Code of Conduct The Anthro Northwest code of conduct has been created to strike a balance between freedom of artistic and personal expression and the comfort of all individuals sharing the convention space. Above all, every participant is expected, to the best of their ability to help contribute�to�the�safe,�welcoming,�inclusive,�kind, relaxed and positive�environment�at�Anthro�Northwest. The following Code of Conduct has been adapted with permission from the Anthrocon Standards of Conduct. Summary Be good. Be kind. Keep it clean (PG / SFW). Introduction The primary purpose of Anthro Northwest is to facilitate the development of the best qualities and attributes found within the anthropomorphic community. The code of conduct has been created to help achieve that end. By the code of conduct we seek to ensure that the behavior of any one small group does not disturb the membership as a whole, nor does it detract from the relaxed and comfortable atmosphere of the convention. Anthro Northwest welcomes all parties with an interest in anthropomorphic animals; however, the convention's management reserves the right to deny or revoke the membership of any individual at any time for any reason. Anthro Northwest also reserves the right to amend these rules at any time without prior or posted notice and reserves the sole right of interpretation. In any dispute, the general rule above will apply. If you have any questions, please contact the convention operations staff for assistance. Anyone who accepts a membership badge agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Anthro Northwest from any claim for personal injuries or other damages or equity arising out of any individual's activities at Anthro Northwest, even if such injury or damage is caused by negligence by or on the part of Anthro Northwest. As a condition of membership, all Anthro Northwest attendees are required to abide by these standards of conduct for the entire duration of their stay, even prior to opening or after Closing Ceremonies. General Rating of the convention All convention areas are considered to be "PG" at all times. Some exceptional artwork may have a higher rating subject to the discretion of the art coordinator. Attendees, when in public areas, may not wear clothing which is overly revealing (such as morph suits) or inappropriate to the atmosphere of the convention, such as fetish-related garb and accoutrements. Wearing of collars is acceptable, however, leashes attached thereunto are not. Spikes are not allowed. Rubber masks and costumes are generally prohibited. Excessively gruesome, disturbing or violent costumes and attire are not allowed. Examples include: creapy clowns, excessive blood, disembowelment or dislodged limbs. Shirts, pants/shorts/dresses/skirts etc..., and footwear must be worn when in areas of the hotel or convention center that are accessible to non-Anthro Northwest attendees, such as lobbies, restaurants and concourses. Full-body fursuits are excluded from the "shirts/pants/shorts/dresses/skirts/footwear" rule, provided that the costume is not unacceptably revealing. Please do not engage in displays of affection beyond what is appropriate to be seen in public. Individuals emitting an unsatisfactory odor or experiencing an unsanitary condition will discreetly be asked to leave the convention space until they are able to address the situation. Underwear worn as outerwear is not allowed. Pup masks are not allowed. Arm bands are not allowed. Public Decorum Anthro Northwest functions are open only to members, and all attendees must wear their membership badges at all times. A badge is valid only for the person to whom it was issued; badges may not be shared under any circumstances. Costume performers using a face mask must wear their badge at all times while in the public or convention spaces of the hotel property or while at Gameworks. Smoking is not permitted except within designated areas. This includes electronic cigarettes. The City of Seattle prohibits smoking in public places, places of employment and within 25 feet of an opening in a building. A designated smoking area is available to the left of the hotel's check-in area. Knowingly providing transportation or housing, or otherwise knowingly enabling an individual that is disqualified from attending Anthro Northwest events to attend or enter the event's property will result in permanent revocation of Anthro Northwest membership privileges. Camping is not allowed in the Renaissance facility. Sleeping must occur in a room (not the convention space or the parking garage). No items of any kind, including paper airplanes, may be thrown or dropped from the hotel balconies or patios. No water pistols or silly string may be used in any area of the hotel or convention center. For safety reasons, glow sticks on strings or polearms must must be cleared with operations staff before being used. The decision of the operations staff on any particular item will be final. Anthro Northwest attendees must abide by instructions given by Anthro Northwest Operations and Customer Service staff. Failure to do so will result in loss of membership privileges. Any disputes or concerns may be addressed on site at convention Operations. Elevator Etiquette If you are not in costume, please use the stairs or escalator if you are able. Please encourage the following groups of people to advance to the front of the elevator line: -Handicapped and disabled -Non-attending hotel guests -Performers in costume with up to one handler Attendance by Minors Anyone who is under the age of 18 years at any time during the convention must present a signed and notarized parental permission form unless accompanied by a parent or able to produce evidence of legal emancipation. There are no exceptions. Minors age 15 or under must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at all times. Anyone providing false documentation of identity or age will be denied membership. Weapons Policy No actual weapons or any item that can be easily mistaken for one may be carried either openly or concealed at any time on Renaissance property, regardless of any government permits which you may possess. Exceptions may be made only for duly appointed law enforcement officers by prior arrangement with the head of safety. Unfortunately due to the proliferation of real guns that are made to look like toys, toy guns are no longer permitted. Pet Policy Pets are not permitted in Anthro Northwest convention space. Service dogs (as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act or ADA, Title II) are permitted