QCF Community Platform Terms of Service
Q Christian Fellowship provides this Community Platform and its services (including message boards) to offer avenues of support and community for LGBTQ+ Christians. By registering an account and/or using the services on this Community Platform, you agree to be bound by the following Terms of Service. If you do not agree to these Terms of Service, you should discontinue your use of the Community Platform immediately.
While we don’t want to overwhelm you with a bunch of rules or bore you with legalese, we do have to have certain Terms of Service to protect us and our community members and to ensure that this space is used for the purposes for which it was intended. Please read these terms of service carefully.
The intended purpose of the Q Christian Fellowship Community Platform, hosted on Mighty Networks, is:
To make meaningful and healthy connections among LGBTQ+ Christians alongside their parents and other allies;
To have respectful and open-minded discussions around faith, sexuality, gender, identity, and other topics related to supporting, affirming and celebrating LGBTQ+ Christians;
To serve as a safe and welcoming space to connect those who are new and old to the journeys of being LGBTQ+ and Christian.
Safe Community Guidelines
Q Christian Fellowship (QCF) cultivates spaces where people can experience the freedom to be their authentic self, to pursue spiritual connection with others, and to grow in an environment that celebrates differences and diversity. We acknowledge that the cultivation of safety within the Q Christian Fellowship community requires high levels of intentionality and ownership.
Notably, two of the core values of our Centered Set of Sexual Ethics at Q Christian Fellowship are consent and mutuality. We intentionally seek to share power where everyone feels empowered to make their own choices in the community. So we urge you to make sure to seek uncompromised consent before sending that flirty DM, going in for that hug, or more. If you are unsure what it means for consent to be compromised, check out our Safe Community Guidelines. These guidelines recognize human frailties and are not meant to imply a lack of trust within our Q Christian Fellowship community members, but to communicate our deep commitments to protect each other and to cultivate safety. We recognize the vulnerability that can manifest in community where people may be experiencing new-found freedom in their sense of sexuality or gender, where people come from diverse backgrounds, including those who are survivors of sexual violence, and where people are sharing their lives with significant levels of emotional and spiritual intimacy.
We also recognize that individuals affiliated with or directly employed by the Organization may be perceived and/or granted a sense of authority that inevitably impacts how we cultivate a sense of safety together. These Guidelines also provide accountability about the guidelines our staff and leaders are committing to honor. If you have concerns about the behavior of any staff or community member email us at listening@qchristian.org.
User Conduct
While using our Community Platform, users are expected to help us maintain an environment that is safe, Christ-centered, friendly, and supportive of LGBTQ+ Christians and allies. Any activity which harms or disrupts that environment or which counteracts the above stated purposes of this Community Platform is a violation of these Terms of Service and may result in loss of access. This includes but is not limited to the following:
Posting illegal, obscene, profane, defamatory, or threatening content via public or private message systems;
Violating intellectual property rights (such as by posting copyrighted materials without the legal right/permission to do so);
Impersonating any individual;
Using Q Christian Fellowship to seek sexual contacts or make sexual advances toward other users in a manner that does not honor our guidelines and values linked above;
Harassing other users in public or private;
Violating user privacy (such as by posting private communications or airing details of private disputes);
Attacking Q Christian Fellowship’s purpose, mission, policies, direction, or belief statements;
Promoting “ex-gay” or Side X-type ideologies, groups, or organizations publicly or privately (for more info, visit FAQ — Q Christian Fellowship);
Attacking, insulting, or speaking harshly to or about other users on the site, including but not limiting to mocking or disparaging their identity or sexual ethic;
Profanity directed towards another individual;
Sexual content;
Nudity;
Active illegal substance usage;
Any post that is reasonably deemed discriminatory, argumentative, aggressive, incites or glorifies violence, or otherwise fosters an unwelcoming environment;
Submitting spam or other unsolicited self promotion, excessive posting, or advertisements for goods or services (outside of our exhibitor space).
