Wiscon 2013 programming, first look!
Fri, Feb. 22nd, 2013 01:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
oyceterI blame kate_nepveu. Also, so much love to laceblade for probably doing a lot of the anime/manga panel descriptions and nominating!
Panels I am considering being on
Please!
Romance, revised and reconsidered-can we make smart feminism sell?
Romance crosses onto SF/F turf with authors such as Jennifer Crusie visiting ghost stories in MAYBE THIS TIME; Laurell K Hamilton's Anita Blake series (one of the mothers of paranormal) and JD Robb's "in Death" procedurals. The strong-willed central characters drive the story and sell the books--but are they feminist? Julia Quinn writes more "classic" romance--but what does that mean in Regency terms given PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES et al? Kerrelyn Spark's heroines set romance tropes on end with a great deal of humor as does Jennifer Stevenson, and Jayne Anne Krentz revisits romance, paranormal, and fantasy under different pseudonyms. What makes them sell? Are there common feminist elements we can identify? Background: http://www.juliaquinn.com/articles/09-Jul-USAToday.php
Avid romance reader who hates gendered critique of the genre by people who don't read it but also gets frustrated by a lot of genre tropes and how they work with feminism (or not)
daughter of Girl Cooties: romance in SF
Last year's Girl Cooties panel on romance was popular but too short. Let's continue the conversation, with a focus on the role of romance plots and subplots in SF. Why is paranormal romance taking over the world, partiularly with the vampires and werewolves? Why are romance subplots so rare in hard SF?
Fan of both romances and sf/f, and really interested by the various paranormal romances/urban fantasies being published by writers who are obviously influenced by both genres
Girl Cooties 2: More consideration of the Romance Novel
There is a lot of internalized misogyny in how we talk about romance novels and other popular writing directed at women, such as chick lit. Let's talk about why we seem to feel so conflicted about works written by and for women. Can a romance be a version of the hero's journey? Authors ranging from Georgette Heyer to JD Robb have lead characters who are independent and feminist--can feminism and romance coexist? Do you read romance novels? Or do you wonder why anyone calling herself a feminist would do so?
Avid romance reader who hates gendered critique of the genre by people who don't read it but also gets frustrated by a lot of genre tropes and how they work with feminism (or not)
Interested
Cultural Appropriation: The View From Outside the West
Let's discuss cultural appropriation from a more global perspective, from people who belong to non-dominant cultures (i.e., not the US, Canada, Western Europe, or Australia),and cultures for which Western culture is a colonizing influence. From the outside, a culture tends to be perceived as monolithic, whereas from the inside it is usually more fractured. How does this affect our views of cultural appropriation?
Always want to noodle around with tensions like China as a colonized nation in addition to China being the colonizing force in many Asian countries
My Gourmet Organic Local Food Puts Your Food to Shame
With a new emphasis on food - local food, organic food, ethically sourced food - there is also a trend toward commodifying poor food in ways that make that food inaccessible to the communities that created it. Gourmet grits are a thing now. How does an interest in good food intersect with food-shaming those who cannot afford or do not have access to the local organic food movement? How does foodie culture privilege gourmet food over the cultures that originate the cuisines they're taking advantage of?
I like eating gourmet commodified poor food but also hate things like trendy Chinese food when I got made fun of for eating untrendy Chinese food in college
Intended Audience (vs?) Fan Enjoyment
When you consume a source text that wasn't meant for you, does it affect your enjoyment? The male gaze affects how women are drawn in US comics, yet many women read Young Avengers, Wonder Woman, etc. Many women & others who don't identify as men enjoy sienen moe anime shows that feature the interactions of young girls, which are marketed toward men. A subculture of "bronies" has emerged from the dudebros who enjoy My Little Pony. Does the creator's intended audience matter? When the source material is marred with fanservice for its intended audience, does it betray the other readers/viewers?
Conflicted fan of a lot of seinen moe series
Monstrous Females and Female Monsters
What does it mean for a woman to turn into a monster? Or for a monster to turn out to be female? Lamias, hags, vampires, Grendel's mother, Medusa, Lilith, even the occasional werewolf--our dreams and nightmares are full of terrifying women. What can we make of these stories? Do they influence our writing, our readings, our movies? What kinds of female monsters terrify you? What kinds would you like to see more of?
Would also like to talk about non-Western examples
The Author is Dead, The Author is Among Us
The "Death of the Author" school of literary criticism holds that the intentions and biographical experiences of the author should not be considered when analyzing and critiquing creative works, that the impressions and interpretations of readers matter more than the intentions of the writer. But, on the Internet, the author is not only very much alive, but may be only a click and a comment away. How do we reconcile this argument against authorial privilege within a community where the author is often a participant in the critical conversation? Can we talk about the author being dead, even as the author sits among us?
