NeuroSpicy Refugees
Constitution & Bill of Rights

Mission and Values

Section 1. Mission

NeuroSpicy Refugees is a free, peer-led community for neurodivergent people who have been excluded from, harmed by, or are otherwise seeking an alternative to neurodivergent communities that lack transparent governance. Our mission is to provide a space where belonging is not contingent on payment, compliance with unwritten rules, or the unchecked discretion of a single leader.

Section 2. Core Values

• Rules before decisions. No member will be removed for violating a rule that was not written down and publicly accessible before they joined. If the rule didn't exist in writing when they arrived, it cannot be applied retroactively.
• Free, always. Membership in NeuroSpicy Refugees will never require payment. No subscription tier, no coaching upsell, no premium access. If money is ever raised for the community, accounting is public.
• Peer-led, not expert-led. Authority in this community comes from consistent, accountable participation — not from credentials, certifications, or self-proclaimed expertise. Stewards are peers who showed up.
• Radical financial transparency. Any financial activity related to this community — donations, tip jar, expenses — will be documented and publicly posted. No undisclosed revenue model.
• Belong as you are. No performance requirements. No masking requirements. No expectation of consistent verbal participation. You belong here in whatever form you arrive, at whatever pace you can manage.
• Safety through structure, not authority. Safety in this community is maintained through written, enforced, publicly available rules — not through the personal authority of any individual leader.

Membership

Section 1. Entry

Membership in NeuroSpicy Refugees is open to any person who agrees to the community guidelines as posted at the time of joining. No application, screening, or approval process is required. Membership is free. There are no tiers. There is no premium membership.

New members are welcomed with an orientation post that links to this Constitution, the community guidelines, and the steward contact information. Membership begins when a person joins the community platform. These documents are the first thing they see.

Section 2. Participation

There are no minimum participation requirements. Members may post daily or not at all. Members may be verbal, use images, post links, or simply read. Absence is not grounds for removal. A member who has been silent for months retains full membership and all rights under this Constitution.

Members are encouraged but never required to share identifying information. Pseudonymous participation is fully supported.

Section 3. Removal

Removal is the last resort, not the first tool. The following process applies to any removal, warning, or restriction:

• No removal without a named rule. The steward initiating consideration of removal must identify, in writing, the specific community guideline that was violated. If no guideline covers the behavior, removal cannot proceed until a guideline is created through the amendment process — and even then, the new guideline applies only prospectively.
• Notice before action. Except in cases of immediate harm (threats, doxxing, coordinated harassment), the member must receive written notice of the concern and a minimum of 48 hours to respond before any removal action is taken.
• Two-steward minimum. No single steward can remove a member alone. Removal requires agreement from at least two of the three stewards.
• Written record. Every removal action — warning, temporary restriction, permanent removal — is documented in writing, stored in the steward record, and summarized (with identifying information protected) in the community's public accountability log.

Section 4. Appeals

Any member who has received a warning, restriction, or removal may appeal to the full steward council within 14 days of the action. An appeal triggers a review by all three stewards. The steward who initiated the original action may not cast a deciding vote on the appeal. The outcome of the appeal is final and documented.

If a member believes the appeals process itself was violated, they may request an external review. The external review process is documented in the steward handbook and will be made public upon first use.

Governance Structure

Section 1. Stewards

NeuroSpicy Refugees is governed by a council of three Stewards. Stewards are peers — members of the community who have demonstrated consistent, accountable participation. Stewardship is not a credential. It is a role that comes with responsibility and accountability, not authority over others.

The founding Stewards are Josh Wolf and Joy. The third Steward seat is open and will be filled by community nomination and consent process as described in Section 4 of this Article.

Stewards are publicly named. Their contact information is posted in the community. Any member can reach any Steward directly.

Section 2. Decisions

Routine decisions — moderation of individual posts, organizational questions, platform maintenance — may be made by any Steward acting alone, provided the decision is documented and reversible. Decisions affecting membership (warnings, restrictions, removals, appeals) require two-Steward agreement. Decisions affecting this Constitution, the community guidelines, or the financial structure of the community require three-Steward agreement and a community comment period of no less than 7 days.