User Accounts
Registering an account within the Q Christian Fellowship Community Platform allows you to access additional features and services through the Mighty Networks website and app. These accounts are provided without warranty or representation from us and may be revoked at any time at our sole discretion. Users are limited to one account per person. Registering multiple accounts, sharing accounts, or allowing banned users to access the site through your account are strictly forbidden and may result in permanent suspension of site access.
User-Submitted Content
By submitting content (such as photos, text, or files) via this Community Platform, you grant Q Christian Fellowship a worldwide, perpetual, nonexclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, modify, distribute, transmit, publish, or create derivative works of any such content, for furthering the mission, vision and values of Q Christian Fellowship. If we deem it necessary for the safety of the Community, we may move, edit, or remove any content you post, without your permission, at the sole discretion of the moderating team.
Children’s Use of This Site
In accordance with the United States Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), Q Christian Fellowship does not accept registrations from children under the age of 13. However, because many of the issues we deal with are relevant to teenagers, we do allow registrations from minors who are at least 13 years of age. We strongly recommend that parents supervise their children’s use of the QCF Community Platformas with any similar website. Adult users should conduct themselves at all times on our Community Platform in a manner that is both legal and appropriate in the presence of minors and should report any concerns immediately to our Community Manager or Board of Directors.
Reporting Inappropriate Content
If you see inappropriate content on our site, please click the “report” button to report it to the moderating team. This button is NOT for content you simply disagree with; it’s for content that violates these rules.
Sexual Content
Content meant primarily for sexual attention or erotic purposes is not permitted. General guidelines about sexual content to keep in mind:
Content, including text or Images (of yourself or others), that are suggestive, revealing, or otherwise designed or otherwise likely to get sexual attention are not allowed. You can post your hot beach bod on Facebook, but it’s probably not a good idea here.
Discussion of topics related to sex is allowed, but it should be treated respectfully and tactfully, and avoid details of sexual “mechanics.”
If there’s doubt about whether particular content falls under this rule, err on the side of caution. Remember: This is a space for people ages 13+, some of whom may be coming from backgrounds more conservative than yours. We want everyone to feel welcome here.
Links & Personal Contact Information
Please do not post publicly any private contact information, such as email addresses, phone numbers, or physical addresses.
We do allow the posting of links to blogs, social media profiles, etc., but we ask that all community members use good judgment in linking materials that might allow other Community Platform members to contact them outside of this online community.
Links to content that is otherwise forbidden by these rules are also forbidden.
Community Platform members will not solicit funds or recruit other members of the Community Platform to participate in MLM (multi-level marketing) organizations or personal product promotion.
Private Messaging & Safety
The QCF Network has a private messaging feature to allow conversations between users. We respect your privacy and do not routinely monitor these messages, but as they are not encrypted, we cannot guarantee freedom from observation in transit, so please use good judgment in what you choose to share. Mighty Networks allows users to turn off private messaging under “Personal Settings” > “Chat” > toggle on or off.
We have no way to verify the identities of all the people who use our Community Platform, so please be careful when exchanging private messages with someone you don’t know. Be very careful before agreeing to meet someone in person or providing them with personal contact details. If someone asks you to send money, makes unwanted sexual advances, or acts in any other way that concerns you, please contact a member of our staff or moderating team immediately.
Theological Disagreement
As this is an ecumenical community, there will be many areas in which members disagree on doctrine—some of these may be very big, important disagreements.
Within this space, we have agreed to disagree. This means that you are welcome to say what you believe and explain why you believe it. You are also welcome to respectfully ask others about their views. This is NOT an appropriate place, however, to try to debate those areas of disagreement or push other community members to change their views, even if you believe their views are very wrong.
If you wish to debate an issue in more depth, you have several options. You could ask other individuals to join you in a private message for the debate; or you could invite people to a space outside of the Q Christian Fellowship community—such as a Facebook group or blog—for the debate.
Except where otherwise noted, debates are not allowed in our message boards. If debates or arguments break out, the discussion may be locked or removed by the moderating team without warning, and repeat offenders’ accounts may be banned.
