Public Information Guidelines

GSA offers these guidelines to GreySheet meetings interested in reaching out to the public through media announcements, posting of flyers, or any other means.  The guidelines are based on the Twelve Traditions adopted by GSA with permission from AA.

Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon GreySheeters Anonymous unity. Tradition One cautions us that breaches of any of these Traditions jeopardize the potential of GreySheet to help other sick and suffering compulsive eaters and therefore violate our primary purpose - to stay abstinent and to carry the message.

The only requirement for GSA membership is a desire to stop eating compulsively. Tradition Three reminds us that anyone who attends a GreySheet meeting is welcome if he or she believes himself or herself to have a problem with food.  Meetings are not restricted to those a GreySheet member deems to be compulsive eaters or to any kind of food problem, such as anorexia, bulimia, etc., or to any group, women, men, gay or lesbian, etc.  Groups may have a special focus, but all are welcome, if they have a desire to try the GreySheet Way of Life.

Each group has but one primary purpose - to carry its message to the compulsive eater who still suffers. Tradition Five reminds us of the importance of carrying the message by starting and informing interested, potentially compulsive eaters about GreySheet meetings.

A GSA group ought never endorse, finance or lend the GSA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose. Tradition Six reminds us that it is important to distinguish between our meeting places and our affiliations; for example, meeting in a church or hospital does not indicate affiliation with that institution, and we ought to make this distinction clear in all announcements.

GSA has no opinion on outside issues; hence the GSA name ought never be drawn into public controversy. Tradition Ten reminds us to be sure that any announcements made about meetings are not made in the context of giving opinions on any matter other than the availability of GreySheet for compulsive eaters.  We do not comment on the epidemic of obesity in the United States; we do not comment on the size of portions in restaurants or the quality of fast food; we do not comment on the effectiveness or lack thereof of other approaches to weight loss or solutions to food problems.

Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and film. Tradition Eleven reminds us that GreySheet is for those who want it, not for those who need it.  We do not advertise or attempt to convince or persuade people to attend GreySheet meetings.  We only announce their availability and make them as accessible as possible.

Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities. Tradition Twelve is perhaps one of the most important Traditions to remember when announcing GreySheet meetings and otherwise carrying the message.  Whenever we deal with the media, we must also emphasize to them that our faces and last names cannot be used in conjunction with any GreySheet related announcements.  Whenever we speak to groups, such as medical professionals, we try to serve as the messenger, not the message.  We emphasize the program rather than our personal opinions.