Code of Conduct

HARASSMENT

Costume-Con defines harassment as: “ANY behavior that intentionally annoys or alarms another person.”

This includes, but is not limited to,

• Harassment in advance of the convention, including by phone, text message, e-mail, or any type of social media platform (including Discord, YouTube, Twitch, other streaming or video services, or podcasts)
• Harassment by phone, text message, e-mail, or by any social media platform (including Discord, YouTube, Twitch, other streaming or video services, or podcasts) during or after the convention
• Offensive verbal comments
• Deliberate intimidation
• Stalking
• Following
• Harassing photography or recording
• Inappropriate physical contact
• Unwelcome sexual attention
• Appropriation of cultural or religious dress, and/or mocking of minorities, cultures, marginalized people through costume, gestures, symbols, and language
• Use of symbols, however historically accurate, that are current symbols of hate
• Sustained disruption of convention events

Anyone asked to cease any harassing behavior is expected to comply immediately, regardless of the source of the request. Failure to comply may result in expulsion from the convention and possibly the hotel.

If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a Costume-Con staff member immediately either by approaching them directly, or by contacting Convention Operations. If you believe that there is a threat of immediate physical harm, please dial 911 or contact hotel security.

ACCESSIBILITY

We at Costume-Con39 take accessibility seriously.  Unfortunately, we can’t make the entire con barrier-free. We are limited by finances, volunteer staffing, and reality: Sometimes the accommodation essential to one person (a helper animal, for example) is a barrier to another (those allergic to animals). Let us know, please, if you encounter difficulties or if you can offer suggestions or help.

PHOTOGRAPHY and RECORDING POLICY

Costume-Con39 is a public event. Members may be photographed, recorded, or filmed in any public or convention space. Specific events may ban photography, filming, and/or recording.  Such restrictions will be announced on the website, in the Pocket Program, and/or at the specific convention event.  If a staff member or attendee request that you refrain from recording/filming/photographing them, please respect their wishes.

Costume-Con 39 itself reserves the right to record video, audio and images of convention programming over the course of the weekend, for use in future promotional efforts for subsequent events.  Said video and sound will be neither sold nor used for any other purpose.

PRIVACY POLICY

Costume-Con 39 is committed to protecting the privacy of our members. We use the information that we collect on our website in the following ways:

• We use the information you provide about yourself when placing an order only to complete that order. We do not share this information with outside parties except to the extent necessary to complete that order.
• We use return email addresses to answer the email we receive.
• If you want us to provide your contact information to future Costume-Cons, you must explicitly OPT-IN for us to be able to do that.

WEAPONS POLICY

We all know that conventions and cosplay go together like bullets and guns, and weapons can be a key part of many good costumes. Costume-Con 39 encourages the creation of brilliant weapons props — we want to see them just as much as your friends do! Our venue is a public space and the safety of everybody is everyone’s responsibility, so please familiarize yourself with our weapons policy.

• No live firearms of any kind, including CCW. Unless you are law enforcement required to carry for duty reasons, please leave your guns at home.
• No DWAT guns or parts kits guns. If it looks like a real gun, we — and Hotel security in particular — will treat it as a real gun. Airsoft and other plastic models must be marked with a blaze orange barrel or plug according to California State law.
• Sci-fi guns must look like sci-fi guns. If there is any question, please mark them with an orange indicator or zip tie as mentioned for airsoft above. If you need a zip tie for “peace tying/bonding” they are available at Convention Operations, but we encourage you to bring your own.
• Bladed weapons must remain sheathed and peace tied. Bladed weapons of any kind may not be drawn in any public place at con unless pre-authorized by the convention (like sanctioned demonstrations or blade vendors)
• Do not brandish any weapon at any time. You may know it’s fake, we may know it’s fake, but it’s bad manners and it makes people jumpy. Don’t point guns, knives, swords, ninja stars or small tactical nukes at anybody (unless it is a photo op, everybody involved has consented, and you are a SAFE distance from other con goers).
• Unsanctioned dueling of any kind is forbidden. No play fighting or “killer tag” games. Again, we don’t want you or the innocent getting hurt. To that, no swinging weapons of any kind in a public space (see brandishing above). It’s all fun and games until somebody loses an eye, then it’s New Caprica.
• No illegal weapons of any kind. California has fairly strict laws about various kinds of martial arts weapons, ballistic knives, and “decorative” blades. Please familiarize yourself with state law before bringing a live blade/bludgeon weapon of any kind to the con. Save that stuff for the Dojo.
• Don’t act like an idiot.

Many conventions in the United States are banning weapons altogether, and we think that spoils the fun. We would rather that you obey our simple guidelines and have safe weekend. It’s a fairly liberal weapons policy, and we’d like to keep it that way; please don’t be careless and ruin it for everybody else. Let’s use common sense, err on the side of caution with our prop weapons, and make sure it stays fun.

Vaccination and Pandemic Policy

We at Costume-Con 39 care about the health and safety of our fellow attendees.   UPDATED 2/8/2023

The pandemic of SARS-CoV2, commonly called COVID-19, continues, more or less as expected. We are slowly shifting into the endemic phase.  After repeatedly extending it, the US Federal government has announced that it will end the public health emergency on May 11, 2023 (3 weeks after the convention).

The Public Health Department of Santa Clara County, where Costume-Con 39 will be held, still recommends masks for indoor events.  We are still seeing a mixture of Covid, influenza and RSV in the community, and hospitals are at or near capacity.  So we still need to be careful and we will always follow or exceed the county, state, and federal recommendations at the highest level.

Attendance, including staff, will be capped to allow for adequate social distancing. 

Our goal, as always, is to provide our attendees with a safe and enjoyable experience.  As such, and acknowledging that some people will disagree with us, we are setting the following requirements:

• Documented vaccination, with the appropriate number of doses and boosters, per current recommendations from the CDC*. 
  • Vaccination series must be completed at least 2 (two) weeks prior to the start of the convention.
  • Accepted documentation includes your vaccination card or a photo of the card, a letter from your state health department, or an electronic verification (i.e., the CDPH Smart Health Card).
  • Photo ID that matches the name on the vaccination documentation will be required at badge pick-up.
• Masks should be worn in all convention spaces, and are recommended in public areas of the hotel.  Exceptions include:
  • when actively eating
  • during stage competition (but masks are recommended in the green room)
  • during active photography (i.e., competition photography)
  • Acceptable masks include surgical masks, N95, KN95, KF94, or Z95 types.  Triple layer masks (sometimes called “Level 3” masks) are acceptable.  This means no gaiters, bandannas, vented masks, or mesh/lace/single fabric layer masks.
  • We recommend making mask covers to match costumes.
• Eating will be restricted to designated locations (i.e., the restaurants)

Should an attendee refuse to wear a mask, or not mask properly, we will warn that person as a corrective action.  If they continue to refuse, we may revoke their membership.  

• Note that the ADA does not require exemptions of any kind during a public health emergency.   
• We will be sharing the hotel with other people.  They may be unmasked, and we have no control over them.

We know that not everyone agrees with this.  However, if we are going to make a mistake, we want to err on the side of being more cautious, more safety conscious, with the goal of keeping everyone healthy.

*https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html