Membership Guidelines

Yes. Members are welcome to bring guests who are interested in the security community. We simply ask that you keep guest numbers modest and ensure they understand the expectations of the space.

Yes. SDSUG meetings are for members. This helps us maintain a professional, predictable environment and ensures the room remains practitioner‑focused. Members may bring guests, but we ask that you keep it to a reasonable number so the space remains comfortable for everyone.

Yes. SDSUG is practitioner‑first. Vendors are welcome as participants, but meetings are not sales environments. No pitches, no lead‑gen behavior, no marketing agendas. This keeps the space neutral, safe, and comfortable for practitioners.

SDSUG includes people from many backgrounds, identities, and perspectives. Our neutral environment ensures everyone can participate without pressure to align on non‑security topics. Everyone is welcome here, including those who hold strong viewpoints, as long as they respect that SDSUG is not a space for advocacy or ideological enforcement.

Yes. SDSUG is practitioner‑first, but not practitioner‑exclusive. Students, early‑career professionals, and newcomers are welcome. The environment is professional but not intimidating, and many attendees are happy to help newcomers navigate the field.

SDSUG maintains a neutral, courteous environment where people can focus on security, not social conflict. We do not host ideological debates or enforce political language norms.

If someone’s behavior disrupts the environment or makes others uncomfortable, SDSUG leadership may intervene. Most issues are resolved with a quiet conversation. In rare cases, someone may be asked to leave. Our priority is maintaining a safe, comfortable space for everyone.

Adult, respectful, and community‑minded behavior. SDSUG is a professional environment where people come to learn, connect, and share. We expect attendees to be courteous, aware of the room, and mindful of how their behavior affects others.

A focused, professional environment with a speaker, community updates, and time to connect with other practitioners. Meetings are structured, vendor‑neutral, and designed to be comfortable for both long‑time members and newcomers.

Wear what makes you comfortable while still respecting a professional, mixed‑audience environment. Most attendees choose casual or business‑casual attire. No one is expected to dress formally, but clothing should be appropriate for a professional community setting.

No. SDSUG does not require attendees to use specific pronouns or adopt any particular terminology. We expect basic courtesy in how people address one another, but we do not police language or force compliance. Our goal is to maintain a neutral, professional, comfortable environment for everyone without turning meetings into ideological or linguistic battlegrounds.

No. SDSUG is a practitioner‑focused community. We do not enforce ideological language, and we do not tolerate hostility toward anyone. Courtesy is required; compliance is not. This keeps the space predictable, respectful, and safe for all participants.

We handle these situations with common sense. If it’s an honest difference in preference, we expect adults to navigate it respectfully. If someone is intentionally disrespectful or disruptive, leadership may intervene. Our priority is maintaining a calm, neutral, professional environment — not regulating identity or forcing language.

Because in many workplaces and professional communities, people still experience the same biases and tensions—they’re just expressed through different language. Posturing and ideological pressure haven’t solved these problems; they’ve simply made interactions more stressful and less authentic. SDSUG takes a different approach: we reduce the noise so people can breathe, be themselves, and work together without the burden of social conflict. A calm, predictable environment helps people collaborate more effectively and treat each other with genuine respect.

Most organizations avoid talking about the social environment because they fear appearing political or taking sides. The result is unpredictable, tense spaces where people feel they must monitor every word. SDSUG takes a different approach: we set clear, neutral boundaries so people can breathe, be themselves, and focus on security without the burden of ideological conflict. By naming the expectation of courtesy and neutrality upfront, we protect everyone in the room and create the kind of professional environment many people appreciate.