Central Region West BBYO Spirit Competition & Dress-up Guidelines Created: May 2009

Please be aware of the following guidelines for any/all spirit competitions and dress-ups for all BBYO events in Central Region West. Please understand these guidelines were designed to create a safe, inclusive environment for all members of BBYO, and to help BBYO members understand how to create that environment for those around them and the community at large.

DRESS CODE: . Participants may not sport any graphics (illustrations, photos, cartoons, etc.) or words (in any language) that are vulgar, obscene, libelous, or denigrate others for race, color, religion, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or be gang-related on their attire.

. Participants may not promote and/or endorse the use of alcohol, tobacco or illegal drugs or gambling and/or encourage other illegal or violent activities through their dress. This will include all printed material that relates to or creatively changes the meaning of the message.

. Participants may not wear gang-related colors or dress in a style that implies gang affiliation.

. An excessive lack of clothing is also not permitted. This is to be defined as follows: participants must be wearing some form of “bottoms” at all times – underwear or swimwear does not qualify. Female participants must also be wearing some form of “top” at all times – underwear or swimwear does not qualify. Please use appropriate judgment in this area; any “exposure” deemed inappropriate by the staff will require participants to change their clothing.

BEHAVIOR GUIDELINES (includes behavior in all movies) Inappropriate and prohibited behavior includes, but is not limited to the following: . Using language or gestures that is profane, lewd, vulgar or abusive o If you can’t say it on television, you can’t say it in your movie, song, cheer, whatever.

. Possessing or displaying a weapon (movies allow for some flexibility here, if kept within reason).

. Intentionally damaging or destroying personal property owned by another participant, professional staff, volunteer or facility, or property rented by BBYO. Damage or destruction including graffiti.

. Defamation: which includes making false or intentionally inflammatory representations about an individual or identifiable group of individuals that harm the reputation of the person or identifiable group by demeaning them. o Please be sensitive that this does not only imply what would be offensive to you, but what might offend others (particularly, the individuals or members of the group in question)

. Discrimination: which includes the use of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability as a basis for treating another in a negative manner. o Stereotyping is often seen as discrimination.

. Inappropriate sexual behavior

. Harassment, including bullying, defined as includes a sufficiently severe action or a persistent pervasive pattern of actions or statements directed at an identifiable individual or group that are intended to be, or that a reasonable person would perceive as ridiculing or demeaning.

. Possessing, smoking, selling, distributing or exchanging cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or chewing or smokeless tobacco. BBYO is a smoke-free organization.

. Possessing, consuming, selling, distributing alcoholic beverages or other illegal substances, or attending a BBYO event under the influence of either. “Illegal substances” include, but are not limited to, inhalants, marijuana, cocaine, LSD, PCP, amphetamines, heroin, steroids, look-alike drugs, and any substances commonly referred to as “designer drugs”.

. Inappropriate use or sharing of prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

Please also keep in mind: When addressing controversial issues such as political views, current affairs, and the like, remember that your opinion (even if it is your chapter’s collective opinion) might not be shared by everyone in the room. While you may not find a particular issue sensitive, it may be so for another member in the room. Be thoughtful about the consequences of your choices on others – for you it may be all in good fun, but for someone else, your choices may be hurtful. Be prepared to be held accountable and to respond accordingly should someone else be offended or hurt by your chapter’s choices.

There is a tendency, because we as a CRW BBYO community are alike in a lot of ways, to feel like we have the right to stereotype or depict anyone who is “other” when we are amongst our own, and were we to have been in the company of people from the “group” we are portraying, they would have found it rather offensive. Think to yourself, honestly, how any one of you might feel to know that there is a convention going on somewhere with a group of teens dressing up with big noses, picking up pennies of the floor, pretending to be “Jews”.

Failure to abide by these guidelines may result in any/all of the following consequences:

1. Disqualification from competition 2. If the violation was with regard to a dress-up, prevention from executing this and/or other dress-ups for the remainder of the convention 3. Dismissal of individual(s) from the convention 4. Entire chapter being placed on probation 5. In extreme cases, suspension or expulsion from the organization