The Xenogenesis Panel
Let’s delve into some of the many issues – feminism and racism, among others – which Octavia Butler explored in her groundbreaking trilogy.
In depth book discussion!
Three Books Four Ways: The Jo Walton Edition
Four panelists commit to reading Farthing, Ha'penny, and Half a crown. They discuss the books in depth, and welcome audience participation.
In depth book discussion!
OK
The Glitch Memorial Panel
Let's talk about the late, lamented MMORPG Glitch and other online multiplayer games. How can game mechanics (and moderation, etc) inspire and encourage cooperative behavior and a sense of community, encouraging players to be good citizens of the game world? How does the nature of the game and its goals influence who plays and how they behave? Are there games or game plots and mechanics that inspire altruism? Kindness? Selfishness? Cruelty? Finally, let's celebrate the wacky, whimsical world of Glitch.
Not really a gamer, but Glitch really drew me in and I find the game mechanics interesting
Apparently, I really want to talk about romances.
Panels I want to attend
2nd wave feminism - a dialog between participants and the younger generation
At WisCon 36 younger women asked specifically for a discussion which focused on communication between their generation and former generations. Veterans of 2nd wave feminism talk about the historical context of that wave of feminism in relation to the Civil Rights, Free Speech, Black Power, Anti-Vietnam War and Gay Liberation movements.
Crafting, making, and the intersection of gender and creation
The Maker movement has done a lot to bring crafting out of the fusty perception of the past. Younger women and men are taking up skills that seemed like they might be lost in the digital age. But what if you aren't making arduino clothes at your makerspace? Or what if you are, but it feels like it doesn't count as "real" making? Join in and talk about the difficulties of owning and claiming your craft, especially if it is coded as female. Is it hard to make time for doing what you love? What are the barriers to entry at makerspaces? Handcrafting encouraged in this panel.
Dispelling Trans Myths 2
Last year, we blew minds and scared the horses. Not every trans person cares about passing! Some of us are really happy with our bodies! Some of us transition really easily! Come see more myths about trans people get blasted to smithereens.
Fandom and the Male Gaze
The male gaze describes the tendency of fictional narratives to focus on a straight male point of view and portray female characters as sex-objects and subjects of visual appreciation, in a way that male characters are not. How can fan-made fiction, vids and art be used to confront and subvert the male gaze? In what ways does the objectification of male characters serve to support rather than counter the status-quo?
Feminism in Gaming, 2013
2012 was a watershed year for discussion of misogyny in gaming, in many ways: Anita Sarkeesian's kickstarter to examine misogyny in gaming, the backlash against it, and the counter-backlash; discussion of art direction in D&D Next; attacks on Felicia Day; the launch of the Gaming as Women blog; and other developments. What has happened so far in 2013? Is the amount of backlash more an indication that misogyny is getting worse, or that we're finally getting around to the painful but necessary conversations? How much progress have we made, and what still needs to be done?
Gendered communication styles in the workplace
Interpersonal communication styles are influenced by the cultural experience of gender, but add in office power dynamics and things get... interesting. Men finding themselves in a woman-dominated workplace may find how things work to be alien. Women entering a workplace that values a robust debate of ideas may find it intimidating. Unlike your social life, you *have* to work with these people, and that means finding out how to talk to them constructively.
How To Be a Fan of Problematic Things
Lord of the Rings. A Song of Ice & Fire. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Many of us like things that are deeply problematic! Liking these works doesn't (necessarily) make you a jerk. How can we like problematic things and not only be decent people, but good, social justice activists? How does one's background matter? How does one address the problems? This panel will discuss how to own up to the problematic things in the media you like, particularly when you feel strongly about them. Inspired by http://www.socialjusticeleague.net/2011/09/how-to-be-a-fan-of-problematic-things/ .
I Really Don't Have Preferred Pronouns
Many people have gender identities; some don't. Come discuss what it is like to not identify with gender, especially as a feminist and a trans* ally. When did we figure out that this wasn't how everyone was? How weird is patriarchy when the groups appear completely arbitrary? Have we chosen paths of least resistance in identity and presentation? This panel will be a place to talk about our personal experiences: What is it like to work in gendered professions when we don't identify with the premise? How have we found health professionals who support us? Does everyone else end up talking about gender an awful lot, or is that just me?
