Chicon7: We care so much about harassment we have our volunteers interact with an admitted harasser

[secritcrush]

It's the internet, and there's been a lot of talk in the wake of Chicon 7. I'm sure it's ably recapped elsewhere, so let's talk about how I feel.

Rene Walling, Readercon Creeper, was at Chicon. He was making creepy comments while tending bar at one of the parties and moaning to pretty and talented authors about how difficult the aftermath of

Comments

[scarypudding]

"a space where everyone feels welcomed and comfortable", where "everyone" is sorted in order by SMOFness.

[secritcrush]

SMOFs are more equal than the rest of us.

[alexmc]

Four legs good, two legs bad....

OOops, mixing my references there

[alexmc]

> Operational staff are some of the people Chicon7 suggest you report harassment to--Will your average con goer know that doesn't include Program Ops

Someone I have difficulties with usually works in Ops. This makes it almost impossible for me to volunteer for most UK conventions since I will probably have to interact with them at some point.

So, I don't usually volunteer any more. Problem solved.

[fjm]

I've asked: Rene was not a registered volunteer. He wandered in. A friend was on duty and he hung around and helped for a few hours. Then he left (I don't know one way or the other if he was asked to leave).

He did not do a shift, and was not given volunteer credit.

[secritcrush]

Others say he was there at least Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

[fjm]

That is new knowledge to me and presumably to the person I asked. I will pass it on.