Respect

The motivating force in the EGD Collective is respect. We promote respect for games as a medium, the people who make them, and the people who play them. It is the responsibility of the entire Collective to foster safe social interactions and uphold an environment that reflects fairness and mutual respect.

As a community that promotes sensitivity, tolerance, and support, every person inside our physical and virtual spaces are expected to treat everyone with respect. Harassment, sexism, racism, or hate speech has no place within our collective, and slurs are not allowed under any circumstances. The rights and respect of folks of marginalized identities is not a debatable topic. Black lives matter. Trans lives matter.

Toxicity is not allowed, and players are expected to show integrity by honoring rules, opponents, and teammates. Excessive "banter" is not constructive and can escalate fast.

EGD consists of a mix of brave spaces and safe spaces to ensure everyone feels comfortable and to allow space for students to grow as they learn more about the world and the diversity within it. Staff are equipped to educate, and members are not expected to do that labor. Our Support Service Coordinators are there so students can ask questions, and to provide support and conflict resolution to students that need it.

We strongly believe disruptive behavior comes from a lack of understanding. As an organization, we strive to retain members when the person shows the potential for growth. We give a comprehensive workshop that goes over how to differentiate between slurs and non-slurs, what types of situations or words people can find uncomfortable or disrespectful, how to de-escalate heated situations respectfully (even when the other side might not be), and healthy ways to cope with toxicity, stress, and anger. This workshop is available to all students on request, or may be required as a provision to members who have violated these rules to continue to attend EGD events, participate in our programs, or remain in our Discord server.

As a part of our initiatives, members may join identity-based SIGs - such as MaGeS (for all people of marginalized genders), and LGBTQIA+. These SIGs host internal events that promote connections within the community and offer safe spaces, as well as educational events open to the wider Collective.

In addition to our focus on respect within our organization and the games community, we turn our focus outward to educate parents and the wider population on the benefits of games in our society, as well as the legitimacy of games as an area of study and career path. We work to end the stigmas associated gaming and gamers, and we believe respectful communication between members of our community is a large part of that process.