No Longer a Maiden, Not Yet a Crone: Queens, Evil or Otherwise
Regina on Once Upon a Time is evil, yet she's also a mother and an adult abuse survivor. Ravenna in Snow White and the Huntsman is evil, yet also trapped and frightened and looking to save herself. What's going on in these depictions of mature women? What power does a forty-year-old woman have? How is this a threat? What images of adult women do we see in recent popular culture, and what do we want to see going forward?
Social Justice and Remix Culture
Remix Culture encourages the combining, editing, and recontextualizing of existent media to create new works. How can remixing text, videos and music be used to critique the original sources and bring attention to issues of social justice and marginalized communities?
Transfeminism
Last year's panel raised the question of how trangender issues intersect with feminism, only to find out that trans people have already answered that question and more. No longer willing to be silent props in a Ph.D. dissertation on gender theory, or held up as boogey"men" used to frighten legislators, a new generation of trans people have taken up the mandate of feminism's battle for equality. What is the science behind the struggle? What does it mean for the debate when a man can get pregnant? Just what is empowered femininity and how can it change the face of feminism for cis and trans alike?
Class in the novels of Jo Walton
Let's discuss the many ways our guest of honor, Jo Walton, addresses class in her works.
Race and Class in Urban Planning
How does centralized planning divide our cities along lines of race and class? Subsidized housing, elevated freeways, new condos, zoning regulations: who decides where these are placed, and for what purposes? From Tyrion Lannister scouring King’s Landing during war to Ariane Emory programming the populations of Cyteen and Gehenna, these issues affect our fictional worlds too. Let’s talk about how power and urban planning interact.
Teaching Children Age-Appropriate Agency
We want to raise intrepid, compassionate, strong children to change the world and smash the kyriarchy through their Powers of Awesome ... but it's hard navigating the line between our egalitarian, agency-centric ideals and past authoritarian habits of parenting. Pushing boundaries is very age-appropriate for preschoolers, but so is having limits imposed by your parents. Sometimes even the most Free-Range of parents has to put their foot down and forbid something. We'll share tales from the parenting trenches and recent reearch.
Trans* Bodies in SF/F
Science fiction and fantasy narratives involving trans* characters often fall into two categories: the spectacle of the transsexual transition, or the magical sex swap for quick plot fuel and humor. But these tropes often ring hollow to those who have experienced first hand what it means to change their body, and the tropes rarely do more than reify existing gender stereotypes. The panel will discuss which stories get it right, which stories get it wrong, and the hows and how nots of presenting trans* characters in literature.
Towards an Intersectional Fat Acceptance
Let's discuss the realities of creating spaces that amplify a variety of fat voices - without rehashing the culturally standard (and oppressive) pro-diet narrative. This panel is meant to discuss practical strategies for building an intersectional movement rather than debating the importance thereof - because fat acceptance will be intersectional or it will be bullsh*t.
When bodies and jobs are the same: The meta
Storytelling is very important to a social change movement, and we also need time to discuss the wider social pressures and expectations. Often, we feel that the choices we make about our bodies are individual, but it's almost impossible to separate the subject from the context. How our looks and physical abilities affect what we can make money at is one aspect of this issue. This panel is a place to discuss the ways that living in the kyriarchy affect the choices we can make and why we choose what we choose. The decision to try to pass is qualitatively different from the choice to not try to pass.
Microbes
Microbes play crucial ecological roles. Many are directly or indirectly required for human health. They form a large part of the earth's total biomass. They can perform some amazing metabolic tricks, yet all too often science fiction has ignored microbes, or focused on their role as human pathogens. But not this panel! We have plentiful fare for discussion: microbial ecology,biofilms and microbial mats, microbiomes, microbial genomics, microbial diversity, antibiotic resistance, horizontal gene transfer, microbial evolution, microbial exobiology and the role of microbes in human health.
Aging While Female
Age discrimination is usually not listed among the issues of oppression and/or identity politics. But older people, especially women, are seldom portrayed in SF/F; when they are, they are usually supporting characters, or villains. What are some positive images of older women in SF/F, and how can we encourage better images of the older woman?
Contemporary Fantasy and Science Fiction from the Muslim World
A lot has happened since "A Thousand and One Nights". Come and hear panelists discuss contemporary fantasy and science fiction from the Muslim world! We'll talk about works by Muslim authors from different countries, both those available in English and those still awaiting translation. We welcome audience participation, so come with questions; we'll bring our reading experience and boundless enthusiasm. A dystopian Cairo, a water planet and a magic library await you!
