ConFuzzled

Code of Conduct

Last updated: 08/08/2024

ConFuzzled is a professional convention of members of the furry community (and their friends) who are friendly, respectful and open-minded. To avoid any misunderstandings about what kind of behaviour is acceptable, you are required to read and follow this code of conduct. Please keep in mind that these rules apply throughout the convention, including on early arrival and late departure days.

Registration and Badges

  • You must be at least 18 years old by the time of your arrival at ConFuzzled.
  • Only registered attendees may enter convention space. ConFuzzled has exclusive use of the hotel function space, and the hotel reserves the right to decline access or ask any persons not registered for the event to leave at any time.
  • Non-residential badge holders must leave the hotel no later than 3am on the day after their ticket’s validity.
  • You are required to wear your badge prominently at all times, so that you can be identified and recognised as a member of the convention.
  • If you are in fursuit, costume or cosplay, it is acceptable to carry your badge in a pocket or have your handler carry it on your behalf for costuming reasons, but you should be able to produce the badge at any time if asked.
  • Changing, or covering up, any information on your badge (e.g. by using stickers or drawings) is strictly forbidden.
  • ConFuzzled badges are non-transferable. It is strictly prohibited to lend your badge to another person to allow them access to convention space. If caught, this will result in an immediate ejection from the convention for both parties, and a possible future ban from ConFuzzled.
  • To access some of ConFuzzled event spaces (e.g. Art Show, Dealers’ Den, stage events, panels or socials that require prior sign-ups), the attendees may be required to present their badges to the Door Door Operatives before entry.
    • The Door Supervisors reserve the right to refuse entry to the event spaces
    • Any failure to comply may result in the involvement of the SIA Security Team.
  • Pretending to be a registered attendee is strictly prohibited. If caught, this will result in an immediate ejection from the convention, and a possible future ban from ConFuzzled.
  • We request that you do not wear lanyards or badges which could be mistaken for ConFuzzled Staff, Crew or Welfare team members. If observed wearing such items you will be asked to remove them.
  • You are not allowed to wear badges or lanyards from previous convention years that indicate you hold a position within the convention (e.g such as staff or crew) which you have since left.
  • ConFuzzled does not accept any liability resulting from lost room keys. If you have lost your room key please contact the hotel reception immediately.

General Behaviour

  • Instructions from ConFuzzled UK Ltd. executives, event staff, Hilton Security, and venue staff must be followed promptly, primarily for safety reasons.
  • All attendees are expected to treat each other, event staff, and venue staff respectfully and civilly. This includes ConFuzzled staff/crew, and hotel staff equally. We do not tolerate physical or verbal abuse of staff members, or other attendees at the event.
  • I understand that consent is required prior to any physical contact with another ConFuzzled attendee, volunteer, or member of hotel staff including but not limited to any attendee in costume. I understand that any breach of this clause will result in removal from the convention and hotel ground and a ban from future ConFuzzled events.
  • If you are not sure whether somebody wants to be hugged, touched, tackled, or pounced, please ask them first.
  • All actions between attendees must be consensual, including but not limited to social interactions, dancing, hugging etc. “No” means no! Sexual acts are strictly prohibited within event spaces.
  • We reserve the right to ask you to turn down music (e.g. from Bluetooth speakers) or quieten down your activities if you are causing a disturbance to other guests. Repeated breaches may result in further action from the convention team which could lead to a formal warning, ejection from the convention, and possible future bans from ConFuzzled.
  • Discrimination of any kind, including but not limited to racism, transphobia, biphobia, misogyny, ageism, ableism and body shaming, will not be tolerated.

