White, heterosexual males have been systematically excluded from all pre-convention industry meetups at this year’s Emerald City Comic Convention (ECCC) in Seattle, reports say.
According to the convention website, there are three mixers and meetups for members of the comic book and publishing industry — artists, writers, editors, and those who are looking for work in the industry. According to the descriptions of the events, every single one of them is aimed at one minority or another, and none welcome white, heterosexual men.
The ECCC Meetups schedule on the convention website features a mixer for “industry women and genderqueer” participants. There is a second mixer for “industry people of color.” Then there is one for “LGBTQIA” insiders.
But, apparently, white males are excluded from the events where people meet to pass resumes, shake hands, and meet with industry insiders to look for future employment and opportunities.
Jon Del Arroz, a Hispanic comics and science fiction writer, pointed out the bias on his website, saying that the lack of events for white men is part of a “flurry of discrimination” seen at a number of recent conventions.
PJ Media’s Megan Fox was contacted by another comics fan who was similarly shocked by the blatant discrimination. The source, who wanted to remain anonymous, even texted the ECCC staff to ask if there was a mixer for white males in the industry.
According to screencaps of the texts, the ECCC staff told the man, “We do not have a specific industry mixer for your category this year.”
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.
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