Journalism plays a crucial role in society.
Journalists report significant events, policies and controversies daily. They expose wrongdoing, challenge unfairness and satirise, amuse and entertain.
Such power comes with responsibility. Trust in journalism matters.
We have signed up to be regulated by IMPRESS, the independent press regulator. Actually, we're first (and only) regulated UK LGBTQIA+ publication in the UK.
It means we're held to a higher standard of regulation than the Daily Mail. Press regulation in the UK is not mandated by law, it's entirely optional - even after the Hacking Inquiry.
The IMPRESS code sets out everything you'd expect from a journalist - reporting fairly, ethically and morally. And as we set out to model the change we believe the IMPRESS rules create a safer environment for LGBTQIA+ stories. We hope other publications will follow suit.
In regards to sharing your contributions to QueerAF, the code applies on your platforms too, including social media. It also applies when you're representing us at events or in other spaces.
Below, you'll also find additional contributor guidelines from QueerAF too.
Impress rules
Contributors who submit to QueerAF agree to the following IMPRESS regulation rules:
- I will observe the ethical standards and guidelines set out in the IMPRESS Standards Code. https://www.impressorg.com/standards/impress-standards-code/our-standards-code/
- As an employee/contributor, I have a contractual right to use the IMPRESS whistleblowing hotline and to decline to breach the Standards Code without fear of any action or sanctions being taken against you. http://impress.press/complaints/whistleblowers.html
- I will report complaints or compliance failures to QueerAF Founder/Editor Jamie Wareham without delay.
The entire IMPRESS standards code is easy to scan, and a valuable read. We believe it sets a good standard that all journalism in the UK should follow. Much of the UK press is not signed up to the regulator. We wanted to draw your attention to this section in particular:
4. Discrimination
4.1 Publishers must not make prejudicial or derogatory reference to anybody based on the following characteristics: (a) Age, (b) Disability, (c) Health, (d) Gender identity or reassignment, (e) Marital or civil partnership status, (f) Pregnancy, (g) Race, (h) Religion, (i) Sex or sexual orientation, ( j) Any other characteristic that puts a person at risk of discrimination
4.2 Publishers must not refer to a person’s disability, health, gender reassignment or identity, pregnancy, race, religion or sexual orientation unless this characteristic is relevant to the story.
4.3 Publishers must not encourage hatred or abuse against any group based on their characteristics, as detailed in Clause 4.1.
QueerAF rules
Contributors who submit to QueerAF agree to the following:
- I will not submit any copy generated by AI, unless previously discussed with the editorial team at the pitch stage.
- I will not plagiarise anyone else's work.
- I will abide by UK media law.
- I understand the work I submit becomes the intellectual property of QueerAF for the organisation to use as it sees fit.
- I will not republish any work I submit to another organisation or website, except for personal or professional portfolios, without permission.