[Deptheads] Re: GM complaint

Thu Sep 6 13:22:57 PDT 2012

"God Hates Fags (silhouettes of 2 women together with one between other's legs) But Thinks Lesbians are the Shit!" was a shirt I asked a GM to change or turn inside out. Not appropriate to wear as a GM..especially gming a group of kids and some of their parents. The things Eric Burgess just mentioned about swastikas, hate speech,etc. all are found offensive by many or at least make people feel uncomfortable. GMs don't need to wear offensive nor antagonistic shirts while gming. That is what we are saying here.
We are talking about what GMS and staff wear,...not attendees. And we are not talking about punishing anyone nor taking any action on what has already happened...just letting newer dept. heads know they aren't overreacting if they ask someone to change a shirt in the future....and  (as said below) let GMs know that while on duty as a GM they represent Strategicon.

V

From: Eric Burgess <erburgess at gmail.com>
To: deptheads at strategicon.net 
Sent: Thursday, September 6, 2012 9:42 AM
Subject: Re: [Deptheads] Re: GM complaint

I know Ryan and I think it is hasty to say he just found it personally offensive. I think he would have felt the same way if a GM were wearing anti-Romney shirts making fun of Mormonism or something like that. 

I find it seriously problematic if Kryssie feels that the ACM issue wasn't addressed sufficiently. As the guy who told ACM to leave and go dress appropriately, I can tell you I'm willing to confront anyone who is making people uncomfortable at the convention. I don't think he's been back with the AC. If he was, I'd certainly be up in arms about it. This situation was an e-mail sent to us to complain about something. If we'd gotten an e-mail about ACM, I feel sure we would have beaten that horse to death, too.

Kryssie - With your interest in cosplay, it's not surprising that he and others would ask you to take pictures of your cool costumes. In my view, you should definitely say 'no pics' to people you don't want to take a picture with and feel no obligation to appear with people who make you feel uncomfortable. I hope no one has told you that you need to just take the pics because he's an attendee. ACM ("Kyle" is his name, I think) is seriously creepy and I don't blame you not wanting to take pics with him.

But I can't agree with your point about inanimate objects. Of course a gay person is going to be offended if an attendee wears a shirt that says "God Hates Fags". Christians would also be offended if Atheists come to the convention with shirts that saying deeply negative things about Jesus (I heard that complaint in the pass). Swastikas or burning crosses - yeah, they offend people and I don't think trying to call people irrational will change their natural reaction to images/symbols/words that have context which makes them uncomfortable. Honestly, I don't see why we're dissecting the specifics of this rather than adopting Ryan's simple comments to encourage GMs to be conscious of the fact that they are representing the convention. Yes, people like to 'let their hair down' at the convention. Fine. But I think we all know we aren't able to fully do that if you're representing the convention. If Roderick wants to wear confrontational shirts to the next
 con, just pay for a badge and confront away.

Incidentally, I don't think Tim's Cthulhu shirt has anything to do with this because it refers to a concept of 'voting for the lesser of two evils", not Obama or Romney. If you can disarm a hopelessly sensitive individual by simply saying something like that, it isn't really a problem. Ryan's policy allows for that sniff test and doesn't have drastic issues associated with non-compliance. That should be enough to address the concern. Although, really, shouldn't Tim have been wearing a Strategicon shirt anyway. ;)

I'm sure some on the list would love to continue to argue the point but I definitely think we're just spinning now. Paiva declared the horse dead already. I hope we're done with it, too.

...ERB
http://www.boardgamebabylon.com/ 
http://www.strategicon.net/ 
Please consider supporting The Battle of Red Cliffs before September 5th!

On Thu, Sep 6, 2012 at 9:12 AM, Tim <tim at stugiii.com> wrote:

