access_fandom | Entries tagged with conventions

from the WisCon Planning Year newsletter:

WisCon is conducting a Disability Justice Audit. We would like to know about everyone’s experiences regarding accessibility, disability, and justice at WisCon. If you’ve ever attended WisCon, in any capacity, please fill out this survey by July 31. If you’re short on spoons or time, we ask that you focus on the five questions marked with an asterisk (*). Your answers will help us determine the direction of future programming and accommodations at WisCon.

The Disability Justice Audit committee is not requesting any personally identifying information in this survey. We will anonymize info or quotes from survey results if presenting them in our audit conclusions.

Fill out the Disability Justice Audit as a Google Form: https://forms.gle/9XmZbKxRH8DU53KBA

Privacy note: If you log in with Google, you will be able to save your progress and fill out the form over time. You don't need a Google log in if you can finish the form in one go.

Visit wiscon.net for more details on the Planning Year, newsletter subscription, and the WisCon discord server.

jesse_the_k

WisCon will happen in-person and online during U.S. Memorial Day Weekend, May 27-30, 2022 in Madison, Wisconsin

I'm proud of how WisCon helped push/guide other SF cons into making fandom more accessible. I was sad to read this in a WisCon mailing:

We need to let you all know that we are having a volunteer emergency in terms of pre-con volunteer positions. We're still missing some significant roles with only eight weeks left until the con.

We're at the point now where if we don't get volunteers ASAP, we'll have to make cuts to what WisCon can offer in terms of accessibility, food, and events.

Access Lead (1-2 people, attending in person)

major tasks include

Coordinate our efforts on Signage, Blue Tape, ASL/CART

Set up Transport Plan to/from Thursday night reception at Madison Public Library (Central Branch)

Ensure the Quiet Place & Introvert Corner have space & supplies

Ensure Restroom basket supplies are ordered/purchased before con & restocked throughout the con

Organize and staff the Access table at the Gathering

More volunteering details: contact personnel@sf3.org

We've documented why and what and how we do, and volunteering is a great way to turn theory into practice!

ysabetwordsmith

I have some posts on convention survival techniques:

* How to Accommodate Special Needs While Attending an Event

* How to Manage Your Energy at Conventions

* Working Around Microphones

After a convention, you might need:

* Coping with Emotional Drop

* Coping Skills: Connecting with Your Environment

Current Mood: busy

jesse_the_k

It's a hybrid one-day con, both online and in-person March 27, 2022, through the School of Art at Syracuse [New York] University. Free!

Submission deadline is 1 February 2022.

Check www.geekartconfluence.com for last year’s content.

( details and contact info )

jesse_the_k

Put your skills to work!

The Society for Community Research and Action is seeking a consultant with experience in assessing the accessibility of online conferences.

The responsibilities of the position are:

Review the accessibility of the online platforms and make recommendations for improvements.
Review and advise on materials orienting attendees to the online platforms.
Review and advise on other materials and processes as requested.

This contract is for $2,000, begins immediately upon finalization of the contract and runs through June 26th.

Interested individuals should send a resume or vita and cover letter outlining their experience to Susan Wolfe at Susan@susanwolfeandassociates.com by 5:00 p.m. CT on Sunday, March 21st.

jesse_the_k

4th Street Fantasy has been a single-track Minneapolis-based con in June for many years (unable to track down its founding date).

When they canceled this year due to pandemic, they swerved to a super-accessible alternative:

No need to wrangle with expensive video conferencing software -- simple MP3s and transcripts are available http://4thstreetfantasy.com/programming/2020-4th-street-programming-podcast-edition

I was also impressed by the language in their accessibility policy.

http://4thstreetfantasy.com/policies/accessibility-policy/

sasha_feather

Over at

cynthia1960 's journal, there is a good discussion going that may be of interest:

Brainstorming online access for Worldcon and other conventions

So, I'm interested in bouncing around ideas that look at how building online accessibility can enhance Worldcon and other conventions. Feel free to toss out ideas here!

jesse_the_k

kestrell explains how we can make more books readable.

Bookshare.org provides ebooks to folks who have official status as print-impaired. Unlimited access is free for students and US$50 per year for adults.

