Readercon

[kauricat]

I have been reading with interest the Readercon kerfluffle. And by "kerfluffle" I mean horrible mishandling of a case of sexual harrassment. They had a stated "zero tolerance" policy that was (if I understand correctly) supposed to result in a permanent ban from the convention. This rule had been created (and enforced in 2008 or after that year's

Comments

[dawntreader90]

unfortunately, it happens to men too. some women i know go to cons and play "grab-ass" and you get bonus points if you get celebrities for "celebrity grab-ass".

apparently awhile back Nathon Fillon was up in arms over being harassed at a convention.

it's ridiculous that people of any gender think this is acceptable behaviour.

[kauricat]

Absolutely right, it's never okay to grab anyone. But this kind of feels like saying "Well, women grab men, too," without taking NT account the different dynamics at work.

[dawntreader90]

oh, i absolutely AM NOT saying that. i'm saying, sadly, people think this is an okay behaviour and that women are not the only gender putting up with this bullshit.

... better? :)

[dawntreader90]

to follow that, why is it EVER okay to grab someone? whether the grabber has power or doesn't have power, (or pretends they are sorry after and continues the behaviour.)

whether the person being grabbed is a celebrity or not a celebrity? whether either the harasser or the one being harassed is a man or a woman?

IT IS NOT OK. if permission is not granted, it's an invasive, personal attack into a person's comfort zone for the attacker to get their jollies. NOT OKAY.

i say booooo.

[ghostworld00]

What is up with cons and harassment? I have been reading about this topic on several blogs. I had no idea, but I have never gone to a con before.

[kauricat]

Part of it is that there is a strong feeling that "look at the way she's dressed, she WANTS this kind of attention." And another part is that people who go to these cons are meeting their idols in person. The con-goers feel like they really know these actors and authors, when in reality they know them not at all. But that false sense of familiarity can encourage some of the weirder amongst us to be inappropriately intimate.