The Grounds of the Readercon Discussion

[lavendertook]

The Readercon con com apology and action plan are excellent and well done, and what was needed to set things on the right track. However, I'm still in wait and see mode. The reason there has been such a well spring of support for the targets in this case of sexual harassment is not only due to glvalentine, vschanoes, and Kate Kligman being an outspoken and unwavering team, but also because the stage on which the conversation has been centrally playing out is Live Journal and DreamWidth, where a women-centered fandom is strongest.

I have large doubts that the conversation would have been as supportive of the targets of sexual harassment if it had been centered in spaces like the SWFA community, where much of the discussion over Harlan Ellison's sexual harassment and assault of Connie Willis was centered only a few years ago, and in spaces that are not so heavily weighted toward women, like most sf/f cons themselves. If the conversation was centered outside the LJ and DW arena, I think we'd see a hell of a lot more comments like this here, which represents a lot of voices (and not just men's) that are not committing themselves to stating their views publicly in cyberspace where so many voices are opposing them.

I'm not saying this discussion happening on LJ and DW is not a force for change to the better; it is, but I'm doubtful how much it's reflecting the reality on the ground right now, the mainstream of the sf/f con going population. And I'm not real eager to step onto those grounds looking for my happy space. For now, I'll stay in my happy spaces on LJ and DW and listen to how things shake out as policy is implemented.

Comments

[spiralsheep]

a lot of voices (and not just men's) that are not committing themselves to stating their views publicly in cyberspace where so many voices are opposing them.

Well, I can see why a person might prefer not to have their pro-harrassment opinions permanently on public record....

::wryface::

[lavendertook]

There is that. Though where they are out in number many of them tend to forget they're writing in public, or cease to get why that might be a problem for themselves.

[wordweaverlynn]

Well, that makes me sick.

One of the things I love about FOGcon is that the majority of the concom is female, queer, and/or genderqueer, and I at least am out as a rape survivor. We take this shit very seriously.

[lavendertook]

I didn't bring up anything that hadn't occurred to you, though, did I?

That's a great concom. How is the diversity of the membership?

One of these days when I'm earning enough money again, I want to do a California tour--I haven't done that in 20 years, and want to get to your neck of the woods again and friends in LA and San Diego, too.

[wordweaverlynn]

Concom is slightly diverse -- we're taking steps to make it more so. As for membership: definitely diverse. Anything in the Bay Area tends to be more diverse than similar social spaces back east. We also pay attention to diversity in programming -- both topics and Honored Guests.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

I completely agree; I started in fandom in the SF con going crowd, adn this is one of the reasons I've gravitated to other spaces.

[lavendertook.livejournal.com]

I actually started out at gaming cons in my late teens, and then moved into sf cons and the SCA in college. But yeah, sexual harassment and general cluelessness about sexism among men in all those fannish groups has been a big turn off, along with the clueless whiteness for me. At least homophobia isn't too bad there, though there are some bouts of clueless heterocentrism to deal with, which is a bigger problem in parts of the SCA than the other fannish venues.