Discworld and Gender Issues
In 39 books to date, Terry Pratchett's Discworld series does a lot of good things with gender themes and some less than good things. Let's talk about the wide range of female characters in Discworld, their different kinds of agency, the number of stories that center on female relationships, and the problematic of strains of gender essentialism and heteronormativity, especially in Discworld's non-human species.
Gay and Lesbian Characters in Anime & Manga
Is the Boys Love genre an appropriation of gay male sexuality, or an expression of female sexuality? Are there realistic series about gay men outside of BL that were written by/for men? What about realistic lesbian characters? Let's talk about the representation of LGB characters in anime & manga--what we've seen, and what we'd like to see.
Is the World Still Worth Saving?
Jo Walton claims that "save the world" stopped being the primary focus of fantasy with the publication of Robin Hobb's _Assassin's Apprentice_ in 1995. However, that ignores works such as _Thieves' World_, _God Stalk_, _Another Fine Myth_, and _War for the Oaks_ -- and that's just the 1980s. Where does "save the world" fit into the whole fantasy genre? http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/12/not-saving-the-world-how-does-that-even-work
LBGTQ Paranormals
Beyond the sparkly vampires and the teen love triangles and the women in leather pants with heavy weaponry lurk queer werewolves, bi vampires, lesbian witches and gay demons looking to share their stories. LGBTQ Paranormals have been coming into their own for the last few years; let's talk about what's out there and where we see the subgenre going. It's time to read the stories that insist that Dumbledore gets a boyfriend.
Realistic And Unrealistic Sex In Fiction
What makes sex in fiction realistic or head-twistingly not? Do we want realistic sex? Is fanfic better at it?
Representations of Disability in Anime & Manga
Let's talk about how people with disabilities are portrayed. Are disabilities more prevalent in the characters who struggle in shounen action series than in the shoujo series that focus on everyday life? Who are some of your favorite characters with disabilities, and do you like how they're portrayed? What could be done better?
The Women of Once Upon a Time
Queens, evil and otherwise, princesses, warriors, lovers, mothers. This panel will discuss the many female characters in television's "Once Upon a Time".
Trans People in Anime & Manga
Let's talk about how trans people are represented in anime and manga. Suggested series: F. Compo, Hourou Musuko
Vid Party Discussion
We will discuss some of the vids shown at the vid party, and fan vids in general.
Why is pleasure so problematic?
Panels on 'our guilty reading pleasures' seem to be recurrent phenomena, but why are pleasures guilty? What is the shame associated with enjoyment? Is it the pleasures that we feel guilt about, or the feeling of pleasure? What is wrong with pleasure? Why are we made to feel guilty about it? Let's explore this.
The Influence of Octavia Butler: A case of “Strange Matings”
Octavia Butler’s publisher Dan Simon said, “Does it ever seem to you that there are people among us who hold up the sky and make the rivers flow.… Octavia comes to my mind as first among that group of people.” One of the few African-Americans writing sf, she was a true sf pioneer who took on the issues of gender and race and encouraged others to join her. Her work affected the worlds of feminist sf, African American sf, academic feminism, as well as many writers in all the above fields. This spring, Aqueduct Press will publish Strange Matings, an anthology on Butler edited by former WisCon GOH Nisi Shawl and long-time WisCon presenter Rebecca Holden. We propose to use our experience working on this anthology as a jumping off point for a discussion on Butler's far-ranging influence.
Panelists: Nisi Shawl, Rebecca Holden, Timmi Duchamp, Nnedi Okorafor, Kate Schaefer, Benjamin Rosenbaum, Candra Gill
Fannish Spaces
From the perception that people of color aren’t SF fans because of a perceived lack of con attendance to rants against "fake geek girls," there’s an awful lot of gatekeeping in many fannish/geek spaces that are considered white and/or male. When people who aren’t "expected" to be in those spaces move into them, they’re often met with hostility, suspicion, and listserv rants. Ways of being fans outside of marked fan spaces are often overlooked or ignored. There are often discussions about how to be more inclusive, but maybe it’s also time to talk about the ways people are geeky or fans in spaces outside of a definitions of fandom that feel increasingly narrow.
Geek Self-Loathing: Pros, Prose & Hierarchy
How often have you heard someone introduce themself as a writer, but with nothing published yet, or nothing published recently? Or as 'just' a social worker, game designer or mother? Why does a bibliography so often seem to be a necessity to be on a panel, and why do our fannish résumés seem to focus so often on what we've published? How does the Geek Social Hierarchy play out in the Wiscon community? How many of us tacitly believe in a hierarchy where professional prose writers are at the top, and what should we do about this?
kate_nepveu. Also, so much love to laceblade for probably doing a lot of the anime/manga panel descriptions and nominating!Panels I am considering being on
Please!
