About Conventions, Stalkers, Mashers, and Life

I know that those who do not know me well may be surprised by this, but I am an introvert who has worked hard to have an extrovert shell to use interacting with the world. If you think about a lot of the things some people talk about on their blogs? You'll notice that I don't talk about those things at all. Issues, writing, things in the world that fascinate and frustrate me? I'm there. Occasional discouragement? Yup. Silliness? That's me.

I have always fought for others, and awkwardly for myself. SF conventions have always been a twilight zone for me, ever since I misunderstood a BNA at a major convention and found out that his kind gesture meant that he expected me to sleep with him. It has never been the safe place others alluded to. It was a place where I assumed I had to look out for myself, just as I did everywhere else in the world. la_marquise_de_'s post "What safety means to me" strikes a powerful chord.

Starting today, we fight for others and ourselves. If you only follow one of these interesting links, please read the echo of Elise's post over on John's site. It talks about reporting sexual harassment when at a convention. Real reports are what counts, people. We can't clean up a problem if we don't report. And, BTW--if a male friend needs your support reporting a woman or man who is being aggressive? Support him. Same thing.

"Screw nice. I have a responsibility to the rest of my community, to not excuse it. To not allow it. If you’re out in public, there are expectations as to your behavior. Going forward, if someone behaves like a creeper, I’m calling them out as a creeper. Your physical existence entitles you to nothing other than your own existence. Do not presume." -- Laura Anne Gilman

Additional thanks to Kari, Laura Anne, Maria, Cherie, and Elise (quoted in full over on John's site.)

Thank you for having my back. Know that I have yours.

Five hundred hard-fought words!

Ha! Writeathon, ho!

Now some beta reading.