The groups function on SexualityStudies.net is intended to bring researchers, academics and students in the field of sexuality studies together in a collegiate atmosphere. We've set up a small number of groups as a starting point; others can be added on request.

Here's a brief guide to the groups facility:

Joining a group

1. To join a group, you need to be signed up as a member of SexualityStudies.net. If you haven't already joined, go to sexualitystudies.net/user/register to sign up.
2. Once you've joined the site and logged in, choose Groups from the main menu that appears in the blue bar across the top of every page – this will display a list of all of the groups which have been established.
3. To join a group, click the Subscribe link for the group you're interested in. Depending on the group's subscription policy, you'll either be instantly subscribed to the group or your request will be forwarded to the group moderator for approval.
4. Each group has its own home page, accessible from the Groups or My groups menu items. The home page shows recent posts to the group, and links to help manage your subscription. You can also do a text search of group content.
5. Once your subscription is active, you'll receive an email message every time a new posting is made to any group you've joined. If you'd prefer not to receive these emails, click the My subscription link on the group home page.

Posting to a group

1. To start a new discussion in a group you've joined, go to the group home page and click Create group post. Give your posting a descriptive title and use the Body field to share what's on your mind. Click the Submit button when you're finished.
2. Depending on the group's posting policy, your posting may be held for moderation or it may be published immediately. If your posting is to a moderated group, the moderator's decision about whether to publish the post is final.
3. Please take the time to make your posting as descriptive, engaging and stimulating as possible. Postings which are off-topic, inflammatory or defamatory may be removed by the group moderator without notice.
4. If you wish, you can post to multiple groups simultaneously: just click the checkboxes on the form. But please use your judgement before sending a posting to several groups – we ask that users restrain from cross-posting to multiple groups unless the post is genuinely likely to be of interest to subscribers of those groups. If in doubt, ask the group moderator for guidance.

Replying to a posting

1. To reply to a posting, click the Add new comment link at the bottom of the post. Remember that your reply will go to the whole group, not just the author of the post or comment that you're replying to.
2. As with posts, comments to groups may be moderated or unmoderated, and moderators may choose to remove some comments if they are deemed unsuitable for any reason.

Starting a group

1. If you'd like to be the moderator of a group on SexualityStudies.net, just ask. Anyone in the field of sexuality research is welcome to be the host of a group on any subject they are interested in. Whether your audience is likely to be just a handful of like-minded individuals or hundreds, you're welcome to use the SexualityStudies.net website to network, share ideas and discuss issues of common interest.
2. To start a group, email Sean (the site administrator) with an indication of the subject area you'd like your group to cover.
3. While we anticipate that most requests to create new groups will be approved, the site administrator reserves the right to decline requests where the subject matter is inappropriate for the site, or where an group already exists for discussion of the same subject.

Ground rules

1. Each group has a subject area which it focuses on. Please avoid posting material which is off-topic.
2. Please be courteous, respectful and open to other people's ideas.
3. Posting of abusive, defamatory or offensive material is forbidden. Posting of advertising messages (SPAM) is also forbidden. Messages which are inappropriate may be removed without reference to the original poster and/or your membership of SexualityStudies.net may be withdrawn.
4. The moderator's decision is final in all disputes. If you have a complaint about the actions of another member of the group, please contact the group administrator directly (rather than raising the complain among the whole group).
5. Postings to groups are strictly the opinions of the writer(s) of those postings and do not represent the agreed viewpoint of SexualityStudies.net, La Trobe University or IASSCS.