Romance, revised and reconsidered-can we make smart feminism sell?
Romance crosses onto SF/F turf with authors such as Jennifer Crusie visiting ghost stories in MAYBE THIS TIME; Laurell K Hamilton's Anita Blake series (one of the mothers of paranormal) and JD Robb's "in Death" procedurals. The strong-willed central characters drive the story and sell the books--but are they feminist? Julia Quinn writes more "classic" romance--but what does that mean in Regency terms given PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES et al? Kerrelyn Spark's heroines set romance tropes on end with a great deal of humor as does Jennifer Stevenson, and Jayne Anne Krentz revisits romance, paranormal, and fantasy under different pseudonyms. What makes them sell? Are there common feminist elements we can identify? Background: http://www.juliaquinn.com/articles/09-Jul-USAToday.php
Avid romance reader who hates gendered critique of the genre by people who don't read it but also gets frustrated by a lot of genre tropes and how they work with feminism (or not)
daughter of Girl Cooties: romance in SF
Last year's Girl Cooties panel on romance was popular but too short. Let's continue the conversation, with a focus on the role of romance plots and subplots in SF. Why is paranormal romance taking over the world, partiularly with the vampires and werewolves? Why are romance subplots so rare in hard SF?
Fan of both romances and sf/f, and really interested by the various paranormal romances/urban fantasies being published by writers who are obviously influenced by both genres
Girl Cooties 2: More consideration of the Romance Novel
There is a lot of internalized misogyny in how we talk about romance novels and other popular writing directed at women, such as chick lit. Let's talk about why we seem to feel so conflicted about works written by and for women. Can a romance be a version of the hero's journey? Authors ranging from Georgette Heyer to JD Robb have lead characters who are independent and feminist--can feminism and romance coexist? Do you read romance novels? Or do you wonder why anyone calling herself a feminist would do so?
Avid romance reader who hates gendered critique of the genre by people who don't read it but also gets frustrated by a lot of genre tropes and how they work with feminism (or not)
Interested
Cultural Appropriation: The View From Outside the West
Let's discuss cultural appropriation from a more global perspective, from people who belong to non-dominant cultures (i.e., not the US, Canada, Western Europe, or Australia),and cultures for which Western culture is a colonizing influence. From the outside, a culture tends to be perceived as monolithic, whereas from the inside it is usually more fractured. How does this affect our views of cultural appropriation?
Always want to noodle around with tensions like China as a colonized nation in addition to China being the colonizing force in many Asian countries
My Gourmet Organic Local Food Puts Your Food to Shame
With a new emphasis on food - local food, organic food, ethically sourced food - there is also a trend toward commodifying poor food in ways that make that food inaccessible to the communities that created it. Gourmet grits are a thing now. How does an interest in good food intersect with food-shaming those who cannot afford or do not have access to the local organic food movement? How does foodie culture privilege gourmet food over the cultures that originate the cuisines they're taking advantage of?
I like eating gourmet commodified poor food but also hate things like trendy Chinese food when I got made fun of for eating untrendy Chinese food in college
Intended Audience (vs?) Fan Enjoyment
When you consume a source text that wasn't meant for you, does it affect your enjoyment? The male gaze affects how women are drawn in US comics, yet many women read Young Avengers, Wonder Woman, etc. Many women & others who don't identify as men enjoy sienen moe anime shows that feature the interactions of young girls, which are marketed toward men. A subculture of "bronies" has emerged from the dudebros who enjoy My Little Pony. Does the creator's intended audience matter? When the source material is marred with fanservice for its intended audience, does it betray the other readers/viewers?
Conflicted fan of a lot of seinen moe series
Monstrous Females and Female Monsters
What does it mean for a woman to turn into a monster? Or for a monster to turn out to be female? Lamias, hags, vampires, Grendel's mother, Medusa, Lilith, even the occasional werewolf--our dreams and nightmares are full of terrifying women. What can we make of these stories? Do they influence our writing, our readings, our movies? What kinds of female monsters terrify you? What kinds would you like to see more of?
Would also like to talk about non-Western examples
The Author is Dead, The Author is Among Us
The "Death of the Author" school of literary criticism holds that the intentions and biographical experiences of the author should not be considered when analyzing and critiquing creative works, that the impressions and interpretations of readers matter more than the intentions of the writer. But, on the Internet, the author is not only very much alive, but may be only a click and a comment away. How do we reconcile this argument against authorial privilege within a community where the author is often a participant in the critical conversation? Can we talk about the author being dead, even as the author sits among us?
