Related annoyances

[megwrites]

First off, holy crap. I didn't expect that the threads in this post would explode like it did with people bringing the truth and covering it in awesome sauce, but it has. While Ms. Bujold's responses have upset and disappointed me, seeing lots of other people stand up and call her on it has really been heartening.

I also note that some people are friending me. I love new friends (yay!), but I feel like I should warn them that I'm probably very boring and a complete dweeb.

All of which is to say that one semi-related issue that the comments brought up for me is the idea that somehow you can use attendances at cons as a litmus test of the SF/F fandom and readership as a whole. I hate this idea and want to punch it in it's big ugly face.

The only thing con attendance can tell you is who attends conventions.

The reason it bothers me is because, well, I've never been able to attend a convention. Either because I never lived near a city big enough to have one, or because I've never had the time and money to go. I don't feel this should mean that I don't count as an SF/F fan. Because trust me, I've been reading and fangirling along with everyone else since I was, like, eight years old. I think I have earned my geek badge by now.

I just have never been a position where I could afford the plane ticket, the hotel, the entrance fees, plus food and other expenses. Not to mention that things I've heard have made me vastly uncomfortable about ever going to one. Notably, the Open Source Boob Project. Just hearing about it made me feel awful about being a woman seriously reconsider whether I'd ever actually want to go to one of those things unless I had a full detail of bodyguards and an automatic weapon.

So, it bothers me when something that is only available to a smaller subset of people is somehow meant to be a measuring stick for all of us. It bothers me even more because going to a convention is a pretty big luxury, and to me, there is some smack of elitism inherent in placing the kind importance on cons that the SF/F genre has.

I just rebel at the thought of something that is so arbitrarily available and safe should matter at all to who gets recognized and who doesn't.

All right, rant for the day is over. Gotta go do that writing and looking for a job thing that I should be doing.

Comments

[holyschist.livejournal.com]

Man, I hear you on cons. I might eventually go to my local SFF book con, since I'm more into books than visual media and I get the impression it's more...sedate. Plus it's local, so I could afford it. But cons are freaking expensive, so they're going to be be self-selecting for people who have the money and time off available...who are likely to be pretty privileged and not necessarily aware of it.

[jamiam.livejournal.com]

I also note that some people are friending me. I love new friends (yay!), but I feel like I should warn them that I'm probably very boring and a complete dweeb.

Aw, we're all just a bunch of ADHD social butterflies. We'll most likely flit away when we see something else that looks pretty.

(Hi! I'm Jackie. I was a fat white nerd girl in 7th grade as well, and I share your disappointment with Ms. Bujold's response.)(And good luck with your job thing.)

cons

[fractal-raven.livejournal.com]

I find that volunteering for cons can take much of the financial sting out of it...check with the con's organizers and find out what sort of help they may be looking for. also - if the con is in another state...many of the forums linked with it offer cheap solutions to that issue as well (rides - invariably.) often - you get perks such as free admission...hotel space and eats...sometimes you even get discounts from the vendors too...depends on the con though.