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alias_sqbrA piece of paper came out of my notebook around here, so I'm not 100% sure where one panel ends and the next begins.
Everyone Games: Creating Inclusive Gaming Communities
Ethan Lesh [Founder, Melbourne Gaymers], Alice Clarke [Diversity Lounge Co-Curator, PAX], Joshua Meadows [Co-Organiser, Sydney Gaymers], Jayden Williams [Writer, MMGN], Ashley Zeldin [Independent Developer, Adorkable Games/IGDA Los Angeles]
@joshuameadows
@jaydenjshuen
@snidelyhazel
So this panel was pretty up front about JUST covering gender and sexuality diversity, and mostly just the lgb and very occasionally t part of the quiltbag. "White guys" was used a lot to mean "conventional straight cis men" but aside from a few self conscious references to the fact they were all white there was no discussion of how the racism of gaming could be addresed using the same direct and active action they were advocating for sexism and homophobia. Disability wasn't on the radar and asexuality wasn't even on the map.
We need to focus on representation and on encouraging people not be dicks.
People are obvlivious: they say "I don't use slurs or actively discriminate, what more could I possibly do?"
Straight women join "Melbourne Gaymers" because it's a safe space.
Straight people complain about being "segregated" out of groups. "It's only segregation if you exclude people" which most queer groups don't, others said that queer-only groups would be justified sometimes anyway and are not segregation.
Where are all the lesbians? Most mogai groups are dominated by cis men. Parties are thrown at gay bars. "LGBT" ends up meaning gay and maaaybe lesbian. Names like "Gaymers" don't help.
The Xbox1owners group was created by a bisexual man to be as inclusive as possible without defining the group by it's inclusivity.
Rules need to be enforced, and there has to be anonymous reporting. You can't wait until someone complains to try and improve things.
One possibility is a rule where every guy wanting to enter an event has to bring a female friend.
Having specific women only or women focussed events creates a sense of community and welcomeness that encourages the same women to turn up to non gender specific events.
SOMEONE MENTIONED THE WORD DISABILITY (I didn't write down why, I think it was some vague comment about needing to be inclusive for "queer, trans, female, black, disabled etc" people)
Booth babes are pretty terrible! And not so much a thing any more. PAX has always banned them and the PAX AU organisers have been very supportive. Gabe from Penny Arcade...not so much. A figure of respect like him being publically transphobic sends a really terrible message.
We can create a bubble of safeness inside unsafe spaces and try to expand it outwards.
Recs: Borderhouse Blog, Scalzi's "Lowest Difficulty" essay, Polygon
Bait and switch: have a non social justice related title to your panel or group etc then slip some feminism etc in there when the audience doesn't expect it.
Advocacy and refuge are both important and you can't always do both at the same time.
Emphasise that women should be loudest voices in a safe space for women etc.
Need more queer NPCs
Everyone Games: Creating Inclusive Gaming Communities
Ethan Lesh [Founder, Melbourne Gaymers], Alice Clarke [Diversity Lounge Co-Curator, PAX], Joshua Meadows [Co-Organiser, Sydney Gaymers], Jayden Williams [Writer, MMGN], Ashley Zeldin [Independent Developer, Adorkable Games/IGDA Los Angeles]
@joshuameadows
@jaydenjshuen
@snidelyhazel
So this panel was pretty up front about JUST covering gender and sexuality diversity, and mostly just the lgb and very occasionally t part of the quiltbag. "White guys" was used a lot to mean "conventional straight cis men" but aside from a few self conscious references to the fact they were all white there was no discussion of how the racism of gaming could be addresed using the same direct and active action they were advocating for sexism and homophobia. Disability wasn't on the radar and asexuality wasn't even on the map.
We need to focus on representation and on encouraging people not be dicks.
People are obvlivious: they say "I don't use slurs or actively discriminate, what more could I possibly do?"
Straight women join "Melbourne Gaymers" because it's a safe space.
Straight people complain about being "segregated" out of groups. "It's only segregation if you exclude people" which most queer groups don't, others said that queer-only groups would be justified sometimes anyway and are not segregation.
Where are all the lesbians? Most mogai groups are dominated by cis men. Parties are thrown at gay bars. "LGBT" ends up meaning gay and maaaybe lesbian. Names like "Gaymers" don't help.
The Xbox1owners group was created by a bisexual man to be as inclusive as possible without defining the group by it's inclusivity.
Rules need to be enforced, and there has to be anonymous reporting. You can't wait until someone complains to try and improve things.
One possibility is a rule where every guy wanting to enter an event has to bring a female friend.
Having specific women only or women focussed events creates a sense of community and welcomeness that encourages the same women to turn up to non gender specific events.
SOMEONE MENTIONED THE WORD DISABILITY (I didn't write down why, I think it was some vague comment about needing to be inclusive for "queer, trans, female, black, disabled etc" people)
Booth babes are pretty terrible! And not so much a thing any more. PAX has always banned them and the PAX AU organisers have been very supportive. Gabe from Penny Arcade...not so much. A figure of respect like him being publically transphobic sends a really terrible message.
We can create a bubble of safeness inside unsafe spaces and try to expand it outwards.
Recs: Borderhouse Blog, Scalzi's "Lowest Difficulty" essay, Polygon
Bait and switch: have a non social justice related title to your panel or group etc then slip some feminism etc in there when the audience doesn't expect it.
Advocacy and refuge are both important and you can't always do both at the same time.
Emphasise that women should be loudest voices in a safe space for women etc.
Need more queer NPCs
