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PostHeaderIconWhat Happened at the Con

I want to talk about an issue of harassment and discrimination that came up at a con this weekend. I'm going to name the con, but first I want to make crystal clear that the issue was settled to everyone's satisfaction and that the con committee has done everything within their power to make things right.

Let me say that again: the con committee made everything right. For this particular con, the issue is closed with a very happy ending.

If it's all over, why talk about it at all? I have two reasons. First, I want to have this story out there to inspire and empower others who may find themselves in similar situations. And second, I want other cons to be aware so they can possibly avoid such messy situations.

Executive summary: 

A con illegally discriminated against LGBT fans by posting a "mature content, no one under 18 allowed" sign on an LGBT panel with no such content, while posting no sign on other panels with obvious adult content. We didn't get any satisfaction from the first con staffer we talked to. When we raised the issue to the full con committee, amends were made and the con intends to have a full track of diversity-in-sf/fantasy programming next year.


The long version follows, along with two morals and three irrelevant objections.

Here's some background. In the Baltimore area there are two long-running cons with a Trek/media background: Farpoint in February and Shore Leave in August. The two tend to get lumped together as if they were the same con, but they're not. These two cons are separate entities run by entirely different groups of people. However, there's quite a bit of overlap in individual staff, guests, and attendees.

Many years ago, both Farpoint and Shore Leave established a panel for discussion of LGBT issues. In recent years, a second LGBT panel was added at each con: one on Friday and one on Saturday. All of these panels, at both cons, have been scheduled late at night (mostly at 11 pm) and opposite a major social function (karaoke, a big dance, etc.)

For those few of us who attended the LGBT panels, the scheduling has always been a sore point. It seemed to us to say that LGBT issues couldn't be discussed earlier in the day ("Won't someone think of the children?") -- plus attendance was very low, since few LGBT people were willing to choose a panel over a dance.

Enough background. Curtain up on Saturday night at Farpoint. (Reminder: Farpoint has since made everything right.)

Attendance at the Friday and Saturday LGBT panels was excellent. There was a diverse crowd of easily 20 people old and young, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, straight, and other. One of the topics of discussion both nights was how to expand programming of interest to LGBT people and allies, with a hope expressed that perhaps we coudl move beyond the late-night ghetto.

On Saturday, the LGBT panel followed a panel/slideshow entitled "Do You Like Green Women?" In this event, two straight guys sat at the front of the room with a slideshow of alien women from various sf movies & tv shows, commenting on which of they women they would or wouldn't "do." The content and language were definitely sexual (I hesitate to use the word "mature.") There was no sign on the door indicating adult content.

Then came the LGBT panel. The panelists hoped to concentrate on trans issues, but were hampered by a paucity of trans people. Instead, there was a wide ranging discussion of gender issues in general, culminating in the wish that next year's con could have a whole program track dedicated to discussion of diversity of all kinds in sf/fantasy.

In particular, there were a fair number of young adults present, who were very enthusiastic to have a forum where they could be themselves and discuss things important to them. The panel even went on beyond the official midnight stopping time.

Finally, though, folks got ready to disperse to the still-ongoing dance. When we opened the door, we found a notice posted outside the panel: "Adult Content. This panel covers mature or adult topics. Persons under 18 years of age not allowed."

Those of us in the room, old and young alike, felt as if we'd been slapped in the face. To reiterate: this notice did not appear on the previous panel, whose content was as adult as it could be. It was placed on the door after our panel began and without our knowledge. In addition, our panel had not included any content unsuitable to people under 18 (in fact, at a least one person in the room was under 18).

It was as if the con was saying that it was perfectly fine for straight guys to joke about which alien women they'd do, but the mere existence of LGBT people was so objectionable that it needed a content warning.

In fact, the presence of that sign, along with its absence from the previous panel, constituted a clear violation of the con's harassment policy. In addition, it was also discrimination against LGBT people, which is illegal in the State of Maryland.

Fortunately, in every function room there was a list of phone numbers to call in case of any problems. We called the number for the person responsible for panel logistics.

Okay, it was after midnight. The person was asleep when they answered. We explained that there was an issue of harassment and asked to speak to her or someone else in authority. This person offered no assistance.

We went in search of a member of the convention committee, but were unable to find one. Finally, we accepted that it would have to wait until tomorrow.

