Virtual Brotherhood by the Bog

Guidelines,Etiquette, and Code of Conduct

By participating in the Virtual Brotherhood by the Bog event, you agree to the following guidelines, code of conduct, and virtual etiquette policies. Violation of these policies may be grounds for dismissal from the virtual retreat.

General Guidelines

Attendance

Attendance to the Virtual Brotherhood by the Bog (BBTB) is open to all respectful seekers who feel they have something to learn or offer by participating. The event itself is marketed toward Pagan men, but we welcome curious non-Pagans and even women to the event – though it should be realized that the focus of the weekend is brotherhood, and our workshops and activities will be Pagan-oriented and male and masculine focused. Gay, Bi, and Trans men are welcome and will be represented. Straight and cisgender men will also be represented. The event is open to all respectful seekers regardless of path, practice, political or religious affiliation, or other characteristics.

 

We realize that many folks will be attending our workshops and activities while juggling mundane activities such as work, family, and other obligations. We encourage you to take in as many workshops and activities as you can, but we realize that you may not be able to attend everything. We hope to offer recordings of our workshops and activities at a later time for those who cannot attend during their regular scheduled time.

 

This virtual event is free. To attend, you must agree to our “Guidelines, Etiquette, and Code of Conduct” and join our Virtual BBTB Facebook group. Links to all workshops and events will be posted there.

Minors

Minors over the age of 16 may attend with parental approval. They may not attend any workshops or activities designated as 18+.

Communication

Please use the discussion board on the Virtual BBTB Facebook group for any necessary communication during the retreat – this includes sharing workshop and activity links, technical difficulties, if a workshop or activity is running late, and so forth. Please reserve communication on the main discussion board to necessary communication related to logistics of the virtual retreat. Please use rooms within the Facebook group for socializing and/or extended conversations regarding workshops and activities. If you have any questions or concerns, you may direct those to the main discussion board or contact any of our staff directly through Facebook Messenger.

Workshop and Activity Proposals

We welcome you to propose and present a workshop, ritual, or other activity. We have a limited number of workshop slots available. Your workshop should be related to the theme of the current year’s retreat, Paganism, Pagan paths and practices, Pagan men, or the men’s movement. Rituals, crafts, and other activities are welcome. We value diversity and would especially like to invite gay and bi Pagan men, Trans men, and Men of Color to present. If your workshop will discuss mature themes, please let us know so we can add an 18+ rating to your event. We will be filling a dozen or so workshop slots. We do not have a specific deadline for workshop proposals though the earlier you get your proposal in, the better chance your workshop will be approved. A full schedule of will be posted to our web pages as we get closer to the event.

Virtual Platforms

BBTB Facebook Group

This group will be a primary means of communication between the planners and attendees and vice-versa. To protect the privacy of attendees, this group requires approval and acceptance of our “Guidelines, Etiquette, and Code of Conduct” to join. Here announcements will be made, links to virtual workshops will be sent, and links to recorded workshops will be shared. Attendees and workshop presenters experiencing technical problems or other issues may share them here. We may offer “rooms” as a social component during the retreat.

Zoom

Most workshops and activities will take place in Zoom. This is a common virtual meeting platform that many are already familiar with. Zoom offers a virtual chat function and also the ability to record workshops to be shown again later.

BBTB / Arcadia YouTube Channel

We have created a private YouTube channel to share recorded workshops and other events for both the Arcadia and the Brotherhood by the Bog retreats.

Vendors / Networking

We ask that you keep the sharing of your group, services, and vendor information and links to a minimum during the retreat so as not to distract from the weekend’s activities or clutter the discussion boards. We do want to offer you the opportunity to share your information and feel the best place for this is in your virtual introduction at the start of the retreat and also when saying goodbye at the end of the retreat. Please share any group, services or vender information and links during your initial introduction on the Virtual BBTB Facebook group at the beginning of the retreat and feel free to remind folks of your relevant links and contact information on the discussion board once the retreat has concluded. All introductions and goodbyes should be brief and relate to the audiences represented in the retreat.

Digital Recording

Please be aware that most workshops, rituals, and activities will be recorded so that those who could not attend can watch them at a later time. These will be shared to a private YouTube channel. To protect the privacy of participants, please do not share this link with others who did not attend the virtual retreat.


The recording, sharing, or publishing of any video or photos from the virtual retreat for any reasons beyond the retreat itself are not permitted.


Brotherhood by the Bog reserves the right to use some images for archival and marketing purposes and on our website. If you have any concerns about your personal image appearing anywhere public, please contact a staff member.

Virtual Behavior

Code of Conduct

  • Please be respectful and courteous to other presenters, other attendees, and staff during the virtual retreat.
  • BBTB is a spiritual retreat, not a political one. Therefore, any discussions of politics should relate specifically to the workshops, activities, and themes at hand, if these are discussed at all.
  • Hate speech will not be tolerated.
  • Abusive language or behavior will not be tolerated.

Etiquette and Moderation

  • Please be on time for all events as this will allow presenters to start on time and minimize distractions during their workshops. In most cases, presenters will start allowing participants in 5-10 minutes early so the activity may start on time. If you must be late, please enter quietly.
  • Please mute your microphone during workshops and activities when you are not actively presenting or contributing to discussion. This will help reduce background noise.
  • Presenters will state their preferences whether they will accept questions during the workshop or whether there will be a Q&A session at the end. Please abide by their preferences.
  • A timekeeper / moderator will be appointed for each workshop / activity to ensure that each event wraps up on time. He will alert the presenter by private Zoom message at the 15-minutes, 10-minutes, and 5-minutes before the scheduled end of the workshop. The timekeeper will also watch the virtual chats and alert the presenter by private message if there are any questions or comments that require attention. In some cases, the presenter may ask that questions and comments be saved until the end of the workshop.
  • Please don’t dominate the conversation. Allow other folks time to talk when audience participation is allowed. This is especially true if you are an ally. Sometimes the most important thing you can do as an ally is to listen. Also, extroverts please give the introverts a chance to be heard.