Clothing and Decency

  • ConFuzzled reserves the right to ask attendees to remove costumes, accessories or items of clothing that may cause offence to other attendees, hotel staff and/or members of the general public.
  • ConFuzzled reserves the right to ask attendees to remove any imagery or material that may cause offence to other attendees, hotel staff and/or members of the general public. This includes, but is not limited to: room signs, flyers, business cards, posters and drawings on public message boards.
  • Wearing, displaying or trading costumes, accessories or other items made out of real fur is strictly forbidden.
  • Nudity, and/or the wearing of suggestive clothing, are considered inappropriate in public spaces.
    • In public spaces and during nightclub events (including those with specific Codes of Conduct and dress codes) all nipples must be covered. The use of stickers to give the appearance of uncovered nipples is not permitted.
  • Actions of sexual behaviour are not permitted in public.
  • It is not permitted to display any sign, symbol or clothing that bears resemblance to (or is commonly associated with) any organisation, party or political ideology that generally causes offence.
  • ConFuzzled requires attendees to not enter public areas while wearing costumes or items of clothing that are construed as being inappropriate, and reserves the right to request attendees to remove such items.
  • A non-exhaustive list of items, costumes, and accessories that are deemed inappropriate are as follows:
    • No visibly “anatomically correct” costumes;
    • No visibly sexually modified costumes;
    • No inflatable costumes that are sexually explicit, or that could be construed as sexually explicit and/or fetish related.
  • A non-exhaustive list of items, costumes, and accessories that may be deemed appropriate in specific contexts are as follows:
    • Some items used in age-play, pet-play, or bondage may be acceptable by themselves or when used as an accessory to a costume or fursuit;
    • Pacifiers worn around the neck, but not actively used;
    • Petsuits worn as part of an appropriate costume are permissible in public;
    • Accessories used in a non-sexualised context, such as a dog harness that is part of a sled dog costume;
    • Puphoods (neoprene or leather), muzzles, and show tails may be worn at nightclub and other appropriate scheduled events but not in public areas of the hotel.
    • Puphoods, muzzles, and show tails must not be worn or carried in a manner which leaves them on public display when travelling to or from the Nightclub or an appropriate scheduled event;
    • Collars without a leash attached;
    • Leather wristbands without a D-ring.
  • These guidelines may be superseded by specific dress codes or codes of conduct for specific scheduled events. These will be advertised in advance and attendance to these events will require that you read, sign and comply with the event’s code of conduct and dress code. Outside of these events the standard code of conduct applies.
  • Fursuits and fursuit parts must not be worn in the Art Show and Dealers’ Den.
    • The trying on of fursuit parts being offered for sale is permitted as long as it’s kept within or in front of the Dealers space, and with caution for surrounding attendees.
    • Exceptions:
      • Fursuit tails at the sole discretion of the Convention Staff
      • Kigus or onesies can be worn, but the tail must not be sticking out or extending below the wearer’s knee.
      • ConFuzzled UK Ltd Official Mascots: Brok, Mel, and Dylan.
  • If in doubt, contact ConOps and ask. This can be done before the convention by emailing conops@confuzzled.org.uk, or during the convention at Con-Ops.
  • However, it is entirely the right of the ConFuzzled’s Directors to define the limits of acceptable use, and attendees may be asked to remove items that are deemed unacceptable.

Alcohol, Intoxication, and Other Drugs

The hotel is a licensed premises under UK law. As such the following rules apply.

  • Attendees are reminded to consume alcohol responsibly. Excessive drinking is discouraged, and individuals exhibiting disruptive or intoxicated behaviour may be removed from the event to ensure the safety and comfort of all participants.
  • You are expected to drink responsibly.
  • You will be held liable for what you say and what you do, even if intoxicated.
  • If you appear to be intoxicated, the hotel staff are legally required to refuse service for further alcoholic beverages for yourself, or someone attempting to purchase on your behalf.
  • The hotel reserves the right to refuse service to anyone at any time.
  • Persons who are intoxicated to the point of incapacity may be escorted to their rooms or ejected from the convention.
  • It is strictly prohibited to consume alcohol in public spaces which has not been purchased from the licensed premises. If caught doing so, this may result in immediate ejection from the convention, and a possible future ban to ConFuzzled.
  • Smoking is not permitted anywhere within the premises, except at designated smoking points.
  • The use of vapes and e-cigs is prohibited within the premises, except at designated smoking points.
  • ConFuzzled operates a zero-tolerance policy to the use of illegal substances. The possession, consumption or sale of such items is strictly prohibited. Attendees found in possession of such substances will be handed over to the police and may be banned from the convention. It is your responsibility as a guest to be aware of local laws and regulations.
  • The use of any other substance as a drug (such as nitrous oxide, alkyl nitrites (“Poppers”), glue, “legal highs” etc.) is not permitted in public or event spaces. Failure to adhere to this may result in an immediate ejection from the convention and a possible future ban from ConFuzzled. The use of these substances is undertaken at attendee’s own risk.