Many writers and publishers still don't know about Bookshare, so in my emails I usually include a link to the Bookshare page describing how authors can get their books added to the library
https://www.bookshare.org/cms/partners/authors

Heartening success story: kestrell chatted with his publisher in the Readercon dealer's room and next year Chip Delany's books were on Bookshare

jesse_the_k

I know

davidgillon posted about this already, but every new essay continues to be outstanding! You can read them all for free:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lynnemthomas/disabled-people-destroy-science-fiction-uncanny-ma/updates
( click for squee )

sasha_feather

Danuta Kean at the Guardian:

Young Adult Literature Convention Under Fire Over Disabled Facilities

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/aug/01/young-adult-literature-convention-under-fire-over-disabled-facilities

Authors who appeared at the YALC young adult literature convention over the weekend, including Alex Wheatle and Joanne Harris, have spoken out about what they feel was a lack of disabled facilities at the event. Their complaints centre on the sequestering of one of two disabled toilets for the use of celebrities attending the associated Comicon festival on a lower floor.

jesse_the_k

Keidra Chaney has posted a most excellent essay on her process of coming to terms with progressive vision loss. You may know her as part of The Learned Fangirl. She addresses the barriers fandom erects as well as her own shame and confusion.

But I didn’t anticipate how much my vision disorder would eventually affect my own view of myself, my work, and my life in fandom.

In pop culture, disability is a trope, especially visual impairment.

http://uncannymagazine.com/article/living-working-fangirling-chronic-illness

sasha_feather

Annie Elainey at Tumblr: Accessibility at VidCon

http://annieelainey.tumblr.com/post/147472735779/accessibility-at-vidcon

sasha_feather

io9: Disabled Fans and Creators are Kept out of Way to many Cons. Now They're Not Alone

Andrea Phillips: Van Halen, M&Ms and Accessibility Policies

sasha_feather

Elsa S. Henry at feminist sonar: Lack of Accessibility isn't just illegal -- it's Gatekeeping

(Nov. 10)

sasha_feather

Mary Robinette Kowal:
SFF Convention Accessibility Pledge

Lynne M. Thomas:
A Pledge for SF/F Convention Accessibility

sasha_feather

Catching up on a few posts

Mari Ness: World Fantasy Convention 2015 -- Disability and Accessibility
https://marikness.wordpress.com/2015/11/10/world-fantasy-convention-2015-disability-and-accessibility/

Mari Ness: New Accessibility and Disability Policy
https://marikness.wordpress.com/2015/11/10/new-accessibility-and-disability-policy/

File 770: Mari Ness posts World Fantasy Report and a New Personal Policy
http://file770.com/?p=25970
(some faily stuff in comments)

sasha_feather

Mary Robinette Kowall: Thoughts on Accessibility at Conventions

http://maryrobinettekowal.com/journal/thoughts-on-accessibility-at-conventions/

sasha_feather

Megan Condis:
WisCon Recap part IV: Conference Organizing

sasha_feather

I wrote about social interaction badges at WisCon, over at my Wordpress blog:

Interaction Badges at WisCon: Part 1

Part Two

elf

I'm at Escapade, which is being held in the LAX Four Points Sheraton, which has a fascinating arrangement for ADA-compliant rooms: they only have them in single-king rooms, not rooms with 2 queen beds. I'm rooming with one person who's currently stuck in a room with two beds; I drove down with another who opted for the single king bed version--and was told she'd have to pay extra for a rollout bed.

Both of these people reserved rooms with two queens, and checked the box on the website requesting a room with disability access. Both of them have mobility problems that mean it's very unsafe to bathe without bars in the tub to hold on to... and this hotel, unlike many of them, has no safety bars in the standard bathrooms.

After asking around, it seems this has become a common hotel policy: they apparently don't want to "waste" the more valuable double-queen rooms by making them accessible and pulling them out of the general-use pool of rooms. People with disabilities are not offered the option of rooms with two beds--AND they're no told this when they reserve the room. They are informed when they reach the front desk that they have a choice between sleep and bathing; they don't get to have comfortable and safe arrangements for both.

Anyone know a good ADA lawyer?

Access Fandom

improving disability access in fandom

WisCon Disability Audit for Members from Any Year

WisCon Needs In-Person Access Volunteers NOW

Convention Survival References

Geek/Art CONfluence Seeks Disability-Themed Submissions

Paid Access Consultant for an Online Psychology Convention

4th Street Fantasy Swerved to Podcasts with Transcripts

(no subject)

boost: Advocate for Bookshare with Your Favorite Authors' Publishers

More Great Essays for Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction

Access fail at a young adult lit convention

The Learned Fangirl on Fangirling with Chronic Illness

VidCon report

2 Links about Access policies and cons

catching up on more links

Accessibility Pledge for conventions

Links 14 November 2015

1 link 7 November 2015

1 link 10 June 2015

Social Interaction Badges

Hotel policy: People with disabilities should travel alone

Profile

Links

May 2025

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