Inclusivity Policy

NOTE:  A PDF version of this document is available.  In the case of any disagreement between this version and the PDF, the PDF will be considered authoritative.

TORONTO ULTIMATE CLUB (TUC)

TUC INCLUSIVITY POLICY

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Policy Category:                   Inclusivity                                                                                                       
Date First Passed:                January 13, 2020
By Which Body:                    TUC Board of Directors
Review Period:                     6 Month
Review Body:                        TUC Governance Committee
Date of Last Review:           January 13, 2020
File Location:                        TUC File Storage / Board and Committees / TUC Governance /
_______________________________________________________________________________________________                       

Definitions:

  1. The following words will have the following meanings for this Policy:
    1. “SOTG” - the acronym for Spirit of the Game.  According to the rules of Ultimate,   Ultimate relies upon a spirit of sportsmanship that places the responsibility for fair play on the player. Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of mutual respect among competitors, adherence to the agreed upon rules, or the basic joy of play. Protection of these vital elements serves to eliminate unsportsmanlike conduct from the Ultimate field. Such actions as taunting opposing players, dangerous aggression, belligerent intimidation, intentional infractions, or other win-at-all-costs behavior are contrary to the spirit of the game and must be avoided by all players.
    2. “Events” - any game, league, tournament, training session, clinic, social gathering sanctioned (organized, run, administered, hosted, etc) by the Toronto Ultimate Club or on fields permitted in the name of the Toronto Ultimate Club.
    3. “Leagues” - is a group of teams and or players in the sport of Ultimate who take part in competitions (games, tournaments) against each other, administered, organized and run by the Toronto Ultimate Club.
    4. “Participants” - All categories of members, participants, as well as all individuals employed by, or engaged in activities with TUC including, but not limited to, athletes, volunteers, managers, administrators, and Directors and Officers of TUC.
    5. “Zero-Tolerance” - is the strict enforcement of regulations and the practice of not tolerating (banning) undesirable behaviour as outlined in this policy below.
    6. “Equity vs Equality” - Equality focuses on creating the same “starting line” for everyone.  Equity has the goal of providing everyone with the full range of opportunities and benefits - the same finish line.
    7. “Gender Equality” - is the process of allocating resources, programs and decision making so that male and female identifying members have the same (therefore male and female identifying members would each receive 50% of the resources, facilities, and each have access to the same programs, e.g. if there was a male program, there would also be a female program).  The goal of equal treatment tends to ignore the fact that people differ in their capacities, interests, resources and experiences.
    8. “Gender Equity” - is the process of allocating resources, programs and decision-making fairly to both male and female identifying members. This requires ensuring that everyone has access to a full range of opportunities to achieve the social, psychological and physical benefits that come from participating and leading in sport and physical activity. It does not necessarily mean making the same programs and facilities available to both males and females. Gender equity requires that girls and women be provided with a full range of activity and program choices that meet their needs, interests and experiences. Therefore, some activities may be the same as those offered to boys and men, some may be altered, and some may be altogether different.
    9. “Gender Expression” - is how a person publicly represents their gender.  This can include behaviour and outward appearance such as dress, hair, make-up, body language and voice.  A person’s chosen name and pronoun are common ways of expressing gender.
    10. “Gender Identity” - Is each person’s internal and individual experience of gender.  It is their sense of being a woman, a man, both, neither, or anywhere along the gender spectrum.  A person’s gender identity may be the same as or different from their birth-assigned sex.  Gender identity is fundamentally different from a person’s sexual orientation.