General Hotel Rules

  • Be respectful to staff; this includes all volunteers of ConFuzzled, contractors, and hotel staff from the Hilton Birmingham Metropole and Crowne Plaza.
  • The consumption of food or drink purchased outside of the hotel is not permitted in the hotel’s public spaces. This does not include food bought at food trucks on the Hilton grounds.
  • It is strictly forbidden to throw, drop or push any objects out of windows, from balconies, galleries or similar parts of the building. Anyone doing so will be ejected from the convention, and may receive a future ban from ConFuzzled.
  • Attendees may not enter the service areas of the hotel, or “Staff Only” areas of the convention space. This includes all backstage areas, service elevators, the rooftops, emergency exits (unless in an emergency), and all areas marked as “Staff Only”.
  • Tampering with any fire-protection devices – in particular, disabling smoke-detectors or maliciously triggering fire doors or alarms – is illegal, therefore prohibited. Anyone caught doing so will be immediately ejected from the convention, with liability for any damages or associated costs and a possible future ban from ConFuzzled.
  • If you wish to wear body paint, costume paint or make-up, you are solely responsible for any damages caused as a result of transference.
  • Do not deliberately crack open glow-sticks or similar items containing dyes, sticky residue, or corrosive material.
  • Do not affix stickers or similar items to hotel fixtures, furnishings, or property or to ConFuzzled owned property unless it is specifically indicated that you can do so. Failure to comply may result in your ejection from the convention and a future ban from ConFuzzled events.
  • It is not allowed to use glow-sticks as “poi” (i.e. by spinning them at the end of strings).
  • The sale of any kind of merchandise outside the ConFuzzled-sanctioned trading spaces (e.g. the official Dealers’ Den) requires explicit permission from the ConFuzzled Board of Directors. It is the seller’s responsibility to be aware of local laws and regulations.
  • It is permitted to bring a pet to ConFuzzled. However, you must notify both ConFuzzled and the hotel in advance, and purchase a Pet Passport where required.
  • The hotel sits within the Birmingham Airport flight restriction zone, and as such drones and UAVs are strictly forbidden from being used.
  • You are liable for any damage you cause to the hotel and/or convention property. You are encouraged to assess your hotel room on arrival and report any damage to the hotel immediately so as to avoid charges.
  • Fursuits and furry accessories are strictly prohibited in the Hilton Birmingham Metropole executive lounge and health centre.
  • Attendees are only permitted to conduct commercial/business transactions within the Dealers’ Den, Pop-Up Shop, or Art Show and nowhere else within the Convention premises and associated hotel/venue grounds, unless explicitly granted permission to do so by ConFuzzled Directorate.

Hotel Rooms and Privacy

  • You are expected to treat the hotel rooms and property of the hotel reasonably, and with care. You are liable for any charges related to damage, or excessively dirty rooms that may require specialist cleaning and/or repairs.
  • It is strictly prohibited to allow non-residential attendees to sleep and/or stay overnight in your hotel room or party suite a.k.a “Ghosting”. Failure to comply may result in immediate ejection from the convention, and a possible future ban to ConFuzzled, for all parties.
  • We request you make use of provided refuse sacks to dispose of any rubbish.
  • You must not disturb people in any other hotel rooms.
  • We politely request you be mindful of your noise levels after midnight. The convention and/or the hotel reserves the right to take further action against any guest found to be making excessive noise or causing a disturbance. This may result in immediate ejection from the convention, and a possible future ban from ConFuzzled.
  • Additional policies and rules may apply at the Crowne Plaza. Please refer to their terms and conditions for further information.

Hotel Pool and Sauna

  • The hotel pool and associated facilities (sauna, steam room etc) may only be used while wearing appropriate swimwear.
  • Please be considerate of other pool users, and obey any directions from the lifeguards and pool staff as well as all instructional signage.
  • To use pool toys you should first seek permission from a LivingWell member of staff.
  • To avoid cultural misunderstandings, please make yourself familiar with local sauna customs and read the instructions posted in the wellness area.
  • For photography within the swimming pool area, LivingWell offers a pragmatic approach to the use of cameras and other recording devices. The following rules apply:
    • Photography/image recording is not permitted in changing areas, toilets, showers and beauty treatment areas including sunbeds and saunas.
    • In other areas, casual photography/recording of family and friends where all parties know each other, is allowed without any written permission.
    • Any other form of photography/recording is only allowed with written permission from the Hotel/General Manager.

