Download a pdf version of this policy here.
ABOUT SQIFF
SQIFF (Scottish Queer International Film Festival) was formed with the aim of adding to the exciting and growing amount of queer film stuff happening around Scotland. Since 2015, we have held an annual Festival in Glasgow alongside providing year round events across various locations. SQIFF aims to build community through queer films. Our goal is to get people watching, talking about, and making more queer films. We want to screen movies that people might not otherwise get a chance to see and create inspiring and informative events across Scotland. Moreover, we want to support marginalised groups within the LGBTQIA+ community by providing a networking system for queer filmmakers, as well as filmmaking workshops for audiences wanting to start on the medium. We want to challenge inequalities and barriers to accessing the arts.
This Equalities Policy outlines SQIFF’s commitment to fair and equitable opportunities for all, in accordance with the Equalities Act (2010).
This Equalities Policy includes information on:
- Policy Statement
- Purpose
- Principles
- SQIFF’s commitment to ensuring safe environments for Trans, Non-Binary and/or Gender Diverse People, and people of the Global Majority
POLICY STATEMENT
Scottish Queer International Film Festival (SQIFF) is an organisation formed to promote equality and inclusion in the area of LGBTQ+ film exhibition. As such, SQIFF is fully committed to equality in all its activities, including its public events and persona and in all its other dealings.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to provide equality for all in SQIFF’s employment, all who access SQIFF’s services, and all with whom SQIFF has dealings. It lays out our specific commitments to equality and makes SQIFF responsible to the public as well its employees, voluntary staff, and audience members for acting on those commitments. This policy can be read in conjunction with SQIFF’s Safeguarding, Fair Work, HR and Recruitment and Safer Spaces policies.
PRINCIPLES
Our equality and inclusion strategies incorporate but are not limited to lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, genderqueer, non-binary, intersex, and queer people, women and girls, people who are deaf or hard of hearing, people with disabilities, people of all ages, people of different religions, people of colour, people of the global majority people on low incomes, people in the asylum system, migrants, and people living across all geographical areas of Scotland.
SQIFF is compliant with the Equality Act 2010, recognising, in reinforcement of the above, the protected characteristics of age, disability, gender / gender reassignment, marriage / civil partnership, pregnancy / maternity / paternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.
Our commitment to equality includes:
Employees, and volunteers
- Creating an environment in which individual differences and the contributions of all our, employees, and volunteers are recognised and valued.
- Creating an environment that promotes dignity and respect for all. No form of intimidation, bullying, or harassment will be tolerated.
- Promoting equality for employees, and volunteers.
- Ensuring that every possible effort is made to accommodate the accessibility needs of every member, employee, volunteer, or job applicant.
- Treating breaches of the Equalities Policy seriously and taking any necessary action when they are suspected or reported.
- Regularly reviewing all employment and volunteering practices and procedures to ensure that no employees, volunteers, or job applicants are treated less favorably than others.
Audience members, artists, performers, and guests
- Creating an environment in which every person attending a SQIFF event or interacting with SQIFF feels safe, welcome, and free from discrimination or harassment, including but not limited to:
- Not tolerating any verbal, physical, or sexual harassment.
- Encouraging respectful behavior and use of language.
- Taking into account equality of representation of LGBTQ+ communities in all programming decisions.
- Ensuring every possible effort is made to accommodate the accessibility needs of audiences and guests, including but not limited to:
– Using only venues which are fully accessible for people with disabilities which affect their mobility, e.g. wheelchair users, including provision of accessible toilets and provision for artists, performers, and guests.
– Screening all films with English subtitles or captions or with BSL interpretation.
– Providing BSL interpretation or other provision for deaf and hard ofhearing audiences for introductions, talks, and discussions.
– Providing large print versions of any printed material produced by SQIFF.
– Noting all accessibility measures and provision in all advertising ofevents.
– Providing childcare options and/or child-friendly environmentswhere possible and appropriate.
– Making all screenings and events free or low cost.
– Putting on events which privilege the safety and inclusion ofspecific audiences, e.g. women-only (trans inclusive), trans, non-binary and gender diverse people-only, or people of colour-only, where appropriate.
– Ensuring permission is obtained or opt-out is made possible for any photographing or video recording of SQIFF events.
– Providing ‘content warnings’ which detail any content of films or other media which are particularly likely to cause distress to some audience members.
– Ensuring all committee members, employees, and volunteers are fully informed of and trained in equality measures. - Regularly reviewing all policies and programming decisions which ensure equality for audiences.
Recruitment
SQIFF is committed to equality in its recruitment procedures for all employees and volunteers.
Our commitment to equality for employees and volunteers includes:
- Paid and voluntary positions will be open to all.
- Job descriptions, person specifications, and job advertising will not exclude, discriminate against, or discourage any particular group from applying.
- Application and selection procedures will be clear, open, and every possible effort will be made to accommodate any adjustments necessary for accessibility during the recruitment, application, interview, and employment stage.
Grievance Procedures
SQIFF will take seriously, investigate, and take any necessary measures to deal with complaints of discrimination or breaches of its Equalities Policy and will not victimise people who make such complaints.
Responsibility
The responsibility for implementation of SQIFF’s Equalities Policy lies with its staff team, volunteers, audience members, and Board of Trustees.
All employees, and volunteers have the individual responsibility to:
- Comply fully with SQIFF’s Equalities Policy.
- Draw the attention of SQIFF’s staff team to suspected or alleged discriminatory practices or breaches of its equality measures.
- Refrain from harassing, intimidating, or discriminating against others, employees, volunteers, or audience members.
COMMITMENT TO TRANS, NON-BINARY AND/OR GENDER DIVERSE PEOPLE AND PEOPLE OF THE GLOBAL MAJORITY
We are committed to providing an environment that is welcoming, accessible and inclusive for all attendees, staff, guests and volunteers, in person and online. In particular, SQIFF works to provide the safest environment for Trans, Non-Binary and/or Gender Diverse People and people of the Global Majority.
Please refer to SQIFF’s Trans, Non-Binary and/or Gender Diverse People Statement and Anti-Racism Policy to see our full statement and measures.
We welcome any comments and suggestions that can help us to develop our Equalities Policy: [email protected].