Year after year, we discuss the door policy. Every time, these discussions tear people apart, no matter if they take place in private, heated online debates or at the conference itself.

Even if not intentionally, these debates tend to be transphobic, lesbophobic and based on body normativity and denial of experiences of violence. They often have been hurtful, excluding, degrading and often full of violent tones and contents.

Hence, we want to step away from those debates. We do not want to talk about biological bodies or gender attribution anymore, we do not want to discuss who’s identity is accepted or not and do not wish to ponder who’s perception is more valuable.

Instead, we would like to talk about what kind of space we as a community want to create at Easter Conference and how we want to treat one another. Meaning, we want to talk about attitudes and about our conduct, weather alone, with friends or towards those we do not know and maybe do not understand.

To achieve that, we would like to apply our knowledge acquired within the BDSM context and to negotiate in a mutual appreciative atmosphere how we want to interact socially. One option is to use the safe-words applying in play scenarios in non-play situations as well and to apply the rules and general manners agreed upon for play parties in all social interaction.

Key for us, as the organizing team is being kind to each other, to interact on a basis of mutual acceptance, goodwill and respect for boundaries. We want to be in the company of people who approach one another with an open mind, enjoy each other and be happy with and for others and we sincerely want to experience being together at this event.

We plan to deal with problems and problematic behavior when it occurs. Meaning, we want to try to solve problems when they happen and not treat them theoretically in advance.

Beyond that, we try to create a space where different desires, ideas and plays can co-exist and that meets highly diverse needs. Our hope is that we’ll all be able to enjoy our diversity together.

We do treasure the diversity of our community. We have a terrific scene with hot people and it is wonderful that our desires, our identities, our bodies and our kinks are so wildly diverse.

We wish for an atmosphere enabling everyone to experience a beautiful, exciting conference with all and for all!

↑ back to top

Respect and personal limits: We hope for a respectful, kind and friendly interaction among participants – at least as long as it is not negotiated otherwise ;-) The limits of each individual must be acknowledged.

Awareness to social inequalities: The conference is a special place, but it is not free from social structures. Also at the Easter Conference there is discrimination and exclusion. We especially want to minimize racism, transphobia, sexism, body norms and class differences.

Avoiding prejudices: To us this means avoiding assumptions based on skin colour, a perceived group affiliation, gender representation or bodies, be it shape, size or abilities. This also means not to question the lived reality, perception and experience of the other person – even if they remain poorly understood. It also means acknowledging the other person’s self-identification and the corresponding needs, and to take into account the wishes of the other.

Self-reflection: We are not the same – we do not have the same experience and do not have the same knowledge – that’s OK! It is impossible to completely avoid hurting others, we do not expect perfection. What we expect is a willingness to deal with one’s own actions and their impact on others.

Sensitivity: Do not assume that the other is like you. Be sensitive when and how you talk to someone – and responds that way when you are approached. Talk to each other, not against each other and trying to understand the other person. Ask if you do not understand something, listen to and respect the opinions of others, especially when you have a different one. Be true to yourself, open to criticism and see conversations about difficult topics as an opportunity for change and not as an attack.

↑ back to top

In addition to the general rules of conduct, as self-evident as they are, there are also the rules concerning BDSM directly.

An important rule for us is to restrain from jugding the desire and being of the other. The motto of the entire conference is “Your Kink is not my kink but your kink is ok”. The beauty of the Easter Conference is that it offers a space to live out desires that are otherwise never or rarely accepted. It allows to reveal the intimate, without being judged and convicted. This wonderful opportunity is to be cherished and preserved.

We adhere to the principle „safe, sane, consensual“.

The following code of conduct has proven useful at many play parties within the
 → SchMacht-Network and applys to all play parties at the conference:

 

Responsibility for oneself

• Respect the limits of others, as far as you know them or as far as they have been communicated to you.
• Everyone (whether bottom, top, or bystander) is responsible for themselves. Please heed your own limits.
• If alcoholic drinks are served: alcohol diminishes your ability to judge as well as your capacity to react. In order to enable players to play with sober play partners we request that everyone who has consumed alcohol or drugs notify their play partners of this in advance.