The Xenogenesis Panel
Let’s delve into some of the many issues – feminism and racism, among others – which Octavia Butler explored in her groundbreaking trilogy.
In depth book discussion!
Three Books Four Ways: The Jo Walton Edition
Four panelists commit to reading Farthing, Ha'penny, and Half a crown. They discuss the books in depth, and welcome audience participation.
In depth book discussion!
OK
The Glitch Memorial Panel
Let's talk about the late, lamented MMORPG Glitch and other online multiplayer games. How can game mechanics (and moderation, etc) inspire and encourage cooperative behavior and a sense of community, encouraging players to be good citizens of the game world? How does the nature of the game and its goals influence who plays and how they behave? Are there games or game plots and mechanics that inspire altruism? Kindness? Selfishness? Cruelty? Finally, let's celebrate the wacky, whimsical world of Glitch.
Not really a gamer, but Glitch really drew me in and I find the game mechanics interesting
Apparently, I really want to talk about romances.
Panels I want to attend
2nd wave feminism - a dialog between participants and the younger generation
At WisCon 36 younger women asked specifically for a discussion which focused on communication between their generation and former generations. Veterans of 2nd wave feminism talk about the historical context of that wave of feminism in relation to the Civil Rights, Free Speech, Black Power, Anti-Vietnam War and Gay Liberation movements.
Crafting, making, and the intersection of gender and creation
The Maker movement has done a lot to bring crafting out of the fusty perception of the past. Younger women and men are taking up skills that seemed like they might be lost in the digital age. But what if you aren't making arduino clothes at your makerspace? Or what if you are, but it feels like it doesn't count as "real" making? Join in and talk about the difficulties of owning and claiming your craft, especially if it is coded as female. Is it hard to make time for doing what you love? What are the barriers to entry at makerspaces? Handcrafting encouraged in this panel.
Dispelling Trans Myths 2
Last year, we blew minds and scared the horses. Not every trans person cares about passing! Some of us are really happy with our bodies! Some of us transition really easily! Come see more myths about trans people get blasted to smithereens.
Fandom and the Male Gaze
The male gaze describes the tendency of fictional narratives to focus on a straight male point of view and portray female characters as sex-objects and subjects of visual appreciation, in a way that male characters are not. How can fan-made fiction, vids and art be used to confront and subvert the male gaze? In what ways does the objectification of male characters serve to support rather than counter the status-quo?
Feminism in Gaming, 2013
2012 was a watershed year for discussion of misogyny in gaming, in many ways: Anita Sarkeesian's kickstarter to examine misogyny in gaming, the backlash against it, and the counter-backlash; discussion of art direction in D&D Next; attacks on Felicia Day; the launch of the Gaming as Women blog; and other developments. What has happened so far in 2013? Is the amount of backlash more an indication that misogyny is getting worse, or that we're finally getting around to the painful but necessary conversations? How much progress have we made, and what still needs to be done?
Gendered communication styles in the workplace
Interpersonal communication styles are influenced by the cultural experience of gender, but add in office power dynamics and things get... interesting. Men finding themselves in a woman-dominated workplace may find how things work to be alien. Women entering a workplace that values a robust debate of ideas may find it intimidating. Unlike your social life, you *have* to work with these people, and that means finding out how to talk to them constructively.
How To Be a Fan of Problematic Things
Lord of the Rings. A Song of Ice & Fire. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Many of us like things that are deeply problematic! Liking these works doesn't (necessarily) make you a jerk. How can we like problematic things and not only be decent people, but good, social justice activists? How does one's background matter? How does one address the problems? This panel will discuss how to own up to the problematic things in the media you like, particularly when you feel strongly about them. Inspired by http://www.socialjusticeleague.net/2011/09/how-to-be-a-fan-of-problematic-things/ .
I Really Don't Have Preferred Pronouns
Many people have gender identities; some don't. Come discuss what it is like to not identify with gender, especially as a feminist and a trans* ally. When did we figure out that this wasn't how everyone was? How weird is patriarchy when the groups appear completely arbitrary? Have we chosen paths of least resistance in identity and presentation? This panel will be a place to talk about our personal experiences: What is it like to work in gendered professions when we don't identify with the premise? How have we found health professionals who support us? Does everyone else end up talking about gender an awful lot, or is that just me?
