Munch Information

A munch is a casual gathering of individuals with an interest in or curiosity about BDSM.  In the case of CLASS munches, attendees are individuals with an interest in school role play specifically. The munch is held in a public, vanilla location and participants are expected to behave in a manner appropriate for the location. No role play or other kink activity  is to be conducted at munches.

The CLASS munch is also a place for members new to the CLASS group to network with other members and discuss previous and future play events. The munch may also be used, on a case-by-case basis and by prior agreement, as a venue for vetting new members prior to participation at play events.

For more information about munches in general, see this article.

Discretion

Participants are reminded that everyone attending the munch has different degrees of openness in sharing their interest in school role play and other kink activities.  The munch is a low-key event which caters especially to those new to the community and who may not be comfortable with this aspect of themselves being known.

Participants are therefore asked to protect the munch as a welcoming, non-threatening space for these individuals and to respect their desire for privacy by following these general guidelines:

• Do not share the munch location with anyone. Direct anyone interested in the munch to the moderators.
• In general, do not ask personally-identifying questions (where do you live, what is your job, are you related to. . . ). If a question is asked that you do not feel comfortable answering, say so- you are under no obligation to reveal anything about yourself that you do not feel comfortable doing so.
• Call people only by the names that they give at the munch.  Understand that some people are not comfortable using their real names in a kink setting and may adopt a different name for use at the munch.
• Do not bring fetish gear or other items which may reveal the nature of the group to onlookers to the munch.
• Remember that you are in a pub. Behave as you would in your local.

Dress Code

Vanilla dress is required. Although some people feel comfortable sporting fetish gear in the real world, remember that not all attendees share this attitude. We therefore ask that attendees dress in a way that does not draw attention to the group. Pretend you’re visiting conservative relatives/in-laws when choosing your attire and accessories.

Respect

Be respectful of fellow munch attendees. While munches may serve as a way to get to know potential play partners, this is only part of their purpose.  Use the munch to get to know people as people first.

Also remember that while the munch is a gathering of kinksters, topics of conversation will vary widely, in both kink-related topics and non-kink-related topics.  Participants are under no obligation to participate in any given conversation, and are free to either listen quietly or mingle with another part of the group if a topic comes up in which they do not wish to contribute.

Pre-Meet

Moderators may organise a pre-meet for new munch attendees not yet known to the moderators. This meeting is generally held immediately prior to the main munch in a separate venue. The pre-meet allows new attendees to introduce themselves to a smaller group before joining the main munch, and also allows time for the munch rules to be reviewed and any questions answered.

Note that each munch moderator has different requirements for who must attend the pre-meet, and may or may not require a separate pre-meet for attendees who have already been to another CLASS event. Attendees are advised to read the event posting carefully and to contact the lead moderator named in the event posting with any questions about attendance.

Guideline Enforcement and Vetting

Munch moderators are responsible for enforcing these guidelines at the munches they moderate. Please report any conduct noncompliant with these guidelines to a munch moderator as soon as possible so that the behaviour may be addressed and corrected.

By and large, people (at the CLASS events and otherwise) are friendly, discrete, and safety-conscious. However, some people (at at the CLASS event and otherwise) may not be, and additionally all people may sometimes make foolish decisions.  Munch moderators, event organisers, and the CLASS  board of trustees (BOT) may take action to prevent individuals with a history of actions and behaviours inconsistent with the CLASS mission from attending CLASS events, including CLASS munches. However, it is not reasonable to expect that these leaders can effectively prevent all unsavoury actions or behaviours at CLASS events.

Although munch moderators are not responsible for conduct of attendees outside of the munches they moderate, evidence and reports of this conduct may be used to develop an understanding of an individual’s habits and patterns of behaviour, and may be considered when deciding whether to allow an individual to participate in CLASS events.  Conduct outside of CLASS events which may indicate an individual is not suited to participation in CLASS events may be reported to the munch moderators or any member of the CLASS BOT (the individuals listed as leaders of the CLASS FetLife group).  Note that many factors weigh into the decision of allowing individuals to participate in munches and/or play events, and the final decision is made at the sole discretion of the applicable munch moderator or event organiser, with the exception of general bans imposed by the BOT.

Personal Responsibility

Keep in mind that as the munch is often the first event new members attend, the moderators often base their decision on who may attend on brief online communication and/or a few minutes of in-person interaction at the pre-meet.  Moderators will use these opportunities to confirm that potential attendees are suited to participation in the munch. However, it is not reasonable to expect this system to guarantee that all attendees will adhere to the expectations of discretion and responsibility of the CLASS group at all times.

Therefore, please use common sense and treat your munch friends the same way you would any other strangers you meet in pubs. Be careful about what personal information you reveal. Additionally, caution is recommended before arranging to meet anyone from the munch privately.  For general tips on precautions when meeting new kinky friends privately, see this article.

Revision

This is a living document. Revisions must be approved by a majority of the munch moderators. The CLASS owner may also make urgent changes as needed in advance of a vote, but should seek ratification of changes through a formal vote in a timely manner. Last Revision: 03 September 2016