I was wearing a Cthulhu for president button last con.  The subtext to it says "Why accept the lesser evil?"  I had someone ask me why I thought Obama was the "lesser evil".  He then proceeded to rant about Romney and all his evils.  He wasn't kidding.  He saw what he wanted to see.  
>
>In the horse we are beating to death, I suspect the guy complaining would have been fine with the shirts had they been pro-Obama or anti-Romney.
>
>Tim 
>
>
>
>On 9/6/2012 8:32 AM, Kryssie wrote:
>
>To add to my previous point (sorry, no caffeine this morning)... I *still* see ACM at the con...he *still* makes me feel uncomfortable.  He *still* insists on getting pictures taken with me.  His presence offends me because I think he has the social skills of a kumquat (which, I'm sure, is insulting to the kumquat).  Do I treat him any differently than anyone else?  Nope.  I just suck it up, smile, and say, "So how is YOUR con experience!"  Why?  BECAUSE I'M AN ADULT (as much as I rarely act like it).  My point to all this is we are not babysitters for people's emotions.  Everything can be termed offensive and/or taken out of context.  If I really wanted to, I could say this entire discussion is offensive to me.  How?  Kinda like this...
>>
>>Kryssie makes legit complaint about something offensive.
>>Male staff laugh and pat her on the head, saying, "It's been dealt with..."
>>Male gamer complains about male GM t-shirt.
>>Male staffers up in arms.
>>FEMALE staff is saying, "WTF?"
>>
>>See what I did there?  C'mon, guys... Let's *really* think about this issue before we start making "decisions" about it.  This is a con to escape real life--and that includes places where there are *already* rules about what you can wear on your t-shirt.  Common decency laws still apply, however.  ACM is not getting off on that one.  If I can still smile and not run away in fear of my life, then a player who said nothing at the time can just deal with his own lack of a sense of humor.
>>
>>....and why are we overlooking the young lady who said he was creepy and mean?  I *could* toss that into my "gender equality" schtick above, as well.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>On Thu, Sep 6, 2012 at 8:03 AM, Kryssie <phantom.hopscotch at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>To ask yet another logical question...
>>>
>>>Did the person play the game and say nothing?  Because, that's kinda lame and goes back to my original question of how an inanimate object can antagonize a rational being.   Whereas I'm all for making the con a welcoming place, I remember an incident right after I joined staff that was brushed under the rug and I was given a pat on the head and told it had been dealt with (assless chaps man, anyone?). I'm currently disinclined to take action against someone's inability to have a sense of humor.  I hear Amazon is offering free shipping for those....
>>>
>>>Sent from my HTC smartphone
>>>Kryssie Mackey
>>>310.766.9954
>>>Phantom.Hopscotch at gmail.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>----- Reply message -----
>>>From: "Victor B" <fhoenix88 at yahoo.com>
>>>To: "deptheads at strategicon.net" <deptheads at strategicon.net>
>>>Subject: [Deptheads] Re: GM complaint
>>>Date: Thu, Sep 6, 2012 3:10 am
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Personally I do not feel a game convention is a place to debate politics, race, sex preference, illegal immigration, abortion, religion, etc....especially from staff and volunteers.
>>>Dress code, hygene, language, be on time,  and other things are in my gm emails. It is humorous but gets the point across about not wearing certain shirts or skimpy costumes while gming. Be respectful to those attending your event.
>>>Personally I have asked gms to change shirts or turn them inside out while gming. They can wear what they want while not gming but pokemon doesn't need a gm with a religious shirt mocking gay marriage. Same with the abortion debate t-shirts.
>>>I have yet to have a gm argue to keep their mud slinging shirt on while gming. 
>>>Political mocking t-shirts are worn to antagonize. People know this when they put them on. Our gms (as Ryan and Eric B. have stated) should be welcoming not antagonizing our attendees. 
>>>I am republican so I don't care if people bash obama but there will be attendees that are turned-off  by gms pushing their politics, religion, beliefs, etc. Most won't complain to us but they will on facebook, twitter, blogs, etc. Some won't return.
>>>And none of us here can go up to an  attendee bothered by political mocking t-shirts and say "We looked at the shirts and we don't see what your problem is".  
>>>Most staff already discuss expectations with their volunteers and those that do not can start. We are rocking the cons and growing...so let's keep the good vibrations going in 2013.........................
>>>
>>>
>>>V
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> 
>>
>>
>>-- 
>>Kryssie Mackey 
>>Assistant Marketing Director
>>310-766-9954
>>phantom.hopscotch at gmail.com
>>Strategicon Events
>>Follow me on Twitter & Facebook!
>>
>>
>> 
>>
>>_______________________________________________
Deptheads mailing list Deptheads at strategicon.net http://mordred.punk.net/mailman/listinfo/deptheads 
>
>-- 
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