Now that Covid has calmed a bit, the in-person cons are back. Prior to Covid, I attended FogCon several times (a smallish con in the East Bay that is currently on hiatus) and the Mother-of-Them-All WorldCon 2018 in San Jose.
I know I’m with my peeps the minute I walk into the venue simply by the people I see in the lobby and the hallways in their geeky t-shirts, cos-play costumes, multi-colored hair and random attire. Everyone across any and all spectrums is welcome. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community this is important to me…it feels like home.
If you saw me at a con you might think librarian or teacher. The closest I come to a costume is a Wonder Woman or Women Fantasy Writers t-shirt. The costumes are inspiring and fun, but it not completely about that. It’s more about the attitude of the people in attendance and content of the workshops/presentations. Chosen gender pronouns appear along with your name on the ID tags, panels are diverse, special needs are accommodated and staff are ready to resolve any conflicts. Sounds like the kind of world I want to live in.
I attended BayCon over the July 4th weekend. For a quick overview see the my latest newsletter. It was good to be back in person, talking with other authors, enjoying the costumes, fantasy/sci-fi drag show and karaoke at game night. Con attendees like to party!
The best part is that people can express themselves in whatever way they like. It’s freedom and creativity at it’s very best.
I was introduced to The Rebel Legion, an international Star Wars costuming Community that focuses on volunteer work in the community. They make appearances at children’s hospitals and charity event. What an awesome group.
If you’re part of the fantasy/sci-fi world as either an author or a fan, attending a con should be in your future. They are happening all the time in all parts of the world. Find a con near you!
I’m extremely excited that WorldCon 2025 may be happening in Seattle. Final site voting has yet to happen, but so far Seattle is looking like the winner. WorldCon is hosted in the US every other year and 2024 will be in Glasgow. Obviously that is not possible for many of us, so start planning now for Seattle. I’ll see you there!
J.L. Henker, Author 