Join Us

Below are the Terms & Conditions of the Gay Dad Support Mailing list on Yahoo Groups

When you apply to join via the Yahoo Group Site you will receive a copy of these and instructions and how to respond

Once we have your written confirmation that you agree to the T&C, we shall process your membership

Terms and Conditions of Membership

of the

Gay Dad Support Group

gaydadsupport-owner@yahoogroups.com

1. This group is not a dating agency or ‘contact’ group or for the exchange of pornography.

2. Members are to adhere to the ‘Posting Guidelines’ listed at the end of this document

3. Remember that some members will find swearing offensive. Whilst it is permitted, where occasionally appropriate to do so, excessive swearing should be avoided.

4. The main aim of the group is to provide mutual support and understanding to its members who are gay and the father of or a main carer of a child. This can include partners of gay dads and those who became fathers in other ways other than the 'heterosexual' route. Please do your best to help someone in need when they ask for it.

5. From time to time the moderators of the group may indicate where best to direct a particular topic. If it seems likely to go against the stated aims of the group they will ask for the topic to be continued either in private or on a list specifically set up for this purpose.

6. Events: 

a. No events will be allowed to be posted directly to the group but must be approved by the moderators and entered in the Yahoo Groups calendar by them all members will be assumed to be welcome to attend

b. There must be a named organiser for all events and any event marked as ‘support for gay dads’ must have a write up after the event to pass on what was discussed to members that cannot attend, again, this encourages chatter on the group rather than off it just for those that can meet. Such feedback to this group must respect confidentiality and all identifiable elements must be removed. All questions regarding events should be directed to the individual named as the organiser and this organiser should ask the moderators to update the event listing to cover any issues that he needs other members to be aware of. Where ever possible, arrangements for events will not be discussed on the list.

c. With strong consideration to this group being a free group, members are encouraged not to try and promote paid for events, only costs can be recovered from those attending and these must be made clear on the event promotion.

d. If others apart from just members of Gay Dad Support are also invited to an event, this must be clearly marked in the event details. The confidentiality of this group must be maintained at all times and no postings to Gay Dad Support may be referred to at such meetings unless it is by the person that posted it.

e. Private events, birthdays and the like will be just that, private events and not subject to the terms and conditions, one should assume that just about anyone can be there and that they are not uniquely GDS events but these too need to pass through the moderators. Every member of GDS must be invited else no invite can be sent to the group via the calendar system. Confidentiality must be maintained.

7. No email may include a private phone number or instant messenger details such as MSN, Yahoo or Skype or a private email address suggesting they be contacted privately or off list. Those wishing to share such details can create a listing for themselves in the database at:

 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gaydadsupport

Those wishing to communicate that way can check the database to see if there is someone to talk to.

8. Members may upload pictures of themselves to the photos section of:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gaydadsupport/

Subject to approval by the moderators. The moderators reserve the right to remove, duplicate, large, multiple or a disproportionately high number of pictures from the same member or any pictures to be deemed offensive to others. No image will be displayed away from the Yahoo Group without the express permission of the member concerned.

9. Joining this group is not a statement of sexuality; therefore, no member may question the self-defined orientation of another member.

10. Gay men can become fathers through different circumstances and members are to accept and respect that.

11. This group is restricted to European Union residents only.

12. Disputes

The moderators of the group will deal with any disputes. Their decision will be in accordance with the following guidelines:

• A member will be given a private warning that he has broken his agreement with the group
• This will be followed by their posts being checked prior to being sent to the group. (moderation)
• If the behaviour continues the member has posting rights removed but still remains a member of the group.
• This will be followed, after a period agreed by the moderators, to a return to filtered posting.

If the member continues to abuse their membership or break their agreement, their membership will be terminated. Where a member feels a decision is not fair, they have the right to ask the list owner for adjudication.

13. Advertising is not permitted. If a member has an item or a link they wish to promote, they will first need to clear it with the moderators

14. Neither the list owner nor moderators accepts responsibility for any consequences arising from membership of this group, or from any personal meeting(s), exchange of phone numbers or addresses. Please exercise caution if doing any of these things.

15. The only acceptable method of contacting moderators or the list owner of the group regarding group business is at the official moderators address: 

gaydadsupport-owner@yahoogroups.com

Members emailing moderators or the list owner on group moderation issues are to be aware that such communications will be circulated within the moderation team no matter which email address they use.

16. Confidentiality:

a. Responsibility for protecting identities in personal chronologies or other such details posted to the website(s) lies with the individual posting such information. The list owner and moderators will do everything in their power to protect member’s identity but they are not liable for any information supplied by that member getting into the public domain. If a member is found guilty of passing on such information then their membership will be immediately terminated.

b. Members are expressly prohibited from passing on to non-members any posting, file(s) or other information contributed to the Gay Dad Support group(s) by other members of the group(s) using, publishing or placing any data obtained from the group in the public domain.

17. All posts must be in English.

Posting Guidelines

· Remember, a message sent to gaydadsupport@yahoogroups.com is sent to all members of the group

· Any personally abusive, threatening, or malicious language is expressly forbidden and specifically contravenes the terms and conditions of membership.

· Members should exercise caution when posting a message to the group to make it as understandable as possible; clearly defining the difference between their own words and the post they may be reply to.

· Remember, many members have these emails delivered in plain text format so setting text in bold or a different colour will not show up; all text will look the same.

· Picking through email for minute errors of spelling or grammar is not acceptable. Some members will clearly have greater educational and internet skills than others and no member shall be made to feel he is having his writing style brought into question rather than the point he is trying to make. The duty moderators will keep an eye on such things and contact members directly about such things if they feel it is appropriate.

· Try to avoid too many “me too” messages - add a bit more than “me too”

· Avoid BLOCK CAPITALS = SHOUTING IN EMAIL

· You don’t need to leave the entire original message in your reply - try to delete the extra lines to save download times for those on slow connections.

Payment: No payment will ever be demanded for using any part of Gay Dad Support but this thing does cost money both out of pocket and in 'time'. As such, any member wishing to make a contribution may do so by donating to paypal@outmedia.co.uk  or by offering some other gift as they deem appropriate.