By posting to the community you agree to follow the COC.

These guidelines apply to all areas of Subterfuge, including but not limited to commenting on posts, interacting in the forums, and the Peers editing forums.

1. All posts-in-progress are open for discussion. All writers recognize that their work will be critiqued openly, and perhaps in a way that affects them emotionally. As a member of the community, every writer will do their best to accept the critiques in the spirit of the community–with grace, humility, curiosity, and gratitude.
2. Writers are not required to make every change suggested. The final call in such matters will be made by the Editors.
3. Commenters, in the role of editor/reviewer, are to offer constructive criticism.
4. No one should ever respond to a post or a comment in the heat of anger, hurt, grief, jealousy, or other strong emotion. Take ten minutes. Sort out your thoughts. Then come back.
5. If you feel that a member of the community is not following the COC, speak to an Editor.
6. If an Editor approaches you to discuss your behavior, take note. The Editor is not attacking you as a person. He or she is communicating to you the way in which your actions have been perceived, and whether or not your actions violate the COC. It is in your best interest to take the warning as an opportunity to improve your interactions in the community and elsewhere.
7. You will be given two warnings on one issue (ex: insulting a writer twice), or three warnings altogether (ex. insulting a writer, insulting a fellow commenter, and hate speech). Depending on the severity of the incidents, you will either earn a harsh rebuke by an editor and temporary suspension, with your behavior to be re-evaluated in one month’s time with no guarantee of return, or an instant ban. We believe in second chances. We don’t believe in feeding trolls.
8. Realize that what you consider funny isn’t necessarily funny to others.
9. Realize that the written word can’t convey everything. Take pains to make your meaning clear.
10. Constructive criticism offers suggestions. Give direct suggestions for changes in the post itself. It is also very helpful if you can direct the writer to outside resources. We will keep a record of good resources.
11. If you disagree with the writer, please say so, and do it in a way that is non-combative. Our writers can learn from hearing other opinions. They can also learn to present stronger arguments. Neither the writer or the commenter is assumed to be ‘right.’ A writer who faces strong opposition should change or add to their post to reflect the arguments they have heard and why they do or do not agree with them. Commenters are encouraged to writer counter-pieces, and go through the same process. The Editors will gladly wait to post the two side by side.

We expect every subject to be treated with respect. Certain subjects will be given higher scrutiny than others. This includes:

• Recognition of men and women as equals–not enemies, victims, etc.
• Molestation in all its forms, including sexual and emotional violation, as committed against any person (man, woman, queer, child) by any person.
• Generalizations of any sort, including those made along the lines of gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion–and so on.

Unusual Post Types

We will, at times, highlight discussion threads themselves, if we feel they are particularly interesting. We will contact the participants and ask how they want us to present their role in it, or if they have a serious problem with including them. We are open to doing the following:

• Changing usernames so your pen-name is not associated
• Changing or redacting personal anecdotes, or anything identifying
• Summarizing all or portions of each part of the discussion.

Our goal in these cases is to show the range of opinions surrounding an issue. We are not out to declare a winner.

All such posts will appear as posts in this forum, open to critique, before going live.

When a post goes live, please comment on it! The rest of the world can’t see it if you only say you like something in the forum! You can, of course, continue to respectfully disagree. Whatever your opinion, the conversation doesn’t stop with publication.

The Editors

Here’s some cognitive dissonance for you: The Editors are human. The Editors are omnipotent.

Recipe for disaster, right?

Editors hold the final say on all matters, but they can and do make mistakes. Your job as a participant is to help keep us honest and on track. Never hesitate to say something to us.