As someone who has been on con staff for Further Confusion, I cannot overstate how hard folks work to put on these events. It is. INSANELY. HARD.
Most volunteers are doing this in their free time with no training for any of this on top of very hard normal lives.
I understand the desire to hold folks accountable for mistakes and bad situations, but I also think we miss these folks are just normal people likely in over their heads doing a thankless and impossible job.
Call out mistakes, yeah, but extend grace where we can.
I can all but guarantee you most con staff struggle with knowing the legal ramifications of running a con, much less stuff like safety and security, event planning, accessibility and representation, project management, travel logistics, business contracts, marketing....
One way to help con staff make cons better for everyone is to offer ways to solve the problem you bring to them. Remember: chances are they're normal folks, just like you. You have the same knowledge and resources they do in all likelihood.
Con staff are *literally* community organizers; as members of the community they're organizing, it's up to us to make the job easier.
As bad as it was to run Megaplex for example, my understanding was it was either that or forfeiting contracts because of FL COVID laws.
So many cons are in similar situations, especially in states where public health measures are being vigorously fought by the state's own governors.
Any con in TX and FL likely has to face an impossible choice of moving forward with the con or potentially bankrupting themselves.
So don't yell at cons if they decide to put on the event this year; there are so many factors unseen by most of us and out of their control that might have gone into that decision.
We should inform ourselves about the risk inherent in going and make the best decision we can.
Support the con in other ways if you can:
+ Attend panels and events virtually.
+ Donate to causes (or the convention!) to ensure their survival.
+ Recognize con staff as overworked and underappreciated PEOPLE who are VOLUNTEERING for the community.
+ Be kind. Always.
...the list goes on and on.
After seeing how con staff gets treated, I decided to back away for my mental health. I have a heap of admiration and respect for those who stick with it. It's so fucking hard, and you're way more likely to get thrashed than thanked for the job you do