Stonewall Sports Pittsburgh and Stonewall Alliance are committed to the ideals of diversity, inclusion, and respect. We believe that every person has the right to feel safe and comfortable being themselves while engaged in organized athletics or attending any community programs. As such, we are committed to providing an experience that affirms the dignity and value of all individuals without regard to age, race, ethnicity, national origin, religious or spiritual beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, socioeconomic status, physical or mental abilities, size, appearance, or any other basis for exclusion.
Anti-Harassment and Anti-Discrimination Policy
Stonewall Sports Pittsburgh and Stonewall Alliance are committed in all areas to providing a sports and social environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. Harassment is any behavior that is unwelcome and offensive to the person or persons targeted. Such behavior is expressly forbidden by this policy. All members of the Stonewall Sports Pittsburgh program and community are expected and required to abide by this policy.
Sexual harassment is behavior of a sexual nature that is unwelcome and offensive to the person or persons it is targeted toward. Examples of harassing behavior may include unwanted physical contact, foul language of an offensive sexual nature, sexual propositions, sexual jokes or remarks, obscene gestures, and displays of pornographic or sexually explicit pictures, drawings, or caricatures. Sexual harassment of other members of the Stonewall Sports Pittsburgh program and community is expressly forbidden.
Discrimination based on age, sex, sexual identity , gender expression, race, national origin, ethnic background, or any other personal characteristic is also expressly forbidden.
Anti-Bullying Policy
Stonewall Sports Pittsburgh and Stonewall Alliance considers bullying unacceptable and will not tolerate it under any circumstances. This policy shall apply to all of the Stonewall Sports Pittsburgh and Stonewall Alliance’s activities on and off the field/court. Stonewall Sports Pittsburgh and Stonewall Alliance defines bullying as direct or indirect persistent, malicious, unwelcome, severe and pervasive mistreatment that harms, intimidates, offends, degrades or humiliates a member, whether verbal, physical or otherwise, at league-sponsored events and/or Stonewall Alliance sponsored events, as well as social media, online, and digital engagements.
All communication on social media should be respectful and considerate. Posts, comments, or messages that are discriminatory, bullying, threatening, or harassing in nature are strictly prohibited. It is important to remember that personal conduct on social media represents may extend or reflect upon Stonewall Sports Pittsburgh.
Stonewall Sports Pittsburgh promotes a safe athletic and social culture where all members are able to join in an environment free of bullying behavior. Stonewall Sports Pittsburgh encourages all of its members to report any instance of bullying behavior.
Stonewall Sports Pittsburgh and Stonewall Alliance considers the following types of behavior to constitute bullying. Please note, this list is not meant to be exhaustive and is only offered by way of example: nonverbal demonstrations of hostility; exclusion or social isolation; personal attacks (angry outbursts, excessive profanity, or name-calling); encouragement of others to turn against the targeted person; stalking; punching, kicking, slapping or any other unwanted physical contact.
As a volunteer organization, Stonewall Sports Pittsburgh relies on members of the community to volunteer. As such, the organization considers bullying of its volunteers to be particularly egregious. Any attempt to intimidate volunteers will result in disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion from the league.
Reporting Violations of the Code of Conduct
How to Report: If a player believes they have experienced, witnessed, or become aware of a violation of our Code of Conduct, it is encouraged they to report it as soon as possible to a Stonewall Sports Pittsburgh Commissioner, the Executive Director of Stonewall Alliance, or utilizing our Google Form.
If the member feels more comfortable reporting the incident to another Stonewall Alliance board member or Stonewall Sports Pittsburgh committee member they may do so. Once the matter has been reported the investigation will be initiated within 72 hours and any necessary corrective action will be taken where appropriate.
Confidentiality: All reports will be kept confidential, within the bounds of the law. The details of the complaint, including the identity of the complainant, will only be disclosed to those involved in the investigation and resolution process.
Non-Retaliation: Retaliation against anyone who files a complaint or assists in the investigation is strictly prohibited and will be treated as a separate violation of the Code of Conduct.
Remember, an accuser does not have to confront or communicate with the person who they believe violated the Code of Conduct, and we encourage them to make use of the reporting resources provided.
Potential Disciplinary Actions for Violations of the Code of Conduct
- Verbal Warning
- Written Warning
- Suspension
- Expulsion
If expelled, a member will not be refunded any registration fees. The application of specific disciplinary action will be determined by the Board of Stonewall Alliance and the Committee of Stonewall Sports Pittsburgh based on the facts of each specific situation.
Please note that these disciplinary actions are not exhaustive, and the specific actions taken will depend on the circumstances of each individual case. More than one disciplinary action can be applied for a single violation, depending on its severity. The Board of Stonewall Sports Pittsburgh reserves the right to determine the appropriate disciplinary actions based on the nature of the violation, the impact on the person(s) involved and the community, and the member’s history of past violations.
Rights to Appeal a Violation
The appeals process exists to ensure that every member of Stonewall Sports Pittsburgh programs has the opportunity for decisions related to disciplinary actions taken against them to be reviewed fairly and impartially.