No Steward may make a financial decision affecting more than $50 without documentation and the knowledge of at least one other Steward.

Section 3. Term and Rotation

Steward terms are 12 months. At the end of each term, each Steward chooses whether to continue or step back. There is no term limit. Stewards who step back remain members in full standing. The community is notified of any Steward transition no less than 30 days before it occurs, with time for questions and transition planning.

Section 4. Vacancy and New Stewards

When a Steward seat is open, the remaining Stewards post an open call to the community. Any member who has been active for at least 60 days may put their name forward. The community nominates by consent (silence implies consent; objections must be stated and are addressed). The remaining Stewards confirm the nomination. New Stewards serve an initial 6-month provisional term before transitioning to a full 12-month term.

Conflict Resolution

Conflict is not a crisis. It is information. The following four-stage process exists to work through conflict before it reaches removal, and to ensure that removal — when necessary — is a last resort reached through a transparent process, not a first response to discomfort.

1. Direct Conversation When a member has a concern about another member's behavior, the first step is direct, private conversation if it can be safely done. No Steward involvement required at this stage. The community guidelines on communication (Article V) apply.
2. Steward Mediation If direct conversation is not possible, safe, or productive, either member may request Steward mediation. A Steward will meet separately with both parties, collect each perspective, and propose a resolution. The resolution is documented. Both parties receive a copy. No action is taken without the knowledge of both parties.
3. Full Steward Review If Steward mediation does not resolve the conflict, the full three-Steward council reviews the situation. Both parties may submit written statements. The council issues a written finding that identifies any rule violations, proposes remedies, and documents any protective measures put in place. This finding is shared with both parties.
4. Formal Action If the Full Steward Review finding is not accepted or the behavior continues, the Stewards may take formal action — up to and including removal. Formal action requires two-Steward agreement, a named rule violation, written notice to the member, and an opportunity to appeal as described in Article II, Section 4.

Communication Standards

Section 1. What We Ask

We ask members to communicate in ways that do not target, demean, or threaten other members. We ask members to extend reasonable charitable interpretation — to assume confusion before malice, to ask before concluding. We ask members to use content warnings where appropriate for intense topics.

We do not ask members to be positive. We do not ask members to perform wellness. We do not ask members to soften legitimate criticism of institutions, communities, or public figures. We do not ask members to mask their communication style to make neurotypical readers more comfortable.

Section 2. What We Do Not Permit

• Targeted harassment of any member, inside or outside the community.
• Sharing of any member's private information without their explicit consent (doxxing).
• Threats of physical harm.
• Content that sexualizes minors.
• Coordinated campaigns to remove or silence a specific member outside the formal conflict resolution process.

These are the only categories of behavior for which immediate, single-Steward protective action (such as a temporary posting restriction pending review) may be taken without the full two-Steward removal process. Any such action must be reviewed by the full Steward council within 48 hours.

Section 3. On Diagnosis and Expertise

Members may share their own diagnoses and experiences freely. Members may not diagnose other members without consent. No member may claim authority over another member's experience of their own neurodivergence. Credentials do not confer authority in this community. A person's lived experience is as valid as any professional credential in discussions about that experience.

Amendments

Section 1. Amendment Process

This Constitution may be amended by the following process:

1. Any Steward or member may propose an amendment by posting it publicly in the designated governance channel.
2. The community comment period is no less than 14 days. All members may comment, object, or suggest changes.
3. After the comment period, the Steward council reviews the proposal and community feedback.
4. Adoption requires agreement from all three Stewards.
5. Adopted amendments are posted immediately, with the effective date and a summary of what changed.

No amendment may apply retroactively to behavior that occurred before the amendment's effective date. No amendment may remove member rights granted in the Bill of Rights (Article I, Section 2) without a full community vote in which all current members may participate.

Section 2. Emergency Amendments

In cases requiring immediate action (platform policy changes, legal requirements, immediate safety threats), emergency amendments may be adopted by two-Steward agreement with immediate effect. Emergency amendments must be posted publicly within 24 hours, explained in full, and ratified through the standard process within 30 days. If the community rejects ratification, the emergency amendment expires and the original language is restored.