First, the good news: GaymerCon, an inclusive gaming and tech convention focussing on LGBT geek culture, has been more than successfully funded via Kickstarter.
Then, the bad: Westboro Baptist Church (they of "God Hates Fags" notoriety) is threatening to picket the event, scheduled for August 2013 in San Francisco.
Marcus Estrada writes: "Video games are something that a vast amount of people are able to enjoy. Young, old, married, African American, hearing impaired, straight, genderqueer, Caucasian, disabled, Catholic, Democrat, and so many other labels are all interacting in the gaming world. Yet, the stigma of gamers as a homogenous group of teenage to twenty-something year old cisgender white males pervades."
CCC Says: "Many of you probably haven’t heard of Gaymer X, a gaming convention that is specifically made to be a safe space for LGBT members of the gaming community. Well, it’s the convention’s second year running, and it’s growing rather quickly. In fact, its first year was larger than most first year conventions ever get. Sure, it doesn’t hold a candle to PAX, but at 2,300 attendees in year one, it had more people show up than Otakon did in its first year, or even San Diego Comic Con!"
Collaboration with the largest LGBT cable television network cements movement of queer geeks into the mainstream.
Of course they do, they are idiots. These are the sort of cowards that think they are anonymous on the internet so they say a bunch of hateful stuff.
Dunno. I dont take issue with this but imagine this for a minutre:
"Gaming convention.... For whites only".
Could you imagine the uproar?
Seriously there will be gamers in the area of this convention who would be desperate to go in and check out all the new stuff. But because of their sexuality they cant...
You dont fight discrimination by discriminating.
Uh you guys know you're welcome at regular conventions. Honestly I don't think this is needed. What would be the difference in a gay gamer convention?
Right?? I'm pretty sure we don't have "straight" or "bisexual" conventions and if so....just stop it. Humanity creates its own segregation. I don't care what ur preference is sexually, if u like to play games what's the problem just play the dam game.
You do understand that straight people are also welcome at this convention. I don't know that an entire separate convention is necessary either, but apparently they feel it is necessary. The same way I don't think that an entire separate convention is necessary for women either.
I don't know if this sort of convention is needed, but judging from some of the hateful comments that people make maybe it is needed. Either way it's just another convention and while it does focus on LGBT issues, it doesn't exclude straight people from being allowed at the convention. If anything this will inspire the other conventions to add some focus on these topics.
Vile people, people should be allowed to live their lifes how they wish (as long as it don't hurt anyone else) and not to be hated for it.
Religion and especially the WBC can go suck a dick.
If they hate gay people SOOO much, why would they bother coming near a convention specifically FOR them? You'd think they would want to stay far away and protest on the news or something.
If I lived in Cali, I'd protest this church. Every Sunday morning, I'd get up bright and early to carry a picket sign in front of their church that says "God Hates Bigots."