Popular Culture Review Volume 30, Number 2, Summer 2019 | Page 56

Space at the Con : Conversations About Representation in Popular Culture at Comic Conventions
I like to feel that if I rose above it , others can too . I want to be a voice to those lost in the fear and dread , as their worlds are falling apart , that they will get better too . That is why I do LGBTQ panels ( Mal . Personal interview . 18 March 2016 ).
Each interviewee appeared committed to the idea that they could use their past experiences and their standing in the geek community to create change for those in the audience . As expressed by Mal , these “ panels are very personal to me . They are a place where I can be a voice to injustice and help bring healing to the con communities .”
And for many of the participants , the goal was to advocate for their community .
The third and final theme discovered in the interviews was the desire to be an advocate and even to encourage others to be one as well . Cisco said , “ It is my goal in every panel I am on to try to say AT LEAST one thing that will make people think , make people want to research , learn , and inspire others to talk about the topics ” ( Personal interview . 17 March 2016 ). Participants seemed to share the view that panels were a place they could serve as a resource to the people attending the panel . Peter described it as the ability to “ help answer a question , maybe direct someone to somewhere where they can maybe get some help because a lot of times you ’ ll see younger kids who might be wondering or questioning or asking a question because they would like some direction ” ( Personal interview . 17 March 2016 ). The issues that are addressed in these panels can involve deeply personal questions of experiences with racism , gender identity , sexual orientation , sexism , and more . Panelists share their experiences in an attempt to spread knowledge . Jessica said , “ Any public
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