A fauxpology!
This is not an apology. This is trying to get out of trouble with no actual acknowledgement that you fucked up. There was no acknowledgement, publicly or privately, of the egregiousness of their behavior (documented here & on my tumblr).
It isn't our fault you didn't do your research, Orycon. We shouldn't have had to find you & explain "our voice" that you were so intent on excluding.
You are not the wounded parties here, & this isn't even a real apology. You rewrote the manual on fucking up. That means you should rewrite the manual on apology--and you didn't. It's yet another not really apology.
I remain unconvinced and unimpressed.
This is Carol Greenburg, former science fiction editor and past, present and future autistic.t. During the many year I edited StarTrek novels for a living, I was invited to speak on or moderate a whole bunch of panels at science fiction conventions that seem very similar Orycon.It was clear to me that organizing these conventions is an all-consuming task. Everyone has opinions and multiple complaints, and I understand the difficulty of differentiating the trivial from the important.
ReplyDeleteEnsuring the participation of autistic adults on panels with the word "Autism" in their titles, that's not trivial. That's important and I identify it as important as a science fiction editor, as an autistic adult, AND as the mother of of an autistic child.
Looks like Orycon's organizers blew it this year, and didn't seem very interested in rectifying their errors even when there was time to do so. OK, everyone gets to make mistakes, even manmmouth ones like this. I agree with Kassiane's opinion that their apology for said mess-up was inadequate, and see no reson why they can't give it another try, once more with feeling. (And if you don't get that clumsy Buffy reference, then I question your qualification to attend much less, speak at or organize a science fiction convention :))
In response to Orycon's pledge to do better by autistics next year. I'll make a pledge of my own: I'll be keeping up with the Orycon's convention website, with particular attention to who is invited to speak on which subjects. Heck, if they pay my way, I'd even make room in my schedule to speak there myself. If they are foolish enough not to want me :), I'll wager I have connections with at least some science fiction professionals they do want, and I hereby pledge to make my opinions, positive or negative, known to these professionals.
Do feel free to share my pledge, fellow autistics, fellow parents and fellow fen, and anyone else who has ever known how it feels to be excluded.
Carol Greenburg