Weapons, Imitation Weapons, and Dangerous Items

  • All weapons, including imitations, replicas, tools and toy weapons, must be approved by ConFuzzled. To check if your item is appropriate please take it to ConOps.
  • For detailed information on what type of weapons are generally acceptable, please refer to the official weapons guide on the ConFuzzled website.
    • ConFuzzled may require your weapon to be peace-bound. Tampering with or removing the peace-binding is not permitted during the convention.
  • Mock fights, swordplay, fire breathing or any other activities that may adversely affect bystanders or hotel property are not allowed without explicit permission from ConFuzzled and written permission from the hotel. If approved this may require a suitable risk assessment and may need to have a staff member appointed to observe the activity.
  • If in doubt prior to the convention, please email conops@confuzzled.org.uk for further guidance.

Photography and Videotaping

  • ConFuzzled UK Ltd. grants you the right to take photographs and videos at the convention for private, non-commercial purposes only.
  • Photography, filming, or taping for the purpose of sale, publication, public media, dissemination or other commercial gain (e.g. Patreon) is expressly prohibited without written permission by ConFuzzled UK Ltd’s Board of Directors.
  • Providing photographs or videos taken at the Convention or of Convention staff, volunteers, mascots, or attendees to media organisations or publishers is expressly prohibited without the prior, written permission of ConFuzzled UK Ltd’s Board of Directors.
  • The Directors of ConFuzzled UK Ltd reserve the right to request that any photographs or videos taken of ConFuzzled UK Ltd’s mascots are removed from forums, websites, or publications for any reason.
  • Photography and filming is generally allowed in all common areas of ConFuzzled UK Ltd, however, photography and filming is strictly forbidden in the Art Show, Dealers’ Den, Fursuit Lounges and at Live Auction events.
    • Dealers are permitted to take pictures of their own Dealers’ space in Den but must ensure that other Dealers’ spaces are not visible.
  • Areas in which attendees have a reasonable expectation for privacy are off-limits for you to record or take photographs. These include but are not limited to: toilets and changing facilities, fursuit lounges, the executive lounge, and “Staff Only” areas.
  • Other restrictions or rules may apply for certain events, and will be announced on location.
  • Official camera teams may record video and take photographs in the public areas of the convention, as well as during events, to be used in various official and endorsed publications such as: the ConFuzzled website, highlight videos, press releases or other promotional materials. You agree that photographs and videos taken of you can be used in such publications, without release or compensation. A release will only be required for material filmed in situations where a reasonable expectation of privacy exists.
  • All journalists, media photographers, and any other members of the press are required to display an official ConFuzzled Press Badge and be accompanied by a member of ConFuzzled staff at all times while in convention space.
    • Members of the press who have not been issued a Press Badge may not conduct interviews, take photographs, or record audio or video footage; they may also be subject to removal from the hotel grounds.
    • Media representatives who do not have Press Badges and are not escorted by a ConFuzzled staff member should be reported to Convention Operations immediately.
  • Please do not take photographs or video of those who do not wish to be photographed. If you are asked to delete a photograph or video by someone within the footage, please respect their wishes.
  • The production of material (e.g. photographs and video) which includes branding of commercial entities (e.g. Hilton Worldwide, The Crowne Plaza Hotel) must be done in accordance with their legal terms and conditions. ConFuzzled UK Ltd accepts zero responsibility for ensuring your material complies with their rules.

Brok the Badger, Mel the Badger & Dylan the Crocodile

  • ConFuzzled UK Ltd is the sole owner of Brok the Badger, Mel the Badger & Dylan the Crocodile and their likeness.
  • Any use of Brok, Mel or Dylan or their likeness in any medium for the purpose of sale, publication, public media, dissemination, or other commercial gain is expressly prohibited without written permission from ConFuzzled UK Ltd’s Board of Directors.
  • You may not sell items featuring Brok, Mel or Dylan in the Dealer’s Den without written permission from ConFuzzled UK Ltd’s Board of Directors.

The Bottom Line…

The following general rule supersedes all other rules and may be invoked at any time:

Any of the following actions or behaviour may result in an immediate ejection from the convention, and a possible future ban from ConFuzzled:

  • Significant interference with convention operations;
  • Excessive discomfort to other attendees, hotel staff, and/or members of the general public; or
  • Adversely affects ConFuzzled’s relationship with its guests or its venues; or
  • Discrimination of any kind, including but not limited to racism, transphobia, biphobia, misogyny, ageism, ableism and body shaming.

Summary

When in doubt, please ask – preferably before the convention starts, by emailing conops@confuzzled.org.uk. We will gladly answer all your questions.

These rules are not open to discussion during the convention.

Decisions by the Board of Directors, and the Hotel are final.

The definition of unacceptable behaviour remains at the discretion of the Board of Directors.