This Code of Conduct Policy (“Policy”) applies to all membership, board members, volunteers, and exhibitors of the 2026 World Fantasy Convention (“WFC2026”), taking place at the Oakland Marriott City Center, Oakland, California, from Wednesday, October 21 through Sunday, October 25, 2026.
WFC2026 aims to create a safe, inclusive space for all to enjoy and participate in. We welcome all members’ cooperation and goodwill in ensuring that everyone enjoys themselves, and finds it meaningful to contribute to and learn from their experiences while here.
WFC2026 is cognizant that the current state of affairs in the United States calls for additional safety features and suggestions. We ask that you read these policies carefully. You will be asked to confirm your acceptance of these policies when you purchase your membership, and your attendance at the WFC2026 indicates you have agreed to abide by the principles laid out within this Policy.
The safety and dignity of convention attendees is the highest priority of the convention committee. We recognize that, in these times, interactions with federal or state entities may occur. If any attendees are approached by any law enforcement representatives, or those claiming to be law enforcement representatives, please direct those representatives to the Convention Committee (“ConComm”). For the purposes of this Policy, ConComm will generally refer to the Co-Chairs of WFC2026, Rina Weisman and Audrey Williams; however, other WFC2026 staff members, such as the Ombudsman, may be considered as well.
Attendees are not required to provide information, including citizenship, gender, sexuality, or political standing, about other attendees and may direct law enforcement to convention leadership. Additionally, even if the matter isn’t pursued with you directly, please report such instances immediately to the ConComm.
Overview
WFC2026 is dedicated to assuring that the use of and access to the WFC2026-sponsored or hosted Venues is free of all forms of harassment, intimidation, and discrimination on the basis of race, age, sex, gender, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital/domestic partnership status, or citizenship.
Applicability
This Policy is applicable to the WFC2026 community that participates in the Venues. The WFC2026 Community is comprised of WFC2026 staff, the World Fantasy Board (“WFC Board”), the San Francisco Science Fiction Conventions, Inc. (“SFSFC”), attending members, volunteers, and exhibitors.
Definitions
Harassment is defined as the creation of a hostile environment, unwelcome intimidation, insult, comments or offensive physical conduct. Intolerance towards any member(s) that is publicly expressed via social media connected with the WFC2026, during the WFC2026, may be grounds for immediately revoking the membership without any financial recompense, among other sanctions.
This Policy includes but is not limited to the following types of behavior:
- race
- color
- religion
- sex (including, but not limited to, pregnancy, sexual stereotyping, gender identity, or sexual orientation)
- national origin
- age
- disability
- retaliation
- genetic information
- marital status
- parental status
- political affiliation
Harassment proscribed by this Policy also includes:
- Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other physical, verbal or written conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment may occur in hierarchical relationships or between peers, and between persons of the same sex or different sexes.
- Creating an intimidating, hostile, or sexually offensive environment by severe or pervasive conduct. Written conduct includes postings or similar conduct in online or electronic venues.
- Any interference with accessibility aids, including moving areas designated for wheelchairs, interference with service animals, mobility aid tampering, etc.
Photography/Recording Policy
Photography: Please be polite — ask individuals for permission before taking their picture. If they decline, please honor their request.
Recording: We will be professionally recording most, if not all, of the programming for our Virtual Convention Membership. We ask that you do not record audio or video of entire panels on your smart phones, digital cameras, or tape recorders during WFC2026.
What Constitutes a Hostile Environment
A hostile environment can be created by, among other things, unwanted jokes, gestures, and unwelcome comments and repartee; touching and any other bodily contact such as scratching, rubbing, or patting a person’s back, backside, or chest, grabbing another person around the waist, deliberately interfering with a person’s ability to move, or written conduct referring to same; repeated requests for dates or sex that are turned down, or other unwanted flirting; the display of symbols or images that the convention committee deems offensive, including clothing and posters; filming, transmitting or posting any communication (such as chats, direct messages, and emails, etc.) or video and/or pictures of a sexual or other harassment-related nature.
With regard to access to or use of the Venues, discrimination or harassment that is based on race, age, sex, gender, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital/domestic partnership status, or citizenship, is also prohibited by this Policy.
This Policy is implicated when the harassment, intimidation or discrimination is sufficiently severe or pervasive enough so as to deny or limit a person’s ability to participate in or benefit from WFC2026’s Venues. It is not necessary that the harassment, intimidation or discrimination have been directed specifically at any complaining party.
Any WFC2026 member who is asked to stop any harassing behavior is expected to comply immediately.
Free Speech and Artistic Freedom
As participants in a creative industry, most members of the WFC2026 Community are particularly cognizant of the free speech protections guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and Article 1, Section 1 of the California Constitution. However, freedom of speech and artistic and creative freedom are not limitless and do not protect speech or expressive conduct that violates federal, state law, or WFC2026’s properly adopted policies.
