What’s up with ReedPop? It’s the organization behind Chicago’s C2E2 convention taking place next month as well as Emerald City, which has some gender neutral restrooms, and NYCC and a number of international venues. It’s a great show, easily outshining since its debut the older Wizard World. If you’ve ever gone to a comic convention you know how much of an amazing and affirming experience it is to be among your nerd tribe regardless of age, gender, comics preferences, orientation or gender identity. Many comic cons are family friendly while also allowing for some adult oriented content with exhibitors, artist alley booths, and even panels as long as certain requirements are met and rules and procedures are agreed to and followed. On the surface none of that seems unreasonable as long as individuals and exhibitors are treated equally regardless of sexual orientation.
What if you’re an LGBTQ comics creator/ professional who applies to exhibit and or panel? Presumably you’ll be accepted as long as space is available. What if you’re the same LGBTQ creator whose work is erotic though? You might find your application rejected outright just as Dale Lazarov has on several occasions applying both to exhibit and panel, without an opportunity to agree to any exhibition rules.
Now, you might point out that C2E2 is a family friendly environment. And it is, as they told Dale Lazarov recently. But the question of the implementation of the family-friendly policy arises when looking at C2E2’s panels. On April 21st the Funmation Peep Show takes place from 8:00 to 9:00 pm. Here’s the panel’s description: “Guaranteed to be a good time that’s oh so NSFW. Watch jiggly clips and trailers from some of the hottest Funimation titles. Don’t forget to bring tissues, you know, for the nose bleeds. Audience participation encouraged by tweeting using the hashtag #FunimationPeepShow. You could even win some naughty prizes. (18+, Bring your IDs!)”
Funmation is being direct and honest with its sexualized pitch that its panel will be full of NSFW content, hoping to arouse its attendees, and encourage them, whether figuratively or not, to masturbate, and enticing people with winning “naughty prizes”. A little further look will reveal that Funmation is sponsoring the Hyatt Bar every night of the con.
This leads one to wonder if ReedPop is willing to bend its own rules if a company is willing to fork over a large enough sum of money for bar sponsorship or if a selective double standard is being used to reject Lazarov.
Here’s a screen shot from the Funmation anime “Gonna be the Twin-Tail!!”
