest ways of 'getting around' them.

+ Limit visibility - Avoid drawing attention to angry clouds or the people in them. Painful people drain community spirit.

+ Burning Bridges - If you want to leave the list, a simple 'Bye for now' is more useful in case you might return sometime in the future. Burning your bridges behind you when you leave affects only one person.

| page updated 17 March 08 |