- Does our group do anything that publicly states an opinion or takes sides on any issues or controversy that are outside of MA?
- Do we provide members advice on issues such as detox, CHS, mental health or other medical issues, or do we simply share our own experience, strength and hope on these topics?
- Does our meeting/group have and express an opinion on issues like CBD or do we again only share each of our own experiences on such matters?
- Have members of our group misused the “outside issues” language from the 10th Tradition to try and silence members from speaking about their own personal experiences and how their recovery has been effected (e.g. race, gender, sexuality, etc.)? Or is it only used to limit taking sides publicly as a group on outside issues.
- Members are free to share their own personal experiences, Trad. 10 prohibits only the group/meeting from publicly expressing an opinion on such outside issues. Members are free to share their experiences on these issues (e.g. race, sexuality, gender, CBD, detox, CHS, mental health, etc.) so long as it remains limited to their own experiences and how those issues relate to their recovery.
See MA12.org/safety pg.8-10 for more on Tradition 10 “outside issues,” why closed meetings for members who share characteristics do not violate any Traditions, and why Trad 10 should not be used to silence members from sharing about what might be considered “outside issues” as they relate to their recovery.