RULES AND POLICIES

Our event rules are designed to help protect the health and safety of all attendees without compromising fun and frivolity. Failure to abide by these rules may result in removal from the event without a refund. Thank you for your understanding.

CONSENT

NO means NO.

  • The following types of behavior will not be tolerated and can result in ejection from Southwest Decadence or banning from future events. Examples of consent violations include, but are not limited to:
  • Harassment or unwanted sexual advances
  • Violation of personal space or boundaries of a person (or their property) that continues after boundaries stated
  • Unnegotiated play or renegotiating limits once scene has started
  • Ignoring a safeword or stated hard limit
  • Non-Consensual physical assault or abuse

WRISTBANDS

  • Wristbands must be visibly worn, on the wrist, at all times in the convention areas.
  • Replacement for a lost wristband is $15 and can only be obtained during regular registration hours with your government issued ID. 

AGE

Southwest Decadence is an ADULT convention for those age 18 and over. No exceptions. None. Yes, this includes children and infants.

ANIMALS

No non-human animals are allowed in the convention space except for required assistance animals as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Emotional support animals are not considered service animals as defined by the ADA. Service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless the individual’s disability prevents using these devices or these devices interfere with the service animal’s safe, effective performance of tasks. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls. Service animals are not allowed on the piercing side of Dance Of Souls. 

SELLING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Sales of any product, item, or service is limited to those who have paid to vend at the conference. In addition, the contract with the hotel does not allow vending of any products, items, or services from hotel rooms, the parking lot, the lobby, or in any other area of the hotel or hotel property except in the Southwest Decadence vending area. This includes photography sessions, paid play services, pro-dom services, sale of handmade or other items, massage therapy sessions, or any other thing you can possibly think of. Offering monetary tips to the bootblacks in the Bootblack Lounge is acceptable.

CAMERAS

  • Southwest Decadence cannot and will not monitor or police the use of personal cameras, including camera phones except in the playspace and Dance Of Souls.
  • Southwest Decadence will have bright yellow clip-on tags at Registration for attendees that do not wish to have their photos taken. These tags are to be clipped above the breast for ease in viewing. 
  • The bright yellow tags are an indication of no photography but not a guarantee that you will not be in a photo. If you do not wish to have your photo taken keep an eye out for other attendees taking pics in heavily populated areas where you may accidentally be in the background.
  • Please be aware of your surroundings. If you are taking photos, be aware that people in the background of your shots may not wish to be photographed. Perhaps change your position or ask people you don’t know if they can move out of the shot.
  • The Southwest Decadence Photo Staff takes pictures to promote the convention. Photo Staff will have a bright green tag. All photos taken by the official Southwest Decadence Photo Staff belong to the convention and will be used for promotional materials for the convention only.
  • If you see a Staff Photographer taking your picture and you would prefer to not be photographed, simply ask the photographer to erase the image. They will be happy to do so.
  • If you see a photograph of yourself on the Southwest Decadence website that you wish to have removed, email us and we will be glad to take it down.
  • The Photo Staff will be taking photographs in all areas except the play space and the Dance Of Souls.  If you are a presenter and would prefer to not have Staff Photographers during your class, workshop, or demo please let them know.

CELLPHONES

  • Cellphone use is allowed in the general social areas of Southwest Decadence.
  • Cellphone use for any function (including photos) is not allowed during workshops, demos, and other scheduled Southwest Decadence activities. Cellphones must not be visible and must be turned off or switched to silent during workshops, demos, and other scheduled Southwest Decadence activities.
  • No cellphones or cameras of any sort will be allowed to be used or visible past the play space doors during the on-site play parties, or in the Sunday Dance of Souls event. Any attendee seen with a cellphone past the play space doors during the on-site play parties, or the Sunday Dance of Souls event might have his/her registration immediately cancelled and the equipment confiscated and checked to ensure that no photos or recordings were taken. That person could be banned from further participation in the 2023 event and could be permanently banned from participating in future Southwest Decadence events. All cellphones must be turned off and checked with the complimentary bag check before entering play spaces or Dance Of Souls.
  • If your phone is needed in the playspace for monitoring a hearing aid, please find a Dungeon Monitor for a special sticker to place over your camera lens. If you are seen using your phone for anything besides monitoring a hearing aid you could be banned from further participation in the 2023 event and could be permanently banned from participating in future Southwest Decadence events.
  • If your phone is needed in the Dance Of Souls for monitoring a hearing aid, please ask the door attendant for a special sticker to place over your camera lens. If you are seen using your phone for anything besides monitoring a hearing aid you could be banned from further participation in the 2023 event and could be permanently banned from participating in future Southwest Decadence events.

