Anti-Harassment Policy

Everyone in our community arrives with their own understanding of cultural and social norms. To best support our diverse community, we ask that everyone read and understand the behaviors that are considered unacceptable by the Joan Mitchell Foundation and the Joan Mitchell Center.

We have a zero-tolerance policy against threats or intimidation, stalking, bullying or verbal abuse, gestures of a violent or inappropriate nature, sexual harassment, physical assault, or any other behavior that makes an individual feel uncomfortable on account of actual or perceived age, race, creed, color, national origin, sex, religion, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, ancestry, marital status, veteran status or other military status, legal alien status or citizenship status, genetic carrier status, genetic information, AIDS or AIDS-related complex or HIV status, being a victim of domestic violence, participation in a protected activity, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

While we cannot present an exhaustive list of behavior that would be seen as unacceptable, examples include:

• Offensive, derogatory, threatening, or aggressive remarks about a person’s actual or perceived gender, gender identity + expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, age, language, body size, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, socioeconomic standing, or otherwise.
• Deliberate misgendering or use of an individual’s ‘dead’ or rejected names.
• Pattern of inappropriate social contact, such as requesting/assuming inappropriate levels of intimacy with others.
• Persistent verbal or behavioral micro-aggressions such as a comment or action that negatively targets a person or a marginalized group of people, whether intentional or accidental.
• Leering, making sexual gestures, or displaying sexually suggestive objects, pictures, cartoons, calendars, or posters at someone that are not related to your artistic practice.
• Making or using derogatory comments, epithets, slurs, and jokes
• Verbal sexual advances or propositions
• Verbal abuse of a sexual nature, graphic verbal commentaries about an individual's body or physical appearance, sexually degrading words used to describe an individual, suggestive or obscene letters, notes or invitations
• Touching (without consent), assault, or impeding or blocking movement. Offensive and unwelcome physical contact of a sexual nature, including the touching of another’s body; the touching or display of one’s own body, or any similar contact.

We all share a communal responsibility to report harassment to ensure a safe working environment for everyone. Staff should report any incidents of harassment to their supervisors or communicate their concerns directly to HR or through our HR inbox: [email protected]. Program participants should report incidents to their Program Manager or Director. Note: Harassment claims can be made on behalf of other employees or program participants to any member of leadership if they witness it.