Apologies for tardiness in wrapping up my WorldCon posts. As I should have expected, by neuromuscular syndrome jumped and mugged me this week, and my spare energy has gone to beginning a certain screenplay. This is my last General Topics post; later this week I hope to transcribe an amazing panel on SpecFic Writers Living in Other Languages, and the story of the worst thing that I've ever done at a con. But for now, some pressing issues, particularly…
This seemed like a much better convention for accessibility than Chicago last year. Crossing a street to get in was much better than jamming everyone through the same couple of elevators and escalators. The Henry Gonzalez Center is a strange complex that demands a proper walkthrough to understand, the building bifurcated by its touristy river, both halves having three floors. Many of the elevators were enough out of the way that able-bodied people wouldn't bogart them as badly as other conventions I've seen. Escalators and staircases were placed more prominently. Visually, the structure reminded people to walk if they could, though still demanded you cross the bridges over the river if you wanted to access the other programming. I know at least two authors who got lost on the wrong side looking for their rooms.
Am I wrong about San Antonio's accessibility? That's something I want to hash out today. My experience isn’t everyone's, and many of the best conversations I had that weekend were about how semi-abled and disabled individuals can be very ignorant about the challenges each other face.
This seemed like a much better convention for accessibility than Chicago last year. Crossing a street to get in was much better than jamming everyone through the same couple of elevators and escalators. The Henry Gonzalez Center is a strange complex that demands a proper walkthrough to understand, the building bifurcated by its touristy river, both halves having three floors. Many of the elevators were enough out of the way that able-bodied people wouldn't bogart them as badly as other conventions I've seen. Escalators and staircases were placed more prominently. Visually, the structure reminded people to walk if they could, though still demanded you cross the bridges over the river if you wanted to access the other programming. I know at least two authors who got lost on the wrong side looking for their rooms.
Am I wrong about San Antonio's accessibility? That's something I want to hash out today. My experience isn’t everyone's, and many of the best conversations I had that weekend were about how semi-abled and disabled individuals can be very ignorant about the challenges each other face.
The con also made me wonder how
any convention center can be perfectly accessible. If you're semi-abled like
myself, then walking across the bridges hour after hour will eventually put you
in agony. I never approached Jo Walton because I couldn't force her to stop and
stand up another several minutes, and by Saturday night I had excruciating foot
pain and leg tremors that I fought to hide.
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| Need a moment of inspiration? Here's author Michael Underwood signing a steel helmet for charity. |
What is an ideally accessible
convention center? I'm realizing that I expect to myself suffer at any
convention, to have my body turn against me. I am demented enough to expect and
accept this, but it ought not be the norm.
Because of my health, I probably
won't travel to London
for the next WorldCon. However, I may hit Detroit
for America's
make-up party, DetCon1 or "NASFiC" – the North American Science
Fiction Convention. The Detroit
managers were very considerate when I raised questions about accessibility and
promised twelve elevators linking the three floors of the center as well as
prominent escalators and stairs. They also claimed to have done a wheelchair
run, though this never guarantees actual comfort.
One member of the committee
offered me a spot in charge of special needs accessibility for NASFiC. I don't
know if this offer is true, and I don't know if I'm up to such management. I'd
rather someone living in Detroit
did it so that he/she could visit the site a few times before the event.
Yay. Sometimes I am ok, and at other times I am very far from able. I so understand your body turning on you when you got back. (I also suspect that you are more stubborn than stains.) I am appalled at how often events are made well nigh impossible for people with disabilities to either get to - or more commonly these days - remain with any degree of comfort.
ReplyDeleteI can be pretty stubborn! And events like this offer so much in so little time that it's easy to pressure myself into staying up and staying out. There were penalties to pay for that, during the trip and in the week since. I refuse to regret it, though!
DeleteThank you for your consideration, though I'd have loved to talk to you.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty much in agreement with everything you say about San Antonio. I was fortunate enough to be having a pretty good leg week. If I'd been in the state I'd been in Chicago, let alone World Fantasy in Toronto, I'd have been missing a whole lot of stuff from pain and exhaustion.
The thing where Chicago was better for me was that it had that mixed seating area at the bottom of the East Tower where I could hang out and meet random people who wanted to talk to me. The lobby in San Antonio either put you sitting at small tables in groups that felt sealed off or standing, and lots of the chairs were high and awful so it was very limited anyway. I saw lots of people standing -- Scalzi with his Hugo on Sunday morning -- but it wasn't good for me. Nor was there any other useful mingle-space with seats.
I'm sorry you won't be able to get to London. I do know that they're making a special effort on accessibility, and the head of Exhibits is herself semi-able.
Jo Walton
I hadn't thought about the common area. Both the Rivercenter lobby and the convention center's resting area weren't laid out for optimal socializing of big crowds. I'll have to go back and look at how Chicago was laid out. Thanks!
DeleteAnd now I'm doubly sorry I didn't press to talk to you. With good luck we'll cross paths at another con soon. Was very excited to hear your next novel is almost ready.
This is something that's been improved in recent years due to the widespread use of pocket computing, but one thing I've encountered in previous conferences are the masses of paper attendees are expected to lug around: schedules, reference sheets, brochures, and on and on. Often one receives a logo bag to carry it all. Which is all well and good, except anyone with upper body issues (like me) can't carry heavy things for a long time without winding up in a lot of pain.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see more cons have PDFs of all the material available BEFORE the con, so those of us who prefer/require electronic copies can download them while we have access to the net.
Hope this helps.
While I don't know about NASFiC itself, I'm happy to report that the last two Worldcons published their schedules online more than a week in advance. This year's had two different schedule apps. It's a good trend, even if it does leave us prone to going to the wrong room when things are switched with short notice. Even then, apparently Worldcon was good about updating their apps. I guess I've been lucky since Readercon and Otakon operated the same way.
DeleteThis is definitely something to poke DetCon1 about, to make sure they're in line. Thanks, Katherine.
Yes, Detcon1 will have some sort of electronic version of the schedule available in advance. And you don't have to be In Charge Of It All in order to join our accessibility team, John. We'd love to have your input even if you don't want to manage it.
DeleteWe will also try to do better than this year's worldcon in terms of providing socializing and resting spaces, as well as in signage - both as to maps and for daily and room schedules. I found the room schedules at Lonestarcon impossible to read unless I was stopped right in front of them, due to text size.
Yes, Detcon1 will have some sort of electronic version of the schedule available in advance. And you don't have to be In Charge Of It All in order to join our accessibility team, John. We'd love to have your input even if you don't want to manage it.
DeleteWe will also try to do better than this year's worldcon in terms of providing socializing and resting spaces, as well as in signage - both as to maps and for daily and room schedules. I found the room schedules at Lonestarcon impossible to read unless I was stopped right in front of them, due to text size.