Introduction and Purpose:

  1. The Toronto Ultimate Club (TUC) operates under an Inclusivity Policy which governs all leagues and events.  TUC is committed to implementing this policy in a fair and equitable manner.                                          
  2. The aim of this policy is to create an environment in which all members feel welcome, respected, and able to fully participate in our events and leagues. It sets out our collective commitment to the principles of equality, diversity, inclusion, and SOTG which we place at the heart of everything we do.                                    
  3. We are aware that certain social structures may serve to disadvantage particular groups (including but not limited to people of colour, women, the LGBT+ community, and people with disabilities) and therefore this policy aims to remedy that imbalance by actively challenging oppressive and discriminatory behaviour.
  4. We expect our members to always act as ambassadors of the sport of Ultimate and act accordingly.                       
  5. TUC complies with the Human Rights Code of Canada and this policy exists as a TUC specific extension to the Human Rights Code of Canada.
  6. TUC supports the recommendations outlined in “Creating Inclusive Environments for Trans Participants in Canadian Sport”, the guidance document developed by the Trans Inclusion in Sport Expert Working Group and published by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) and have used the recommendations in the development of this policy.                    

Zero Tolerance                                             

  1. To ensure this environment is maintained we operate a Zero-Tolerance approach to the following behaviours towards any members, participants, and towards the general public.
    1. Harassment, defined as comment, conduct, or gesture directed towards an individual or group of individuals, which is known or ought reasonably to be known as insulting, vexatious, intimidating, humiliating, malicious, degrading, or offensive. (For complete definition, please see TUC Harassment Policy).
    2. Abuse, covering verbal, emotional, psychological, and physical abuse, including sexual assault, which results in an individual or group feel intimidated or unsafe.
    3. Violence, defined as any act of intentional harm, intimidation or aggression, including threats of harm.
    4. Discrimination, including verbal and physical expressions of discrimination, based on any of the following characteristics:                                                          
      1. Race
      2. National or ethnic origin
      3. Religion
      4. Age
      5. Sex
      6. Marital status
      7. Disability
      8. A conviction for which a pardon has been granted or a record suspended
      9. Sexual orientation
      10. Gender identity
      11. Gender expression
      12. Colour
      13. Family status
      14. Genetic characteristics
      15. Mental health status                           

Actions for Inclusion

  1. All members and participants are accountable for their own conduct and must refrain from any of the behaviours listed above. We would also encourage everyone to:
    1. Be aware of the connotations of their language.
    2. Avoid making assumptions about another person’s gender, pronouns, sexuality, disability, ethnic identity, or life experiences.
    3. Be prepared to challenge harassment and discrimination if they are witness to an incident, and where appropriate to report it.
    4. Be open if challenged on their own behaviour, and to learn from the experience.
    5. Be respectful of another’s physical and emotional boundaries.

Application

  1. This policy applies to any person approved for membership as defined in the TUC By-Law, as well as all individuals engaged in activities with TUC and touring team members.
  2. For the purposes of this policy, sport and/or workplace harassment can occur in, but is not limited to, the following places:
    1. at TUC sporting leagues, tournaments, training sessions, and clinics or workshops;
    2. at the TUC office;
    3. at TUC-related social functions;
    4. at the business functions of TUC, such as meetings, conferences, training sessions and workshops;
    5. during sport-related travel;
    6. through any form of TUC related communication device/system including but not limited to telephone, email, websites, social media, postal service;
    7. any formal or informal location where the harassment of a person is a result of their sport-related involvement.

Breaches of the Policy

  1. We actively encourage the reporting of incidents that constitute a breach of the Inclusivity Policy. It is the collective responsibility of all to uphold good conduct and challenge others’ unacceptable behaviour when personal safety is not at risk. We do not encourage individuals to respond when doing so could put their safety in jeopardy (eg breaking up a fight). If you experience or witness an incident which you believe is in breach of the Inclusivity Policy you can report it through either:   
    1. Incident Reporting Form accessible by captains when submitting game scores.
    2. Inclusivity Incident Reporting Form which can be accessed here.
    3. Directly to Executive Director ed@tuc.org and/or Governance Committee Chair governance@tuc.org
  2. At such times that the policy is breached, TUC will follow the discipline and appeals procedure as outlined in the Discipline Policy and Harassment Policy.
  3. If you experience or witness an act that you believe to be a criminal offence, please report it to the local Police.

More Information                                         

If you have any questions regarding the Toronto Ultimate Club Inclusivity Policy or would like more information, please contact the Executive Director at ed@tuc.org.