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- GAYTEEN POLICY
- Rules as of January 1, 1993
-
-
- 1) PURPOSE:
- The purpose of GAYTEEN is to provide a forum for the discussion by
- teens of the concerns by teens relating to a homosexual sexuality. Many of
- the participants are teens who have already come to terms with their
- sexuality. Other participants are teens who are "exploring their options"
- and want to learn more about the homosexual lifestyle.
-
-
- 2) ACCESS:
- GAYTEEN is an International Fidonet Backbone Echo which is
- available to any BBS which can receive echoes from the Fidonet Backbone. It
- is preferred that Sysops allow ALL teen callers access to the echo
- (including first-time callers) for reading purposes. If your software
- supports a different security level for writing messages, it is preferred
- that writing privileges be withheld until you are comfortable enough that
- the user will not be violating these rules, since the Sysop is ultimately
- responsible for all messages leaving his/her BBS. Sysops are requested to
- try to insure that ONLY those people under the age of 20 will have access
- to the echo. Otherwise, no one should be barred from the echo because of
- age, sexuality, or any other criteria, as long as they abide by these
- rules.
-
- 3) USER NAMES:
- The decision as to the form of name required for use in the
- conference is left to the individual sysop of each participating BBS.
- This means that some systems may allow handles while others might not.
- When handles are permitted, they should be of two parts, so as
- to form a name which could pass as a possible real name. Handles may not
- bear sexual connotations or innuendoes; nor contain terms which are
- offensive in polite society. Handles may not be a common name that would be
- easily selectable by several different people, thus causing problems with
- mail delivery.
-
- 4) MESSAGE CONSTRUCTION:
- a) High ASCII characters are discouraged in Fidonet because of
- the problems they can cause to mailers, packers, and even non-IBM
- machines. They are not tolerated in this echo.
- b) ALL CAPITAL LETTERS HAVE THE EFFECT OF SHOUTING. It is also
- an illiterate style. Please do not shout or be illiterate.
- c) The official language of GAYTEEN is English and messages
- should only contain English language.
- d) Private messages are not permitted since the Fidonet Backbone
- does not support them.
- e) The 'From:' line must either be a real name, or a
- non-offensive pseudonym. The word SYSOP is not allowed in the 'From:"
- line.
-
- 5) MESSAGE CONTENT:
- a) Messages will not contain profanity or words defined in
- Webster's dictionary as obscene. If you wouldn't use the word in front
- of your grandmother, then don't use it here.
- b) Messages will not depict or describe sexual acts of any kind
- or 'How to' messages designed to improve performance.
- EXCEPTION: Messages couched in formal medical terminology
- whose primary purpose is to promote safe sex are allowed as long as they
- do not appeal to a person's prurient interests.
- c) Messages will not promote, advocate or otherwise encourage
- the use of illegal substances, the conduct of illegal acts or the
- abuse of various substances or things (i.e. alcohol, children, etc).
- d) This echo is for civilized, reasonably mature discussions.
- Messages will not be inflammatory or abusive toward, or about, anyone,
- or anything.
- e) No advertising of any kind is permitted. This particularly
- includes messages telling the world what you are looking for, either as
- a lover, or as a 'one-night stand'.
- f) Phone numbers and addresses are not permitted, under any
- circumstances. BBS and other computer numbers are also prohibited.
- Origin lines MUST have a valid Fidonet address in them.
- g) Messages MUST be on-topic. To be on-topic, a message must be
- discussing the aspects of teen-agers who either are gay, or may be gay. The
- world, at large, is continually bombarded by negative-ness about being gay.
- The main purpose of this echo is to counteract those situations - to
- provide a 'safe haven' type of atmosphere, particularly for teens who are
- curious about what it is like to be gay; teens who are just begining to
- come to terms with their own sexuality.
- NOTE: Threads will frequently start out on-topic and quickly
- drift to something else. It is the responsibility of each participant to
- recognize this and either steer the thread back on-topic, or to end the
- thread.
- h) Messages must be of interest to all readers. One-on-one
- messages between a few people are not permitted.
-
- 6) MESSAGE QUOTING:
- The quoting of a SMALL portion of the message you are replying
- to is encouraged to establish the context of your reply. However, the
- quoting of large portions of the message is discouraged. Quoting of the
- SEEN-BY lines and PATHS is prohibited, since this messes up some of the
- Fidonet mailers and packers.
-
- 7) VIOLATION OF THE RULES:
- If another person has violated the rules, or made some
- inappropriate comment, refrain from responding IN the echo. We don't
- need several people responding to one violation, causing a lot of
- unnecessary messages. It is the Moderator's job to deal with this, and
- it will frequently be done behind the scenes.
- Violators will be dealt with in accordance with the then
- currently active Fidonet Echo Policy.
-
- 8) ANNOYING BEHAVIOR:
- Fidonet policy details (and prohibits) annoying behavior.
- Annoying behavior by anyone in the GAYTEEN conference shall not be
- allowed. According to the Webster's New World Dictionary of the American
- Language:
- annoy - to irritate, bother, etc as by a repeated action.
-
- 9) COMPLAINTS & CRITICISMS:
- Complaints and criticisms (both good and bad) are Off-Topic in
- the conference and will not be tolerated. You can netmail them to the
- Moderator. Netmail that is coherent and rational will be responded to;
- otherwise I will use my delete key. Complaints and criticisms are also
- expected to contain suggested ways to correct the situation. This also
- applies to suggested amendments to these rules. Proposed amendments are
- off-topic in the echo. Ask your local Sysop for more information about
- sending Netmail to me.
-
- 10) PRECEDENCE:
- Should any item in this set of rules be in direct contradiction
- with that of the current Fidonet Policy (presently Policy 4), Fidonet
- Echo Policy, or any other upper Fidonet policy currently in existence or
- to be released in the future, then the rules as stated in said upper
- level document shall apply in lieu of that of this document.
-
- 11) AUTHORITY:
- The Moderator has the sole authority to determine who is, and
- who is not violating these rules. The Moderator's interpretation of the
- rules will be the final decision.
- Anyone who does not agree to these rules CAN NOT participate in
- the GAYTEEN Echo. The first posting of a message by a person in this
- echo constitutes his/her total acceptance of the rules.
-
- Sid Balcom,
- Moderator 1:109/343
-
-
-