Gender Requirements

It’s come to our attention that we’ve been operating under gender binary assumptions, unintentionally excluding those who may not identify as either male or female. Further, we recognize that gender-based requirements carry the implication that skill is linked to gender. We sincerely apologize for any unintentional gender bias or discrimination. A key part of CCC’s mission is inclusivity, and we have been working hard to reflect this in our procedures and protocols accordingly.

You will see that we have updated the language of our Player Requirements this year, particularly for events that previously included gender-specific minimums or gameplay. Our hope and expectation is that you will help us continue to build a community focused on fostering a welcoming environment to uplift and support all participants.

To ensure that everyone feels comfortable and accepted at our events, please share the following with all participants, spectators, and volunteers in your company:

• Please maintain a professional and respectful attitude at all CCC events. You and your team are a reflection of your company. It’s important to keep this in mind as you build your teams, as well. While CCC has decided to no longer mandate minimums, companies should look to their own internal policies on equity, diversity, and inclusion to ensure proper representation on all their teams.
• Please remember that individuals may feel “out-ed” if their gender identity is questioned or challenged publicly. Any direct questioning, challenging, mocking, etc. of an individual’s gender identity is not supported and will not be tolerated.
• Please contact the CCC office directly if you witness/experience an incident of discrimination. These incidents will be discussed with upper management at the company/companies in question and may negatively affect the offending company’s chance of being invited back to participate.

At the end of the day, the September Games are about coming together, building community, and having fun with coworkers through some friendly competition. We’re confident that the spirit and purpose of the Games remains unchanged.

As with all things, our decisions were guided by thoughtful research and an earnest attempt to make our events the best they can be. If you’d like to learn more about what informed our changes, Skipping Stone, an incredible local organization, has an extensive list of resources available.

Thank you for your patience as we work towards rectifying the situation with the respect and forethought it deserves. If you or others at your company have questions or concerns regarding this, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

See you in September!