Local Policies

We try not to have too many rules and regulations (everything else in this kit has been nothing more than advice we offer to make things easier for you, given that we learned much of it the hard way). Generally, local group organizers are free to do whatever they want, as long as it’s in the best interest of their local group and/or PyLadies in general.

The following policies have been written up so that you may simply copy and paste them into email responses, to help you deal with awkward or tricky situations.

Swag, Logo Use, and Adaptation

PyLadies and the PyLadies logo are trademarks of the Python Software Foundation.

You may of course use the PyLadies Wordmark and PyLadies Geek logos for promotion, and/or alter them to adapt to your location. Check out our [locations] page for inspiration.

Please read our logo usage policy, but in general, we want the logo to be used as widely as possible to indicate the support of or involvement with PyLadies. If you are a local PyLadies leader, you are free to adapt the logo to your location. (Non-leaders, please [ask] first when using a derived version of the logo or when in doubt).

TL;DR is that any of the graphics in our [PyLadies assets repo] can be used for your own group promotion and/or to show your support. You may also alter the PyLadies Wordmark or PyLadies Geek logo to adapt it to your location. Check out examples on our locations site.

Selling PyLadies Merchandise

Logos used with the intention to sell merchandise, please seek permission from the [PyLadies leadership].

Currently, T-shirts are available via Spreadshirt. Proceeds from the shop benefit the PyLadies organization and go toward things like nonprofit corporation setup, helping new local groups, servers, etc.

Sometimes we also create limited runs of T-shirts, stickers, etc., particularly around PyCon US. Check the blog or ask around in Slack if you’re interested in seeing what we have.

Local Group Merchandise

If you’d like to create merchandise for your own local group, you can create a shop on Spreadshirt, Zazzle, or any other print-on-demand site and have the proceeds go toward your local group.

Or you can have a local print shop print a small run.

Code of Conduct

All PyLadies events (Meetups, conference lunches, etc), online spaces (IRC, Facebook, etc) are beholden to the PyLadies Code of Conduct.

Every PyLadies location is required to make Code of Conduct public in some way. For instance, PyLadies SF has a dedicated [page] on their Meetup space. The PyLadies Slack org #general channel has a link to the [main website’s] Code of Conduct in the topic of the channel.

Please read Responding to CoC Violations for how to appropriately deal with CoC violations.

Guest Policy

(If anyone asks to stay with you in the future other than a trusted friend, say something like “I wish we could accommodate you, but PyLadies has a strict policy of not allowing members to host out-of-town guests” and then paste this, minus the parenthetical note.)

In the interest of safety and security of our members, PyLadies organizers, volunteers, and members are not permitted to host overnight out-of-town guests who wish to visit town for PyLadies events.

This is a strict formal policy, chosen to ensure that the PyLadies organization continues to be taken seriously and treated with complete respect by the professional software and tech communities.

Controversial Issues

As a PyLadies local group organizer, you may be asked for PyLadies’ position on controversial issues. Often, these are diversity-related issues.

PyLadies’ policy is to have no official position on controversial issues. By choosing this policy, we allow ourselves to be a group full of diverse ideas and differing viewpoints.