in all convention space accessible to members provided that they are under appropriate control. If your service animal will be accompanying you to an area with loud music please consider ear protection for your service animal. Parties and Similar Gatherings in Hotel Rooms Gatherings in hotel rooms must not generate any noise that can be heard in neighboring rooms during nighttime hours. Hotel doors must be kept shut during such gatherings and guests are not permitted to congregate in the hotel corridors. Loud parties will be given a single warning to remain quiet. No second warnings will be given before action is taken by the hotel to remove the offending individuals. Hotel guests who host any gathering are responsible for cleaning up afterward. Excessive amounts of unbagged trash must not be left for housekeeping staff to clean up. Other Hotel Matters Any act of vandalism, deliberate or excessive damage to hotel property, or interference with any hotel or convention center worker in the performance of his or her duties will result in permanent revocation of Anthro Northwest membership, criminal prosecution, fines, or any combination thereof. The person in whose name a room is rented is solely responsible for the conduct of all individuals in the room as well as for the condition of the room. Excessive trash, soiling or other damage to hotel property, or any circumstance that may present a hazard to hotel housekeeping staff may result in permanent loss of Anthro Northwest membership privileges. Renaissance Hotel Housekeeping staff are required by corporate policy to inspect every room once per day, even if the room is not to be serviced. Housekeepers will not begin their rounds on the convention block until 11:00 AM. Thereafter they will initially bypass rooms with "do not disturb" signs on the doors, but at the end of their rounds they must return to those rooms and will knock on the door. Attendees must allow housekeeping staff access to the room at that time. That means that even if the "do not disturb" sign is displayed, after 11:00 AM the room must at some point be inspected and serviced (if necessary) by the end of housekeeping rounds. Rooms outside the convention block may be serviced as early as 7:00am. Do not affix anything to the walls of any hotel, to the elevators, or to Anthro Northwest signage. The Renaissance hotel does not allow the possession of compressed gas cylinders on the property. This includes CO2 cylinders and nitrous whippets. Medical gases such as oxygen cylinders are exempted from this requirement as long as the owner has a prescription. Anyone violating this policy will be removed from the hotel and will loose their membership privileges. Sales of Goods and Services Those offering for sale and goods or services must: -Be registered as a vendor for Anthro Northwest or have a Seattle Business License Permit -Have a Washington state retail certificate or posess a temporary retail certificate. Anthro Northwest purchases complimentary vendors permits for all registered vendors. If you need to sell outside of the vendors room dates please contact Anthro Northwest about extending your permit. Harassment and Consent Attendees are asked to obtain consent before physically interacting with any guest. For example if you wanted to give a hug, put your hands out like you are about to give a hug. If the other person makes the same gesture then you have obtained consent for the interaction. While most character performers are happy to give and receive physical interactions, some are not. It's important to be respectful of personal boundaries. Harassment of any kind, including physical assault, battery, deliberate intimidation, stalking, or unwelcome physical attentions, will not be tolerated at the convention. If people tell you "no" or ask you to leave them alone, your business with them is done. If you continue to attempt to have contact with those people, you may be removed from the premises. Remember: "A costume does not imply consent." If you have been the target of harassment, we urge you to report the incident immediately to a member of convention Operations. The sooner an issue is reported to us, the more appropriately we can address it. Anthro Northwest is not responsible for solving any interpersonal problems that may arise between individual members prior to the convention. We can not pre-preemptively bar a person from attending solely because another attendee does not want that person to be there. In general, we can take no action to prevent a person from attending the convention unless that person has made a specific and credible threat toward the convention itself or if another individual can produce a legal restraining order. Substance Abuse The sale or other distribution of any illegal or controlled substances is not welcome at Anthro Northwest. Any individual found to be distributing or using such substances will be removed and reported directly to the local authorities. The hotel prohibits the use of marijuana on its property, you will be removed from the hotel and lose your membership for using it there. Anyone knowingly or unknowingly providing alcohol to anyone under the age of 21 will be guilty of a felony and will be turned over to the authorities. It is the sole responsibility of persons serving alcohol in room parties to ensure that every person in attendance is over the age of 21, even if that person is not drinking alcohol. The Washington Liquor Control Board is extremely serious about this law and we ask our members to respect it. Media Relations and use of Anthro Northwest Images or Footage All journalists, media photographers, and any other members of the press are required to display an official Anthro Northwest Press Badge and be accompanied by a senior Anthro Northwest staff member at all times while in the convention area or the Renaissance property. Members of the press who have not been issued a Press Badge may not conduct interviews or take photographs, audio or video footage. If members of the media are present, attendees must act responsibly. Media representatives who do not have Press Badges or are not escorted by an Anthro Northwest staff member should be reported to Anthro Northwest Operations staff immediately. Do not speak to any unbadged and unescorted members of the press! In rare circumstances, trusted members of the press may be issued a badge stating "No escort required". Anthro Northwest members should be aware that audio and/or video recordings are frequently made in convention areas and that their likenesses may appear in those