Edit:

Note added Monday, December 1, 2014:  Steven Sauc reports via his blog that the Context board has disbanded itself will now be taken over by people who actually might give a shit about enforcing the sexual harassment policy. This is excellent news, indeed, and I cannot wait to see what wonderful things they make happen next year at Context 28. 

OMG. Sexual harassment. Really? Still?

I thought I was done talking about this.

After all, I went to great lengths explaining why it was no big deal to me. But apparently, it is a super big deal to other people.

Big enough that they are resigning over it.

Big enough that they are posting public announcements of such.

Big enough there is a whole post dedicated to tracking related updates to this situation.

I was certain that, by December 1, 2014 {a fairly advanced year, by some standards of measure}, I would be so-so-so beyond talking about sexual harassment.

But no.

Sexual harassment is insidious in that, much like venereal disease, it is the gift that keeps on giving. Long after the event, which may or {in my case} may not be emotionally crippling, victims must relive what happened in future retellings.

Now, I have a Personal Commandment which states, “Catastrophe now makes a great story later.”

This is a way to remind myself, “This, too, shall pass.”

That, also, “Tomorrow is another day.”

It is how I get through tough times. Because that’s all you can do during a stressful situation: Get through it.

The harassment in question really did make me feel badly about my appearance – I have been taken for my best friend’s mom, as I am about 15 years her senior; I’m short and dumpy with bad skin; etc. – but I wouldn’t call that a catastrophe.

Regardless, it did make a great story later.

As in, Can you even believe what that douche-tastic piece of shit said to me? Egads, what a maroon!

But for some women, it might have actually BEEN a catastrophe. For some women, it WAS a catastrophe.

Enough time has passed that I have been able to give thought to the fact that my mild complaints were only the tip of the iceberg. Apparently lots of women have been getting harassed, in really bad ways, from this douche over a period not just of that weekend, but of YEARS.

And he was only just now held accountable for his actions.

In large part because of passing commentary in my blog post regarding my experience at Context 27.

{Related: I’ve been dismissed in certain comments on this situation as “the blogger who started it all” like somehow my writing about my experiences is wrong or bad. To which I say, pish and tosh, motherfucker. My life, my story.}

Before I realized just how awful this cretin really is, I felt bad for helping get him banned from the con. I spoke at great length on my feelings regarding his steep punishment, which I felt at the time might be a bit overmuch.

Then he came to my blog and publicly apologized for his behavior, which, rather than finding thoughtful and sincere, I instead perceived as forced and a bit creepy.

My intention, upon writing my original post, was never to cross paths with this guy again. Or, worst case scenario, bump into him next year at Context 28 but this time equipped with a better comeback, and ready to report his ass pronto should shit proceed to get real.

Now I’m less likely to ever see him in person – but he knows how to find me through my blog.

Um, thanks?

So this is how things are currently happening.

The guy who originally reached out to me, then-program director Steven Sauc, began compiling sexual harassment reports he had received since the event. He asked if I would mind being named as one of the complainants, since I had basically already done so in public fashion. I didn’t mind, obvs., or I wouldn’t have written the piece in the first place.

He took the sexual harassment info to their board.

I don’t really know what that means. All I can picture is a bunch of people sitting around a table with mix-matched chairs discussing convention-type things, like, “Next year let’s have unicorns!”

And someone responding, “No, we already voted down unicorns, so stop talking about them!”

And someone else asking, “What about Klingons? We should totes have Klingons!”

And stuff like that.

So in my imagination, Steven Sauc walks into this ruckus and says, “Dude, you know that chainmail-guy who is always getting freaky with the ladies? Well, we have some official complaints now. We really need to talk about this.”

And then the board is like, “We’re trying to talk about Klingons, Steven. Your so-called victims should have spoken up sooner. Clearly they weren’t really bothered or they would have said something at the time. Now, get out the D+D cards so we can get our game on.”

And one of the ladies is like, “You guys always play D+D! Why can’t we switch to Magic the Gathering? You’re so old school!”

And one of the OTHER ladies, named Lucy, is like, “Wait. Did you just say something about chainmail-guy? Yeah, he is a real problem. Guys, put the cards away. We need to figure out what we’re doing with this piece of work. He’s getting out of control.” She picks up a clipboard and starts looking seriously serious.

And one of the guys says, “Funk dat. BO-O-O-O-RING! It’s not like they were raped or something. And anyway they’re probably lying. Or had it coming. Or dressed like hookers. Or something that makes it not my friend chainmail-guy’s fault. And also he is old and doesn’t know better and anyway don’t we ALL like to talk about boobies?” He probably says all this while scratching his nuts, monkey-style.

This is the point at which, in my imagination, Steven throws his hands in the air and walks out in disgust. He is followed shortly by Lucy and several other non-monkey-like individuals.

A unicorn looks on knowingly and nods in satisfaction.

The D+D game continues.

Pretty sure that’s the way things went down.

To Steven and Lucy:

Good on you, man. Good on you. I appreciate someone standing up for me and others like me, people who aren’t sure if what they experienced was harassment, and people who know FOR A FACT that what they experienced was harassment. That you are walking the talk is phen-fucking-nominal. I am uber impressed, and tip my hat to you, my good sir and good ma’am.

To that board, howsoever it may truly be composed:

I will be attending Context 28 and you better have your shit in order. I’m pretty pissed at you guys.

You got that douche in touch with me and then banned him, thereby potentially putting me at risk if he is a vengeance-seeking mofo… then you put me in a worrisome state by indicating the ban may be lifted. Seriously. I have been wondering since reading that Steven stepped down whether or not chainmail-guy will be present next year. I have gone back and forth between hoping he is, so I can tell him off, versus freaking out because I never intended him to know how I felt.

Mostly? I’m losing my shit. Talk about emotional duress.

I am not going to skip the con next year, though. I’m not going to back down. I’m not going to avoid the problem that YOU created when YOU decided to ignore sexual harassment complaints for years and then pissed off the first guy who decided to enforce the sexual harassment policy.

Let me tell you, here and now, if chainmail-guy is anywhere NEAR Context28, you will be sorry, because if you thought I brought you a shit storm for Context 27, that is nothing compared to how vocal I will get.

You can’t do that to people. More to the point, you can’t do that to ME.

I should not have to come into contact with a guy who is aware that I pointed my finger at him.

I should not have to come into contact with a guy YOU are aware is a perv.

I should not have to come into contact with a guy who does not deny his pervy ways.

Guess I’m still not done talking about this issue.

And sadly, I probably never will be.

Sexual harassment appears to be a permanent fixture in a world possessed of nasty men and the women who defend them.

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