Kink Educators Code of Conduct

Grand Strand Affair has asked all of our Presenters to abide by the following and they have agreed.  

The Kink Education Code of Conduct (KECC) establishes a code of conduct for kink

educators.  It provides practical guidance for navigating many of the

ethical dilemmas we face and creates a framework for clear communication.

The KECC is a roadmap for reasonable human beings, not a precise legal code. You should interpret it using good judgment and good faith, seeking always to adhere

to the spirit of the code.

I consistently practice excellent consent in private and in public. Excellent consent

is:

Verbal or written when I am teaching or playing in public. Verbal, written, or

covered by a preexisting relationship or negotiation when in private.

Done with an understanding of both my capacity and the capacity of the

other individuals involved.

Fully informed, where all parties understand what is agreed to.

Expressed with explicit or enthusiastic agreement.

Consistent and continuous, where any doubt or confusion means stopping.

Not coerced, not forced, and free of manipulation.

I have no implied consent to touch or demonstrate on any student. I obtain

specific verbal consent from each person before touching them.

I do not conduct new negotiations or solicit new consent in front of a

classroom audience.

I teach consent in every class.

I provide sufficient information to my students so that they don't have doubts

about whether they are witnessing a consent violation during any classroom

demo.

I am mindful of the consent risks and the power differential associated with doing

demos in a class setting. Keeping in mind some demos have more consent risks

than others, I avoid putting any student in a situation where their ability to give

meaningful consent is compromised. In order of preference:

I use fellow educators or existing play partners for demos.

I select demo volunteers at least 24 hours before class and negotiate with

them in writing, explicitly describing what they are volunteering for and what

risks are involved.

As a last resort, I take student volunteers during class using the practices

described below to reduce the inherent risks.

I state in the class description and at the beginning of class that I will be

asking for student volunteers.

I ensure every volunteer gives informed consent by explaining exactly what

each demo entails and what risks are involved before asking for student

volunteers.

I do not ask or call on any specific individual to volunteer.

I do not pressure the class as a whole to volunteer. I ask for volunteers once

for each demo, and if nobody volunteers promptly I skip the demo and move

on.

I do not tolerate anyone pressuring another person into volunteering for or

agreeing to a specific activity, or any form of heckling or coercion of

volunteers and potential volunteers.

I only use volunteers who give unambiguous and enthusiastic consent.

I make it clear volunteers may opt out at any time and for any reason.

I select volunteers based on their safety, their enthusiastic consent, and their

ability to perform the activities of the demonstration as the main criteria for

selecting volunteers. Volunteer demonstrations are also potential

opportunities for incIusivity, and I use these moments to model inclusive

practices around gender, race, age, orientation, body shape, physical ability,

and so forth.

I accept responsibility for taking care of student volunteers:

I only use student volunteers if I am available and willing to provide whatever

aftercare they may need and to take full accountability for their experience.

I have a formal plan for providing aftercare to student volunteers. I describe

that process in writing to the venue and I explain it at the beginning of class.

I teach within my area of expertise:

I only teach material I thoroughly understand and am capable of teaching

correctly.

If I teach techniques that are contrary to commonly accepted best practices, I

clearly communicate that and explain my reasons for doing so.

When teaching any topic in the domain of a particular profession—for example

physical fitness, stretching and warmup, anatomy, nerves, blood play, breath play,

hypnosis, trauma response, mental health, legal issues, or any kind of medical play

—I explicitly tell my students whether:

a) I have relevant professional qualifications, or

b) I have reviewed the material I am teaching with a qualified professional, or

c) I am teaching my own opinion.

I respect each person’s right to choose their own risk profile:

I do not pressure anyone to perform techniques outside their risk profile.

I make it clear that students are welcome to audit any techniques they are not

comfortable performing.

If I teach high-risk techniques or activities, I clearly communicate the risks

involved and I encourage my students to negotiate in class before engaging in

any hands-on practice.

I respect each venue’s policies about high-risk activities

In both my personal and professional lives, I do not discriminate against

someone because of that person's race, color, religion, sex (including gender

identity, sexual orientation, sexuality, and pregnancy status), national origin,

age, disability, or genetic information. I also do not retaliate against anyone

because they have submitted a complaint about discrimination.

I do not do anything that creates a hostile environment for any group of

people.

I apologize when something I do creates a hostile environment for any group

of people.

I use correct pronouns for each person. I ask people what pronouns they use

when I am not sure.

I refrain from using microaggressions during my class and help ensure

attendees also do not use microaggressions in my class.

Except when teaching gender-specific topics, I present material in a genderneutral

fashion rather than assuming specific gender roles.

Whenever possible, I teach techniques that are applicable to all genders, body

types, and physical abilities.

I support students with special learning needs and actively seek to develop

educational approaches that best allow students in my class to learn.

In addition to music, the Grand Strand Affair Music Festival also offers a wide variety of food and drinks from local vendors. From gourmet burgers to craft beer, there's something for everyone at the festival.