Your Anti-Harassment Policy Doesn’t Make Your Con Inclusive
When you attend a convention, you expect to feel welcome, safe, and included. Many conventions tout their anti-harassment policies as a cornerstone of creating a positive environment. But here’s the hard truth: having a policy isn’t enough. True inclusivity requires thoughtful planning, proactive support, and an unwavering commitment to creating spaces where everyone feels valued—not just protected from harassment.
Inclusivity in Action vs. Inclusivity in Theory
An anti-harassment policy is reactive by nature. It steps in after something harmful has happened. To create an inclusive space, organizers must take proactive measures that center the experiences and needs of marginalized attendees.
This means:
Ensuring programming reflects diverse voices and perspectives.
Actively supporting marginalized groups hosting events.
Providing resources for accessibility, whether physical, sensory, or emotional.
Training staff and volunteers to handle conflicts, not just enforce rules.
A Missed Opportunity at Geekway to the West
I want to share a specific instance from Geekway to the West, a convention that, while enjoyable in many ways, failed to prioritize inclusivity in practice. Our group, Super Heroines, Etc. (SHE), had scheduled an event to create a space for women and underrepresented genders in tabletop gaming. In full disclosure, Geekway to the West gave us the room for free. We were excited to foster meaningful connections in a welcoming environment.
We were assigned a room that was meant to be just for our event, a Learn a Game Mixer for women & underrepresented genders. Our founder drove 350 miles from Cincinnati to St. Louis with a toddler and all our supplies in tow. One of our very generous board members changed a flight from a conference to land in St. Louis so she could attend.
However, when the time came, we arrived to find that open gaming had taken over the space. After speaking with the con organizers to ensure we had the right room, we requested help to clear the room. We were told that attendees knew they would need to leave if an event was happening, and they would be sending someone down to let folks know. We also requested help on the con Discord to see if any con leaders would be able to help. After waiting until 15 min before our event was to start, but the con organizers didn’t take action to enforce our room reservation or help us get the space cleared.
We tried to handle it ourselves, kindly explaining the situation to those gaming in the room. We even handed out candy and invited people to stay and join the event, if they were interested. Most stayed and were happy to hear about our organization, but did not participate in the event itself. Many of them did donate to our organization, which was very kind. At least one attendee was aggressively rude, dismissing our event and making us feel unwelcome in the very space meant to be ours.
Folks who signed up to attend our event were also upset, but not at us. They were hopeful the con was going to fulfill their promise and were disappointed to arrive and see that the room wasn’t a special designated place for them. Luckily, they were happy to see us there at all and helped us carve out a portion of the room just for us.
After the event, I spoke with con volunteers to let them know what happened, and while they were very kind, as volunteers, they could really only offer a listening ear. Our founder sent an email expressing our disappointment and the response was a two sentence apology. We know that it’s hard to find time during a con to address issues, but after this short apology, we never heard from the con again.
What Could Have Been Done Differently?
This situation wasn’t just inconvenient—it sent a clear message that our presence and our event were not priorities for the con. Here are a few ways Geekway could have ensured the experience was inclusive:
Active Support: When we reported the issue, staff should have been available to intervene and enforce the room reservation. It’s not our job as marginalized attendees to fight for the space promised to us.
Clear Communication: Signs or announcements about the reserved space could have avoided confusion altogether. As the con was in a hotel, there were digital signs in front of every room that could have been utilized.
De-escalation Training: Volunteers and staff should be trained to handle conflicts and prevent attendees from facing hostility when issues arise.
Accountability: There should have been follow-up from the con organizers to ensure it wouldn’t happen again.
The Bigger Picture
This experience highlights a broader issue: inclusivity can’t be an afterthought. Conventions must plan intentionally to address the barriers marginalized groups face—not just with policies, but with systems and actions.
If conventions truly want to be inclusive, they need to:
Prioritize marginalized voices in planning and leadership.
Allocate resources specifically for inclusive programming.
Create clear mechanisms for accountability when mistakes are made.
Because the truth is, an anti-harassment policy isn’t what makes a con inclusive. It’s what you do every step of the way to ensure everyone feels like they belong.
RELATED POSTS
An anti-harassment policy isn’t enough. True inclusivity at conventions requires action. Read about our experience at Geekway to the West and how cons can do better to support marginalized voices.