The purpose of this Policy is intended to discourage harassment, intimidation, and discrimination in WFC2026 Venues, in a manner that is consistent with WFC2026’s organizational principles. Therefore, this Policy shall be implemented in a manner that recognizes the importance of the freedom of speech and expression. No provision of this Policy shall be interpreted to prohibit conduct that is legitimately related to fiction, teaching methods, or public commentary of an individual member or the educational, political, artistic, or literary expression of members in fiction and public Venues.
Reporting Procedures
If the situation is safe, and the person experiencing harassment feels comfortable in doing so they should communicate with the individual engaging in the offensive behavior to let them know that the behavior is inappropriate and request that it immediately cease. If their apology is immediate, and accepted, and does not reoccur, the matter may be considered closed between the two.
If such behavior does not immediately cease, or if direct communication is insufficient, unsafe, or uncomfortable, be aware that said behavior may be reported to the ConComm, or the Ombudsman. Such report should include the substance of the complaint, date(s), a list of witnesses and/or, when appropriate, reference URLs.
Any interim actions that may take place in response to such incidents include, but are not limited to:
- Physical separation within the convention so that accused and accuser do not meet again during the WFC2026. Escorts will be provided from the ConComm Committee or Ombudsman.
- Removal from panel or programming space for a set duration of time.
- Revocation of membership without being asked to leave the hotel. There will be no financial recompense for membership given in this case.
- Revocation of membership, followed by expulsion from the hotel. There will be no financial recompense for membership given in this case, and hotel charges will be credited solely at the hotel’s discretion.
Timeline
The ConComm will endeavor to investigate all reports as soon as possible. In the event an incident requires more time than the WFC2026 weekend, all parties will be notified by email of a timeline in which to settle the report with all parties.
Nonretaliation
This Policy prohibits retaliation against a member of the WFC2026 Community for reporting harassment, intimidation or discrimination and for participating in an investigation relating to same. The sanctions for retaliation are the same sanctions available to address any other violation of this Policy.
False Allegations
It is a violation of this Policy for a member of the WFC2026 Community to knowingly or with reckless disregard for the truth make false claim of harassment, intimidation or discrimination. Such an action may be grounds for immediately revoking the membership without any financial recompense. Failure to prove a claim of unlawful harassment is not, by itself, equivalent to a false claim.
Sanctions for Violation of Policy
Harassment, intimidation, and discrimination in violation of this Policy are materially and seriously prejudicial to the purposes and interests of WFC2026. When it has been determined that a violation of this Policy has occurred, the ConComm will determine, in its discretion, an appropriate sanction. If deemed necessary by ConComm, members of the WFC Board may also be included in this process.
Should conduct believed to be in violation of this Policy occur at a WFC2026 Venue, the WFC2026 Co-Chairs, ConComm members, WFC 2026 staff, volunteers, or other members who may be witness to such conduct, may take reasonable action to stop the apparent harassment and ensure the safety of participants.
Reasonable action may include, but is not limited to, verbal notification to the individual that the behavior believed to be in violation of this Policy should be stopped immediately, and/or removal of the individual from the area. If such action is taken, the person taking the action shall deliver, as soon as possible, a written report via email or text on the event incident (including a detailed narrative of the incident and the names of all persons involved and of any witnesses) to the ConComm, who shall submit the report to the WFC Board so it can consider whether or not to take further action in the matter.
The WFC2026 ConComm is responsible for the implementation of this Policy and the administration of the associated procedures. Upon receiving a report of a violation of this Policy, the ConComm shall provide formal notice (the “Notice”) of such conduct to the WFC Board. As a supplement or alternative to the sanctions of suspension or expulsion, the Board may also take one or more of the following non-exclusive actions:
- Warning one or more parties involved that specified behavior is inappropriate.
- Requiring a formal apology on behalf of the complainant(s).
- Ejecting the offending party from the premises.
- Removing access to WFC2026 spaces or Venues on a temporary or permanent basis.
- Barring a nonmember from future membership.
If the ConComm and/or the WFC Board conclude that the behavior is sufficiently egregious to warrant suspension or expulsion, the procedures relative to the Notice and the Board’s action thereon shall be those procedures set forth in the WFC2026 Code of Conduct Policy The ConComm and/or the WFC Board may use its discretion in pursuing an investigation in cases when the complainant is reluctant to proceed, if the circumstances are deemed to warrant it.
Confidentiality
The ConComm will make every reasonable effort to conduct all investigations into allegations of harassment, intimidation or discrimination in a manner that will protect the confidentiality of all parties. Notwithstanding the above, confidentiality is not absolute, and those with a legitimate business reason to know and to be informed of the allegations will be so informed. Parties to the complaint should treat the matter under investigation with discretion and respect for the reputation of all parties involved.