recordings. Individual members agree to assign without compensation the use of their likeness(es) at Anthro Northwest for the use of promotional material such as the highlights videos. The name "Anthro Northwest" and the Anthro Northwest logo are trademarks of Anthro Northwest, Inc., and must not be used in any fashion that disparages or dilutes that mark. Members agree to remove from circulation or publication any image or recording that in the sole opinion of Anthro Northwest, Inc. misrepresents or defames its service mark. Payments to Anthro Northwest and Other Money Matters Anthro Northwest only accepts VISA, MasterCard, and Discover cards for payment. Cash and checks are not accepted. Chargebacks (denying a charge) that are made for the sole purpose of avoiding payment, that are made without sufficient cause, or that are made without first attempting to resolve the dispute with Anthro Northwest may result in permanent revocation of membership privileges and possible legal action. Members who have an outstanding balance due to Anthro Northwest must settle that balance before being permitted to attend the convention. Anthro Northwest cannot involve itself in financial disputes between individual members, and cannot divulge information about an individual member to any party other than to banking officials or legal authorities. Vendors are exclusively responsible for collecting and remitting any applicable taxes from the sales of their products. Vendors are welcome to accept additional payment methods. Miscellaneous Notes Anthro Northwest reserves the right to refuse service or membership privileges to anyone. In exceptionally rare occasions Anthro Northwest may require someone to inqure as to their ellagibility for membership. Anthro Northwest is a private organization. Those wishing to participate as board members, staff, volunteer, affiliates, vendors or attending members are all expected, to the best of their ability, to help contribute to the safe, welcoming, inclusive, kind, relaxed and positive environment at Anthro Northwest. Those who are banned from other major conventions, or have been convicted of crimes against children or vulnerable adults per RCW 13.34 and RCW 74.34 must inquire as to their eligibility for membership before attending the convention or participating in any Anthro Northwest activities. Please contact the convention via the about page for more information. We aim to keep the petition quick, easy and fair. Decisions can be appealed to the board whose contact info is also available via the about page. The standards of conduct for Anthro Northwest are enforced by Anthro Northwest operations volunteers and staff who will be clearly identified as such on site. Please remember that your con badge is the property of Anthro Northwest. and must be presented and/or surrendered to any staff member requesting it. If you have any problem with any action taken by a staff member you may take the matter up with the operations supervisor or designated appeals person. Please be reminded that these rules involve, of course, "worst-case" scenarios and are put into place to ensure the safety and comfort of our members. They are also not all-inclusive; in all cases, the singular rule that supersedes all others is, "Any action or behavior that causes significant interference with convention operations, excessive discomfort to other attendees, or adversely affects Anthro Northwest's relationship with its guests, its venue or the public is strictly forbidden and may result in revocation of membership privileges." We anticipate no difficulties, as our members as a whole are rational and responsible adults. Anthro Northwest is prepared to deal with any or all of the above scenarios in as rapid and efficient a manner as possible should they occur. We thank our members for their cooperation and for their continued assistance in making this a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. Have fun - just please remember to be courteous of those around you while doing so! Decisions made by members of Anthro Northwest may be appealed by contacting the board of directors in the about page. Staff and Volunteer Addendum As a staff member you are held to the highest standards of conduct. Your behavior is to reflect positively on the community at all times. Your conduct should be an example to all of the other community members. Staff is expected to set an example and exemplify the Anthro Northwest Code of Conduct. A staff member's primary purpose is to provide hospitality and support to the guests, vendors and hotel. A staff role is a service opportunity. If someone looks uncomfortable or doesn't wish to participate, you should give them plenty of space. This is especially important for greeters and character performance staff. If you are wearing a staff medallion, you should be prepared to give assistance, directions and support to anyone who needs it. If you are a character performer and do not talk, you must have a handler with medallion present anytime you are also wearing the medallion. Staff and volunteer medallions may not be shared or transferred. Staff and volunteers must keep track of their hours for insurance reporting purposes. The hours must be submitted via email monthly. Staff must immediately report any injuries or incidents to their supervisor. Please immediately refer difficult guests to your supervisor. Before consuming alcohol or attending social gatherings, staff are required to remove their medallions. Staff may not speak to the press or journalists in an official capacity unless it has been pre-approved in writing. If you do not complete your minimum service commitment, and you utilize the benefits of volunteering, you will be required to purchase a membership for the year in which you were unable to complete your service, before attending any future conventions. Vendor Addendum Anthro Northwest is an all ages event. We thank our vendors for their cooperation in supporting this effort. Vendors are expected to set an example and comply with the Anthro Northwest Code of Conduct. Artwork must be appropriate for all ages. G rated material is highly preferred. Artwork must be safe for work (SFW). Under certain circumstances the Art director may approve material with a higher content rating / NSFW. Please contact the director before the show for approval of special material. Art depicting sexual themes, fetishes, fetish activities or fetish attire is not allowed. Vendors represent the community in a very big way, they are asked to be helpful, kind and supportive of the attendees.