I said this in my survey and alluded to it when I volunteered (virtual-only) for ConCom, so this won't be new information to anyone who reads those things. I share it with you and your followers in case it affects how we might all think about and choose to talk about this in the future, though.
If WisCon is in-person next year, a significant portion of our usual membership won't be able to attend. (Over 10% of Americans are diabetic, and almost half have heart disease. Up to 15% are at risk for kidney disease. Maybe 8% have asthma, 2% have psoriatic disease, and up to 1% may have rheumatoid arthritis. I've left out a bunch of other autoimmune illnesses, and I know these percentages overlap significantly, but we also know WisCon has a higher percentage of attendees with disabilities than other cons or, potentially, the general population.) It won't be safe for many of us to travel or gather until there's a vaccine, and "18 months" (from, I assume, March 2020) is the pie-in-the-sky timeline for getting a vaccine ready; getting it distributed will take time, too. It won't happen by May 2021. I would like to believe that, without a vaccine or an antiviral that completely protects patients from organ damage, even able-bodied people won't rush out to attend in-person cons, just yet. Thinking about the elevator lobby between sessions gives me the shakes. (I'm trying hard not to think about it, having typed that.)
Given that I trust WisCon to be inclusive, I'd also like to see everyone avoiding discourse that paints the online option as merely a nice thing to have, a second-class mode of participation that is separate from the "real" con that happens in-person. It is literally the only mode of participation that will be available to many of us, and it should be prioritized the same as the in-person con (if that happens) in 2021.
I do definitely agree that it would be really useful to find a tool that guarantees the kind of privacy and ephemerality that the in-person con offers!
Unfortunately, I can't offer money right now (here's hoping that changes), and once the semester starts, I can't consistently offer lots and lots of time, but I have put my name in to help find a way to do the virtual side of the con (full disclosure: until there's a cure, I will continue to advocate for the whole con to be virtual for one more year, because I think it's the most equitable solution--but I made it clear I'd still help with the virtual side even if an in-person con goes forward). One nice thing about this tenure-track job, as opposed to my last one: I only have to meet a set number of hours per semester of volunteering in my own field, and then I can use volunteer time for other things I want to help make happen. :)
And, a total side note, but I'm not sure I've said this yet: it was really nice to see you during the auction! :)
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branchandroot
(no subject)
Date: 2020-05-27 11:02 pm (UTC)If WisCon is in-person next year, a significant portion of our usual membership won't be able to attend. (Over 10% of Americans are diabetic, and almost half have heart disease. Up to 15% are at risk for kidney disease. Maybe 8% have asthma, 2% have psoriatic disease, and up to 1% may have rheumatoid arthritis. I've left out a bunch of other autoimmune illnesses, and I know these percentages overlap significantly, but we also know WisCon has a higher percentage of attendees with disabilities than other cons or, potentially, the general population.) It won't be safe for many of us to travel or gather until there's a vaccine, and "18 months" (from, I assume, March 2020) is the pie-in-the-sky timeline for getting a vaccine ready; getting it distributed will take time, too. It won't happen by May 2021. I would like to believe that, without a vaccine or an antiviral that completely protects patients from organ damage, even able-bodied people won't rush out to attend in-person cons, just yet. Thinking about the elevator lobby between sessions gives me the shakes. (I'm trying hard not to think about it, having typed that.)
Given that I trust WisCon to be inclusive, I'd also like to see everyone avoiding discourse that paints the online option as merely a nice thing to have, a second-class mode of participation that is separate from the "real" con that happens in-person. It is literally the only mode of participation that will be available to many of us, and it should be prioritized the same as the in-person con (if that happens) in 2021.
I do definitely agree that it would be really useful to find a tool that guarantees the kind of privacy and ephemerality that the in-person con offers!
Unfortunately, I can't offer money right now (here's hoping that changes), and once the semester starts, I can't consistently offer lots and lots of time, but I have put my name in to help find a way to do the virtual side of the con (full disclosure: until there's a cure, I will continue to advocate for the whole con to be virtual for one more year, because I think it's the most equitable solution--but I made it clear I'd still help with the virtual side even if an in-person con goes forward). One nice thing about this tenure-track job, as opposed to my last one: I only have to meet a set number of hours per semester of volunteering in my own field, and then I can use volunteer time for other things I want to help make happen. :)
And, a total side note, but I'm not sure I've said this yet: it was really nice to see you during the auction! :)