No Longer a Maiden, Not Yet a Crone: Queens, Evil or Otherwise
Regina on Once Upon a Time is evil, yet she's also a mother and an adult abuse survivor. Ravenna in Snow White and the Huntsman is evil, yet also trapped and frightened and looking to save herself. What's going on in these depictions of mature women? What power does a forty-year-old woman have? How is this a threat? What images of adult women do we see in recent popular culture, and what do we want to see going forward?
Social Justice and Remix Culture
Remix Culture encourages the combining, editing, and recontextualizing of existent media to create new works. How can remixing text, videos and music be used to critique the original sources and bring attention to issues of social justice and marginalized communities?
Transfeminism
Last year's panel raised the question of how trangender issues intersect with feminism, only to find out that trans people have already answered that question and more. No longer willing to be silent props in a Ph.D. dissertation on gender theory, or held up as boogey"men" used to frighten legislators, a new generation of trans people have taken up the mandate of feminism's battle for equality. What is the science behind the struggle? What does it mean for the debate when a man can get pregnant? Just what is empowered femininity and how can it change the face of feminism for cis and trans alike?
Class in the novels of Jo Walton
Let's discuss the many ways our guest of honor, Jo Walton, addresses class in her works.
Race and Class in Urban Planning
How does centralized planning divide our cities along lines of race and class? Subsidized housing, elevated freeways, new condos, zoning regulations: who decides where these are placed, and for what purposes? From Tyrion Lannister scouring King’s Landing during war to Ariane Emory programming the populations of Cyteen and Gehenna, these issues affect our fictional worlds too. Let’s talk about how power and urban planning interact.
Teaching Children Age-Appropriate Agency
We want to raise intrepid, compassionate, strong children to change the world and smash the kyriarchy through their Powers of Awesome ... but it's hard navigating the line between our egalitarian, agency-centric ideals and past authoritarian habits of parenting. Pushing boundaries is very age-appropriate for preschoolers, but so is having limits imposed by your parents. Sometimes even the most Free-Range of parents has to put their foot down and forbid something. We'll share tales from the parenting trenches and recent reearch.
Trans* Bodies in SF/F
Science fiction and fantasy narratives involving trans* characters often fall into two categories: the spectacle of the transsexual transition, or the magical sex swap for quick plot fuel and humor. But these tropes often ring hollow to those who have experienced first hand what it means to change their body, and the tropes rarely do more than reify existing gender stereotypes. The panel will discuss which stories get it right, which stories get it wrong, and the hows and how nots of presenting trans* characters in literature.
Towards an Intersectional Fat Acceptance
Let's discuss the realities of creating spaces that amplify a variety of fat voices - without rehashing the culturally standard (and oppressive) pro-diet narrative. This panel is meant to discuss practical strategies for building an intersectional movement rather than debating the importance thereof - because fat acceptance will be intersectional or it will be bullsh*t.
When bodies and jobs are the same: The meta
Storytelling is very important to a social change movement, and we also need time to discuss the wider social pressures and expectations. Often, we feel that the choices we make about our bodies are individual, but it's almost impossible to separate the subject from the context. How our looks and physical abilities affect what we can make money at is one aspect of this issue. This panel is a place to discuss the ways that living in the kyriarchy affect the choices we can make and why we choose what we choose. The decision to try to pass is qualitatively different from the choice to not try to pass.
Microbes
Microbes play crucial ecological roles. Many are directly or indirectly required for human health. They form a large part of the earth's total biomass. They can perform some amazing metabolic tricks, yet all too often science fiction has ignored microbes, or focused on their role as human pathogens. But not this panel! We have plentiful fare for discussion: microbial ecology,biofilms and microbial mats, microbiomes, microbial genomics, microbial diversity, antibiotic resistance, horizontal gene transfer, microbial evolution, microbial exobiology and the role of microbes in human health.
Aging While Female
Age discrimination is usually not listed among the issues of oppression and/or identity politics. But older people, especially women, are seldom portrayed in SF/F; when they are, they are usually supporting characters, or villains. What are some positive images of older women in SF/F, and how can we encourage better images of the older woman?
Contemporary Fantasy and Science Fiction from the Muslim World
A lot has happened since "A Thousand and One Nights". Come and hear panelists discuss contemporary fantasy and science fiction from the Muslim world! We'll talk about works by Muslim authors from different countries, both those available in English and those still awaiting translation. We welcome audience participation, so come with questions; we'll bring our reading experience and boundless enthusiasm. A dystopian Cairo, a water planet and a magic library await you!