ALCOHOL

Alcohol consumption is only allowed by attendees aged 21 and over. Attendees under the age of 21 discovered to be consuming alcoholic beverages at Southwest Decadence will be immediately removed from the event with no refund of any part of paid fees.

DRUGS

Illegal and/or non-prescription drugs are absolutely not permitted anywhere at Southwest Decadence at any time except for over-the-counter medications. If drug use or possession of drugs is suspected, the person will be immediately removed from the event with no refund of any part of paid fees.

PUBLIC RESPECT

Don’t play ‘Let’s Freak Out the Vanillas”. The relationship with our host hotel is very important to us and to the continued success of the convention. 

  • When you are in public areas, please stay covered (if you shouldn’t go grocery shopping in it, please cover up) and behave yourselves. 
  • Save your debauchery for the convention spaces and private rooms.
  • Please adhere to any and all hotel dress codes once out of convention space. 

ATTIRE

Clothing that completely covers breasts, genitals, and butt cheeks is required in all areas of the hotel except in guest rooms and in the event indoor areas beyond the security curtain. All SM-related tools and toys must be covered in public areas of the hotel and on the public sides of the security curtains.

PLAY PARTY RULES

  • All activities are to be consensual for all parties involved.
  • All activities must be legal. All attendees must be at least 18 years of age. 
  • Discussions of pedophilia, necrophilia, or bestiality are strongly discouraged. Sex workers, like all other members of the general community, are welcome, but sexual solicitation at Southwest Decadence is not acceptable and will result in immediate revocation of your registration and your removal from the event with no refund of any part of your paid fees.
  • The safeword of the Southwest Decadence play space is "Red." "Red" means stop all action and re-negotiate before continuing.
  • In the event that a Dungeon Monitor tells a member to modify or stop a scene, they must be obeyed. Dungeon Monitors have the responsibility to protect the integrity of the space and the right to stop a scene for non-compliance.
  • Condoms/gloves/barriers are encouraged for any acts of penetration. Please use a puppy pad or personal towel for any penetrative activities to protect the carpeting, furniture, and equipment. Beyond that, each attendee is responsible to make their own decisions regarding personal sexual health and safety.
  • Prohibited types of play in the dungeon. 
    • Firearm play
    • Breath play or choke play.
    • Flying or “aerosolized” blood.
    • Scat play
    • Golden showers or any urine play
    • Flesh hook suspensions.
    • Fireplay or any open flame. (Including but not limited to, flash cotton, fire cupping, and open flame wax play)
  • Wax play is only allowed in designated areas with tarp covering the floor. Equipment should be covered by some barrier.
  • Do not use toys over a maximum total length of 4 feet from end to end, including handles, crackers, etc.in the general play space area.
  • There will be a "Whip Lane" in the Dungeon for toys longer than 4 feet. 
  • The Whip Lane is for the use of whips/toys longer than 4’. If you are using a whip shorter than 4’ you may use it in the general play space. 
  • The Whip Lane area is limited in its available space, please be considerate of all players and do not “camp out” on a piece of equipment.
  • Do not sit or leave toys or personal items on equipment that you are not using for play.
  • Do not join or interrupt a scene without permission.
  • Do not crowd a scene by watching or playing too closely. It is your job to make sure you do not walk through a scene. If you enter an active scene and you are hit, it is your own fault.
  • As soon as it is appropriate when the scene is over, clean up the equipment and vacate for the next players. Cleaning supplies to use on equipment, containers for contaminated waste, and sharps containers are located in various areas of the play space.
  • Please use a personal towel or other barrier on any chair or other seating surface before sitting with exposed buttocks, genitals or the presence of blood and/or other bodily fluids.
  • Only water in the dungeons, please.

Rules are subject to arbitrary change, addition, and interpretation without notice of any kind if deemed necessary by Southwest Decadence council.