CODE OF CONDUCT FOR CURATORS

The AAMC Foundation are committed to an environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity within their workplace, in person or in a virtual setting. Each individual has the right to be in a professional atmosphere that prohibits discriminatory practices, including harassment. It is the policy of the AAMC Foundation to prohibit discrimination and harassment of any person in connection with any program or activity of the organization. Discrimination is the unjust or prejudicial treatment of others based on human difference. If you or someone else is being discriminated against or harassed, we ask that you be in touch with your human resources department, supervisor, counselor or other outlet to seek immediate assistance. 

 
Harassment includes, but is not limited to:

• Comments or actions that minimize a person’s lived experiences, identity, or safety
• Deliberate misgendering or use of “dead”  or rejected names 
• Deliberate “outing” of any person’s lived experiences or identity without their consent
• Sustained disruption of talks or other events
• Physical contact without consent or after a request to stop
• Unwelcome sexual attention
• Deliberate intimidation or stalking of any kind — in person or online
• Collection or distribution of harassing photography or recordings
• Threats or acts of violence
• Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior

Discrimination/Harassment is not:

• Feeling persecuted for your social privilege
• “Reverse”-isms, including “reverse racism,” “reverse sexism,” and “cisphobia”
• Reasonable communication of boundaries, such as “leave me alone,” “go away,” or “I’m not discussing this with you.”
  
• Refusal to explain or debate social-justice issues when the person being asked is put in a defensive position based on their lived experience, personal identity, or safety
• Communication in a “tone” you don’t find congenial
• Discussion of sensitive topics
• Criticizing racist, sexist, cissexist, or otherwise oppressive behavior or assumptions
  
  

This Code of Conduct is one in which all curators should be treated and all curators should treat others. 

This Code of Conduct is based on the policy from American Alliance of Museums, which was based on the Geek Feminism wiki and uses language with permission from the Nonprofit Technology Conference’s Code of Conduct.

¹“lived experiences” means the firsthand accounts and impressions of living as a member of a minority or oppressed group.

²“deadnaming” means to use someone’s old name. It specifically refers to the practice of deliberately referring to a trans person by their pre-transition name. Not only is it disrespectful, it can be considered an act of violence, especially when a person is not publicly out as trans.

³“rejected name” can also include persons who have changed their names for non-transition-related reasons such as relationships, political statements, etc. Malcolm X changed his name for very specific reasons related to his identity; it is disrespectful to refer to him as anything besides Malcolm X.