I have been invited to be a panelist at this year’s LUNACON in Rye Brook, NY (just north of NYC). Here are the panels that I will be speaking on…
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Fake Geek Girls, Threat or Menace? Seymour Boton Fan Interest Sat 12:00 PM
Sex & sexism in fandom. How do we fight stereotyping & stigmas, while still honoring the fact that for many, our fannishness and sexual self-expression are intertwined? Can we create a safe space where sexy self-presentation is respected but not expected from men, women, and genderqueer fen alike? How do we deal with loving works that are problematic? How much is it fair to judge any single work for its contribution to a climate in which women are disproportionately represented in certain ways?
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Game of Thrones: TV vs. Books Westchester Ballroom A2 Media Sat 3:00 PM
We’ve had two seasons of HBO’s GAME OF THRONES, roughly covering books 1-2 of GRRM’s “A Song of Ice and Fire.” How good is the adaptation, and how does it differ from the books? Does it matter to your impression that Martin is involved in the adaption?
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Sci-Fi Movie Making On the Cheap Oak Media Sat 6:00 PM
How do you get your sc-fi fantasy idea on video. There are many ways to shoot low budget and still get something watchable. We will discuss some tricks of the trade.
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Steampunk – More than Cool Goggles Westchester Ballroom A2 Costuming Sun 10:00 AM
These days almost anything goes. Find out the essential parts needed to make an outfit steampunk.
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Safe Spaces, Standards, 2nd Chances Seymour Boton Fan Interest Sun 12:00 PM
The controversy over sexual harassment at Readercon raises the question, how do we make our cons as safe spaces as we can? What policies should we set & how should we communicate them? What standard of proof can we legally & should we ethically require, & what do we do about cases that don’t reach it? What can & should we do about participation from people who have allegedly committed harassment at other cons? Is it ever appropriate to let someone try again? If so, when, & who decides?
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Where Are the Fen? Birch Conrunning Sun 1:00 PM
Bringing SF readers to cons seems harder than ever… how do we reach them? How does a generalist con continue to attract an audience when their interests are no longer stigmatized, the Internet allows them to connect to other fen year round, and specialized events dig deeper into individual fannish interests?
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I will be spending a lot of time at the PHILCON table as well, selling memberships to those who want them. So, if you have the chance to come by and say hi, please do so! 🙂
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We Are Hugh 