I will be on the following panels at WisCon this year (full schedule):
Vigorous Debate, or Verbal Harassment?: Sat, 1:00–2:15 pm, Conference 4
One of the strengths of the SF community is that it's almost always open for discussion and debate. Unfortunately, when discussions get intense, the line between "vigorous debate" and "verbal harassment" goes from blurry to invisible. How can we tell when a discussion has crossed that line? What do we do if we're the one who's crossed it? How can we step in to call back a friend who's crossed it? Let's discuss how to recognize verbal harassment and brainstorm strategies for addressing it within a community where everyone is a friend of a friend.
Jess Adams (m), Andy Best, Michelle Kendall, Kate Nepveu, Maevele Straw
(My first comment will be to correct "the line . . . goes" to "the line can go.")
Fanfic 401: Sat, 2:30–3:45 pm, Capitol B
This is the serious stuff—it is most certainly NOT a 101 panel! Let's discuss bisexual invisibility, the erasure and/or marginalization of female characters, authorial intent, trigger warnings, underage audiences, and source problems. When does fanfic get it right? When does it get it wrong? This will be a cross-fandom discussion.
Anon (m), Beth Friedman, Kate Nepveu, Johanna Eeva, Nonie B. Rider
(I am already making so many mental lists for this, to combat my tendency to forget titles and names, you have no idea. Soon I will progress to writing them down!)
FAIL!: Sun, 4:00–5:15 pm, Capitol A
Racefail, Open Source Boob Project… so many ways to fail. How do we keep stepping in it? What is it we're stepping in? How can we avoid stepping in it?
E. Cabell Hankinson Gathman (m), Anon, Molly Aplet, Rachael Lininger, Kate Nepveu
(I think this is a repeat? I seem to recall reading a very similar description previously. Not that it's a topic that shows any signs of becoming irrelevant any time soon.)
I'm really looking forward to these.