An open letter to the AYA community

Dear all,

These last few weeks have sped past. Looking back, I think its safe to say its been a bumpy road. But we have managed to keep it together so far. Looking back is easy, its predicting the future that is hard....where will AYA be in 6 months?? Things can change quickly in SL. We hope by this letter to share some of our thoughts about the core of AYA, what we would like it to remain...whatever the road has in store for us.

Head Governess Kara

What is AYA?

I dare you to sum AYA up in a single sentence...I don't think it can be done, we are too complex...I think if you were to ask 5 different people if they could explain AYA to you, you would get 4 slightly different answers and 1 crazy one.

AYA is a community for sissies and transgendered and those who love them (but all are welcome to join our family); a place all should feel welcome, safe and accepted. This is the pillar of our community, and we should all strive to make it remain so!

AYA is a social club.... parties and social activities is a growing part of AYA, this is a great place to make new friends, talk, be silly, learn some new things maybe....we have contests, dances , quizzes....all in the hope that it will make us closer as a group. And of course have some fun!

AYA is a BDSM community...yes we are! It might not always look like it but at the core there is an element of BDSM with dominant mistresses and submissive maids...... now this is not for everyone and that's OK, but you should consider what it means to be a maid.....when you pull on the frilly dress...you submit to AYA and its mistresses!!  Now we also have the "AYA Friend" tag so you can still be a part of our community and not be involved in BDSM at all.

While we are on the subject of D/s and BDSM, we understand that we have maids and subs that like varying degrees of BDSM. Some like really strict D/s and some others like very light D/s or none at all. The same can be said for our Domme members. And this is all perfectly fine, it all goes down to our personal preferences and comfort levels. But this is the great thing about AYA, we have a large diverse culture and so you are bound to find people that share your interests and tastes!

AYA is also our home, people build houses on our sim, people fall in love and get married..start a family, that's also worth protecting!

AYA is a family! Yes, that's right. We live live, laugh, play and sometime cry together. This is the culture we have strived to build over these years. Like any family, we don't always get along. But we do respect each other and our opinions and find a way to come together in the end for the common good. Because of our family atmosphere, Aya is unlike any place in SL - giving us a sense of belonging!

These are the pillars of our community!

Now, in a large and diverse community like ours, there is bound to be some chafing....maybe even a couple of decent cat fights. It's OK to disagree and its OK to be passionate....if you are heading into an argument, just remember that we are real people behind our avatars.

So with all these rules and different people and needs, how do we make sure we all get along? First of all be friendly! TALK TO EACH OTHER! I am sure a lot of drama could be prevented if we just talked..... use IM's if you have to.....count to 10 if it makes you calmer...  talk to people you don't know, get to know them....think back to when you first came here....how nice it was when people welcomed you, help be a part of that....if you start smiling to people...they might start smiling back!

It is the wish of the management that everyone should feel safe at AYA and we will listen to you....and please rest assured that saying you are uncomfortable will not in any way affect your status here at AYA....BUT making drama will.

Also understand that if you do not wish to participate in BDSM or sexual activities.......that this in no way will affect your status here at Aya or your candidacy for promotion. Those activities require mutual consent at all times. You are allowed to say "no". Leave the area if you must. If you still feel pressured, talk to a member of management.

Respect our chain of command..... we have it for a reason...the threshold for joining our community is low....I don't think we have ever turned away anyone.... its of course easier to join as a Friend/Maid then to be a Mistress..... we have to try an make sure the ones that wear the tag of "AYA Mistress" will not misuse the power we give them.....so its easy to join.....but to rise in our ranks, you have to be dedicated and work hard....  a head maid has worked a long time to get where she is.

In conclusion, Aya is many things to many people. We have grown exponentially over these past two years because we have such a diverse culture and offer such a "big tent" approach to our members' interests. And we offer a safe place for personal growth and discovery. We are very proud of this and your personal achievements. We are glad that you choose to make your home with us here at Aya!

~Governess Kara