Politics
Given the inflammatory nature of political news at this time, we currently ask that community members use utmost care in posting content related to partisan politics, apart from politics directly related to LGBTQ+ rights, particularly in cases where it may prove controversial. Consider whether the post is better left for private conversations or venting sessions or therapy!
We do invite conversation around relevant issues to our community, even where it touches on political questions, provided that the discussion is not inflammatory or partisan. In those cases, please keep in mind:
Especially when speaking about hot-button issues, users should speak with Christlike graciousness.
Discuss laws, ideas and concepts—not political parties, other users, or individual candidates.
Disagreement is permitted (we are a richly diverse community after all) but attacking an individual user for their ideas is not.
Healthy discussion is often built on sharing stories of how users came to their convictions.
The ultimate goal of political threads should be that users come to understand one another—not necessarily agree with one another.
Pot-Stirring & Attention-Seeking
Many hurting people use this Community Platform, and some may at times act in inappropriate ways. If you see posts that seem to be designed to “troll” or stir up emotion (such as a user posting intentionally controversial things to get a reaction), or posts designed to create drama and get attention (such as a user posting a dramatic “goodbye” post about leaving the community—only to dramatically return a week later), please report these posts to the moderating team and don’t take the bait.
And please, don’t be that person.
Suicidal Posts
We take threats of self-harm very seriously. If you see anyone on the site threatening to hurt themselves, please:
Alert a QCF Community Platform moderator immediately.
Encourage the poster to call/see their therapist ASAP if they already have one.
Offer your own prayers and support via posts and private messages. (Yes, this may at times reward attention-seeking behavior, but in this case, we believe it’s vital that those who are truly depressed not feel alone.)
Do not offer your own independent diagnosis or counseling (either psychological or biblical). Instead, report these posts to the moderators immediately so appropriate steps can be taken. You are welcome to let a moderator know if you are professionally trained in these situations, though.
If a poster has shared the diagnosis of their trusted and certified professional, do not openly contradict this diagnosis.
Encourage the user to seek professional advice from sources such as the following:
Mental Health Resources
USA: The Trevor Project
Crisis and suicide prevention for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth.
Phone: 866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386)
USA: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Free, 24-hour hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.
Phone: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
UK: Samaritans
Confidential emotional support service for anyone in the UK and Ireland (Not LGBTQ-specific)
Phone: 08457 90 90 90 (in the UK and Northern Ireland)
Phone: 1850 60 90 90 (in the Republic of Ireland)
Canada (for children & youth): Kids Help Phone (Not LGBTQ-specific)
Phone: 1-800-668-6868
Worldwide: Befrienders Worldwide
Finding a Therapist
Find a Therapist, Psychologist, Counselor - Psychology Today
If Your Content Has Been Moderated
Okay, so you broke a rule (we know you probably didn’t mean to) and a moderator moved, edited, or removed something you wrote. Oops! Or maybe you didn’t break a rule at all (at least you sure don’t think so) and the moderator was mistaken. Either way, we hope this can be addressed with grace and understanding on all sides.
Our moderating team is made of people just like you who have volunteered to help keep this space safe and welcoming for all. No one wants to be told they did something wrong, but if that happened to you, we really hope your interaction with the moderator was as pleasant as it could possibly be under the circumstances.
Everyone makes mistakes, though, so if you disagree with the moderator, we encourage you to calmly and graciously explain the situation and talk it out. Hopefully the two of you can come to a decision you can both agree on.
If not, you can appeal the decision by contacting our staff and explaining the situation. We’ll work hard to make sure things get resolved. We’ve been on the receiving end of website moderation too, so we understand it can be frustrating, and we want you to know that we do care.
Please don’t express your frustration with the volunteer moderators by posting things in public to blast their decisions or attack them personally. They’re just volunteers trying to do their best, and they have a tough enough job as it is. Contact our staff, and we’ll work together to find a solution. Thanks for understanding!