 

Respect and Discretion

• Please do not touch participants or their belongings without their permission.
• Photographing, filming and recording are forbidden. This also applies to cell phones and similar devices.
• Commenting on scenes played by others is unwanted.
• After the party: please be discrete about scenes you weren’t part of. Don’t mention names!
• Negotiation, discussion and loud greetings are to be limited to places where they won’t irrupt and interrupt scenes. In the case of loud and verbose scenes please make sure that they don’t interfere with scenes in progress nearby.
• Arguments have to take place outside the play-area.

 

Premises

• General Premises: You are welcome to play anywhere you wish except the quiet-area, the toilets and the showers. If you play outside of the play-rooms, please be considerate of those who aren’t playing. We also ask you to not do very extreme scenes in the common areas.
• Quiet area: this room is for people to relax and replenish their energy. It has a very strict no play, no sex, no talking rule enforced. Please respect it!
• Play area Play spaces are intended for playing; if players need the space to play: they come first! Reservation of equipment by placing personal items on them is unwanted.
• Please keep food and drinks out of play spaces. Exceptions are emergency food such as energy bars and water in unbreakable containers.
• Toilets and showers are intended for their original purpose and should not be used as play space.

 

Playrules

• Please announce physical or psychological handicaps or sensitivities before a scene to those who are involved.
• If you wish to try out a new practice in which you have no experience, please look for someone who isn’t playing at the moment and who knows the ropes – most of us are happy to help.
• Protect the play area with a plastic sheet, towel or other suitable cover.
• After finishing your play please clean up (and if needed disinfect) the premises yourselves.
• Join an ongoing scene only with permission of the players.
• Involvement of onlookers or other players only upon previous agreement.
• For many of us voyeurism and exhibitionism are motives for attending a play party. Circumspection and caution are asked for in this regard. All is well, if it serves the pleasure of all parties.

 

Safewords and Intervention

• Should participants transgress items of this play party agreement, please point it out to them – as diplomatically as you can.
• However, if a scene simply isn’t to your taste, you can look the other way.
• Party safe words are “yellow” (“something is wrong, please check in”) or “red” (“stop the scene”). They should be used by everyone unless, of course, you have your own safe words.
• Should a player use the party safe word “red” and the respective scene not be stopped, each and every one is obligated to intervene themselves and immediately and, if needed, to involve others around them.

 

Safer Sex

• Cunt and anus are to be touched only with gloved hands. Finger and fist fucking always with latex or vinyl protection. (In public spaces this is recommended for hygiene reasons alone.)
• Cover dildos and vibrators with condoms; disinfect toys after use as needed. If you want to change from asshole to cunt, clean the respective toy and put on a new condom or new gloves first. (Contact the other way around – with the same person – is okay).
• If you plan to put your face onto the cunt or your tongue into the asshole of your play partner, use a dental dam, a cut-up condom or clingfilm/saran wrap.
• When using a disinfectant, please adhere to the directions of use, especially the contact time.
• Needles and scalpels have to be put into sharps-containers after use!
• In case you are playing with blood: put Band-Aids over open wounds after the scene. Toys and play-areas have to be disinfected after the scene.
• Keep bodily fluids within your play area. Make sure you don’t disperse blood and ejaculate with floggers. Be aware that some of us squirt fiercely when they are very happy.

 

Please bring

• Towels or plastic sheets to cover places which others might be using afterwards.
• Lube (suited to your preference and any sensitivities) and, just to be on the safe side, safer sex materials.
• Toys.

The conference is intended for persons above the age of 18. Every conference participant is responsible for oneself and one’s own safety and by registering is agreeing to the terms and rules of the conference – including to play sane, safe and consensual. The organisers are not liable for any possible mental or physical harm or injury caused by participating in the conference and are not liable for lost or stolen items.

↑ back to top