Anime Conventions #MeToo

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https://kotaku.com/as-spreadsheet-of-accused-abusers-spreads-anime-conven-1831879237

A spreadsheet containing the names of alleged abusers and harassers who attend U.S. anime conventions is making its way around social media as part of a small #MeToo movement in the niche community.

...one online activist drew up a public spreadsheet that collected people’s allegations of misconduct. As of this article’s publication, it contains 34 names, and at any point, dozens of people may be looking at it. Kotaku is not linking to the spreadsheet, and has not independently verified the claims in it. 

“I’m not interested in punishing these people,” The Moderator told me. (The Moderator would not share their name or any private information about them for fear of repercussions; they were wearing a fur coat and described themselves as a “grumpy native New Yorker.”) 

The spreadsheet follows the format of the crowdsourced Google spreadsheet titled “Shitty Media Men,” which went viral in fall 2017. 

There’s a great fear about excluding people in the U.S. anime community, they explained, which may be what’s led so many alleged victims to hold their tongues for so long. “I know we all want to be accepting because the reason we’re together as a community is because we’re rejected for our interests in other spheres of society,” they said.“But at the same time, there are people who are just not safe.” 

Anime fans at conventions may feel liberated from general anxiety they may feel about not fitting in elsewhere.

“The problem is that once those initial social boundaries are eroded, a lot of people don’t stop there,” said The Moderator.

Individuals with allegations of sexual misconduct against cosplay photographers, convention chairs, panelists or even regular attendees are sharing them with The Moderator on a Google form. The results populate a private spreadsheet, which the moderator reviews before posting them on their public spreadsheet.

The Moderator views themselves as a data broker rather than as somebody making judgments. “It makes me really uncomfortable to have to make personal, reasoned judgments about what goes in the sheet. I don’t want to be put on a pedestal as the moral touchstone of the weeb community,” they said. “I want people to understand that this is attempting to be a neutral source.”

[ltlmnstr 2,771]

Many years back, there was a campaign called Cosplay is Not Consent because so many cosplayers were just manhandled and filmed while it happened.

I'm still looking into this. But, I hope the victims have their voices heard and conventions take appropriate actions to insure this doesn't continue. 

I know that "anime/weeb/whatever else" communities may seem socially awkward and weird or whatever ever negative adjectives people use. But harassment should never be tolerated by anyone.

Thank you for at least posting here about this. Many interest overlap so I feel it's appropriate that this belongs here. 

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1 hour ago, ltlmnstr said:

Many years back, there was a campaign called Cosplay is Not Consent because so many cosplayers were just manhandled and filmed while it happened.

I'm still looking into this. But, I hope the victims have their voices heard and conventions take appropriate actions to insure this doesn't continue. 

I know that "anime/weeb/whatever else" communities may seem socially awkward and weird or whatever ever negative adjectives people use. But harassment should never be tolerated by anyone.

Thank you for at least posting here about this. Many interest overlap so I feel it's appropriate that this belongs here. 

It's one of my due duties. To help peeps at cons. I hated my first convention experiences. But only because I was betrayed by friends. The people at conventions are so amazing and kind. 

This article actually mentions cosplay not consent. And I remember that movement to. Male and female cosplayers were both victims.