Discworld and Gender Issues
In 39 books to date, Terry Pratchett's Discworld series does a lot of good things with gender themes and some less than good things. Let's talk about the wide range of female characters in Discworld, their different kinds of agency, the number of stories that center on female relationships, and the problematic of strains of gender essentialism and heteronormativity, especially in Discworld's non-human species.
Gay and Lesbian Characters in Anime & Manga
Is the Boys Love genre an appropriation of gay male sexuality, or an expression of female sexuality? Are there realistic series about gay men outside of BL that were written by/for men? What about realistic lesbian characters? Let's talk about the representation of LGB characters in anime & manga--what we've seen, and what we'd like to see.
Is the World Still Worth Saving?
Jo Walton claims that "save the world" stopped being the primary focus of fantasy with the publication of Robin Hobb's _Assassin's Apprentice_ in 1995. However, that ignores works such as _Thieves' World_, _God Stalk_, _Another Fine Myth_, and _War for the Oaks_ -- and that's just the 1980s. Where does "save the world" fit into the whole fantasy genre? http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/12/not-saving-the-world-how-does-that-even-work
LBGTQ Paranormals
Beyond the sparkly vampires and the teen love triangles and the women in leather pants with heavy weaponry lurk queer werewolves, bi vampires, lesbian witches and gay demons looking to share their stories. LGBTQ Paranormals have been coming into their own for the last few years; let's talk about what's out there and where we see the subgenre going. It's time to read the stories that insist that Dumbledore gets a boyfriend.
Realistic And Unrealistic Sex In Fiction
What makes sex in fiction realistic or head-twistingly not? Do we want realistic sex? Is fanfic better at it?
Representations of Disability in Anime & Manga
Let's talk about how people with disabilities are portrayed. Are disabilities more prevalent in the characters who struggle in shounen action series than in the shoujo series that focus on everyday life? Who are some of your favorite characters with disabilities, and do you like how they're portrayed? What could be done better?
The Women of Once Upon a Time
Queens, evil and otherwise, princesses, warriors, lovers, mothers. This panel will discuss the many female characters in television's "Once Upon a Time".
Trans People in Anime & Manga
Let's talk about how trans people are represented in anime and manga. Suggested series: F. Compo, Hourou Musuko
Vid Party Discussion
We will discuss some of the vids shown at the vid party, and fan vids in general.
Why is pleasure so problematic?
Panels on 'our guilty reading pleasures' seem to be recurrent phenomena, but why are pleasures guilty? What is the shame associated with enjoyment? Is it the pleasures that we feel guilt about, or the feeling of pleasure? What is wrong with pleasure? Why are we made to feel guilty about it? Let's explore this.
The Influence of Octavia Butler: A case of “Strange Matings”
Octavia Butler’s publisher Dan Simon said, “Does it ever seem to you that there are people among us who hold up the sky and make the rivers flow.… Octavia comes to my mind as first among that group of people.” One of the few African-Americans writing sf, she was a true sf pioneer who took on the issues of gender and race and encouraged others to join her. Her work affected the worlds of feminist sf, African American sf, academic feminism, as well as many writers in all the above fields. This spring, Aqueduct Press will publish Strange Matings, an anthology on Butler edited by former WisCon GOH Nisi Shawl and long-time WisCon presenter Rebecca Holden. We propose to use our experience working on this anthology as a jumping off point for a discussion on Butler's far-ranging influence.
Panelists: Nisi Shawl, Rebecca Holden, Timmi Duchamp, Nnedi Okorafor, Kate Schaefer, Benjamin Rosenbaum, Candra Gill
Fannish Spaces
From the perception that people of color aren’t SF fans because of a perceived lack of con attendance to rants against "fake geek girls," there’s an awful lot of gatekeeping in many fannish/geek spaces that are considered white and/or male. When people who aren’t "expected" to be in those spaces move into them, they’re often met with hostility, suspicion, and listserv rants. Ways of being fans outside of marked fan spaces are often overlooked or ignored. There are often discussions about how to be more inclusive, but maybe it’s also time to talk about the ways people are geeky or fans in spaces outside of a definitions of fandom that feel increasingly narrow.
Geek Self-Loathing: Pros, Prose & Hierarchy
How often have you heard someone introduce themself as a writer, but with nothing published yet, or nothing published recently? Or as 'just' a social worker, game designer or mother? Why does a bibliography so often seem to be a necessity to be on a panel, and why do our fannish résumés seem to focus so often on what we've published? How does the Geek Social Hierarchy play out in the Wiscon community? How many of us tacitly believe in a hierarchy where professional prose writers are at the top, and what should we do about this?
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