On Sunday about noon, my husband and I happened to run into the person we'd called the night before. We both spoke at length. I stressed that the posting of that sign was clear harassment and discrimination. When the person tried to make light of the issue, and tried to change the subject to irrelevant matters, I kept insisting that we stick to the topic. I believed that I managed to get through to them the importance of this issue.

This person agreed to immediately post on the con's website an apology and a statement that this would never happen again. We agreed that this would be sufficient to settle the issue. Before we parted, I got an agreement that the apology would be posted by 4 pm -- otherwise I would have to bring it up at the committee meeting/gripe session scheduled for 4 pm.

Well, 4 pm came and there was no apology posted. At least a dozen of us from the LGBT panel were there at the committee meeting. When the floor was opened, I rose and said that I had to speak about an issue of harassment and discrimination. I asked if the committee wanted to discuss it in private, or if they wanted me to raise it there on the floor. They told me to go ahead.

I stated the problem, stressing the fact that we had spoken to someone who assured us an apology would be posted. I said that the apology was not, in fact, posted and that I wanted to make sure the con understood that this wasn't just a matter of their own harassment policy being violated, it was also a violation of Maryland law.

I said that no one wanted to go to court over this, but that those of us there weren't the only people discriminated against, and that anyone who took legal action would certainly prevail in court. If an apology were posted, we would feel that the con was acting in good faith and consider the matter settled.

Although there was some emotional discussion, the con committee responded favorably. The apology we asked for was, indeed, posted in a few minutes. Everyone involved from the committee apologized publicly to the LGBT fans with good grace and complete sincerity.

That would have been enough to settle the matter. However, in subsequent discussion with the programming staff, the idea of a full diversity track of programming was met with enthusiasm and full agreement. We're confident that next year's Farpoint will feature plenty of discussion of not only LGBT issues, but all kinds of diversity issues from across the spectrum of human existence.

I want to praise the Farpoint committee for taking the time to listen to us, for responding with sympathy and intelligence, and for rising to the opportunity to bring out into the open some matters that have been obscured for so long.

If anyone wants to be part of the diversity track at next year's Farpoint, please contact the programming staff at programs at farpointcon dot com) or let me know (donsakers at gmail dot com). 

So that's the story of what happened at the con.


Moral #1:

Don't sit still for discrimination. It's perfectly possible to be respectful yet firm in insisting that people's civil rights be respected. Many times, these things happen because of mistakes, thoughtlessness, or unawareness. Often, pointing out the problem gives people a chance to rise to their own better natures and make it right.

And when the problem is deliberate harassment or discrimination, the law is there to protect you. Find someone in authority and put the issue before them. If you don't get a favorable response, go to someone else in authority. Shine the light of publicity on the issue; public opinion is a powerful force.

Just don't give up, and don't let anyone silence you.


Moral #2:

Does your con discriminate, even unwittingly? Do you (for example) put a "mature content" label on LGBT panels, without determining if they actually contain mature content? (Here's a hint: the mere existence of LGBT people does not automatically make something unsuited to those under 18, and any suggestion it does is discrimination.) Do you consign LGBT people or topics to a late-night ghetto simply because of the LGBT element? 

If you do these things, your con may be practicing discrimination under State laws. Your con is almost certainly violating its own harassment policy. Take my advice, and do something about it now, before someone gets offended enough to take action on their own.


Irrelevant Objection #1: It was a simple mistake.

As may be. We all make mistakes. But when our mistakes involve breaking the law, matters become more serious. A theft by mistake is still legally a theft. Adults admit mistakes and do what they can to rectify them. That's what Farpoint did.

Besides, the history of civil rights is full of the "it was a simple mistake" defense. When the "simple mistake" is part of a pattern, and when it isn't followed by rectification, that defense wears thin.


Irrelevant Objection #2: Why should LGBT people (fill in other group) get special rights? Why are they a "protected class" while straight white males (fill in other group) aren't?

Because non-protected classes already have those rights. The idea of "protected classes" is to bring the rights of the protected class up to e level of rights that others already enjoy.

If you're on a panel of straight white males and someone posts an inappropriate "mature content" notice on your meeting, you have the right to get an apology. You've always had that right. We haven't always had it.


Irrelevant Objection #3: There's no need to go bludgeoning the con committee with threats of lawsuits. If you'd only asked quietly, everything would have worked out.

We did ask quietly. It didn't work out.

Again, the history of civil rights is filled with the cry of "there was no need to talk about bringing in the law." It's funny how this cry only occurs afterwards. Nobody says, "Yes, we discriminated...before either of us talks about bringing in the law, let's settle this now."

 

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