In Winnipeg we've been running a series of workshops for Women, Trans, Femme and Non-binary folks both for people already involved in community bike shops and those entirely new to bikes and the cbs world.  While most of the workshop have been mechanically-focused, last night's was a facilitated discussion about safe space creation and being assertive in (traditionally) male-dominated spaces. It was a really good workshop and included a number of people already involved in Women&Queer/WTF nights. The workshop was relatively broad and there was strong interest to follow up with a discussion about more tangible details that could be incorporated into shop experience.  

Before we reinvent the wheel, we'd love to hear what you folks have been doing at your shops.  Specifically: 

- How do you decide who is included in WTF etc nights?  How do you describe this (in advertising, in talking to people about it...) without it getting to be a super long and cumbersome title?  

- What sort of a script does your greeter use on WTF nights to let people know who is welcome and who is welcome to come another night without making everyone feel overly policed? 

- What sort of a script do you use with people who insist on using the space when it is a time designated for a WTF night? 

- Does anyone have clear and detailed safe-space policies including consequences of behaviour outside of those policies/guildelines?  It'd be great to work out some more specifics beyond the relatively general shop rules all of the CBSs!

- How have you approached educating new volunteers about safe spaces in volunteer orientation?  We're interested having a more expanded section about safe space discussion in our various shops' orientation sessions (how to conduct yourself as a volunteer; how to approach others who are behaving inappropriately...).  

I know many of you have put a lot thought into these sorts of questions and we would love to hear your wisdom!

Thanks!

Benita