No doubt you have already heard about this situation:
I have written about this publicly on Twitter and privately (ish) on Facebook, but have neglected so far to post about it here. This is the summary I wrote up on my college's unofficial/underground private Facebook group, to try to get a take on what people wholly disconnected from the situation would think about it.
Feedback welcome. I will post an entry that is a copy/paste of my Twitter and Facebook posts later on.
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I'm curious what other [name of alumni group redacted] think about a situation. (Warning: SUPER LONG RANT.) I'm involved with Intercon, a Boston area LARP convention, and just started in the last year or so to be involved with its parent organization, NEIL (New England Interactive Literature). If you don't know what LARP is, I can explain in comments. I first got involved in 2004 or 2005, took a few years' hiatus around 2011, returned in 2014 because it's an activity and community that's extremely important to my partner.
Something that's extremely important to me is safety and freedom from harassment at "geek" activities like conventions, SCA, etc. Particularly for women, LGBTQ people, people of color, people of size - but really, everyone.
Intercon is starting for the first time this year to have a dedicated security staff. I leapt at the chance to apply. My qualifications are excellent - among other things, I was the business manager and legal representative of the Greater Boston SCA group for three years, during which I did extensive interpersonal coordination and mediation, and dealt with a ton of crazy sensitive situations, in addition to the other responsibilities of office, for a population of 250+ paid members and 100+ unpaid, plus people attending our events from neighboring groups, so about 400+ people.
My application for security staff was denied because I have an ex who also attends Intercon, who emotionally abused me for years and then stalked and harassed me after I left him. I have ordered him multiple times not to contact me but do not have a legal restraining order. Intercon's population is roughly 400 people, so a comparable size population, albeit all together in one hotel for a weekend. I was explicitly told by the con chairperson (male, if that's relevant) that because of my conflict with my ex - *one* person out of 400 plus - I am not eligible. I had explained the situation in my application, as I felt it was only ethical to disclose the potential conflict of interest, and explicitly wrote that if I somehow had an issue with him, I would refer it to another staff member to avoid a perceived conflict of interest; furthermore, that I do not believe my ex to be a harassment risk for any other person at the convention (which I sincerely do not). When pressed, the con chair told me that my rejection was not due to my survivor status, but that he could not accept applications from anyone who had a "major conflict" with *any* other individual at the convention (good luck with that one). He also told me that because I might end up on a solo shift, he could not let me be in a situation where I might have to interact with my ex in an official capacity. In a convention of 400+, I find this an extremely statistically unlikely scenario. Lest there be any chance someone thinks I am misinterpreting - I was explicitly told two times that I am not eligible because my ex (who no one forced to abuse or harass me) will be present at the convention.
The kicker? My ex is also in the SCA and was one of my constituents for the above-mentioned 3 years that I was local business manager. The number of times our "conflict" came up for me in the official capacity of my job? Zero.
I feel that this is discrimination. The con chair disagrees, refuses to consider my point, and is behaving as if he cannot hear the words coming out of his own mouth (well, fingers).
What do you all think?
Feedback welcome. I will post an entry that is a copy/paste of my Twitter and Facebook posts later on.
-------------------------
I'm curious what other [name of alumni group redacted] think about a situation. (Warning: SUPER LONG RANT.) I'm involved with Intercon, a Boston area LARP convention, and just started in the last year or so to be involved with its parent organization, NEIL (New England Interactive Literature). If you don't know what LARP is, I can explain in comments. I first got involved in 2004 or 2005, took a few years' hiatus around 2011, returned in 2014 because it's an activity and community that's extremely important to my partner.
Something that's extremely important to me is safety and freedom from harassment at "geek" activities like conventions, SCA, etc. Particularly for women, LGBTQ people, people of color, people of size - but really, everyone.
Intercon is starting for the first time this year to have a dedicated security staff. I leapt at the chance to apply. My qualifications are excellent - among other things, I was the business manager and legal representative of the Greater Boston SCA group for three years, during which I did extensive interpersonal coordination and mediation, and dealt with a ton of crazy sensitive situations, in addition to the other responsibilities of office, for a population of 250+ paid members and 100+ unpaid, plus people attending our events from neighboring groups, so about 400+ people.
My application for security staff was denied because I have an ex who also attends Intercon, who emotionally abused me for years and then stalked and harassed me after I left him. I have ordered him multiple times not to contact me but do not have a legal restraining order. Intercon's population is roughly 400 people, so a comparable size population, albeit all together in one hotel for a weekend. I was explicitly told by the con chairperson (male, if that's relevant) that because of my conflict with my ex - *one* person out of 400 plus - I am not eligible. I had explained the situation in my application, as I felt it was only ethical to disclose the potential conflict of interest, and explicitly wrote that if I somehow had an issue with him, I would refer it to another staff member to avoid a perceived conflict of interest; furthermore, that I do not believe my ex to be a harassment risk for any other person at the convention (which I sincerely do not). When pressed, the con chair told me that my rejection was not due to my survivor status, but that he could not accept applications from anyone who had a "major conflict" with *any* other individual at the convention (good luck with that one). He also told me that because I might end up on a solo shift, he could not let me be in a situation where I might have to interact with my ex in an official capacity. In a convention of 400+, I find this an extremely statistically unlikely scenario. Lest there be any chance someone thinks I am misinterpreting - I was explicitly told two times that I am not eligible because my ex (who no one forced to abuse or harass me) will be present at the convention.
The kicker? My ex is also in the SCA and was one of my constituents for the above-mentioned 3 years that I was local business manager. The number of times our "conflict" came up for me in the official capacity of my job? Zero.
I feel that this is discrimination. The con chair disagrees, refuses to consider my point, and is behaving as if he cannot hear the words coming out of his own mouth (well, fingers).
What do you all think?