SDCC hotel boycott - re: anti-gay marriage donation

[rm]

Considering that most of my friends going to ComicCon fall into at least one of the following categories:

- queer
- for equal rights (actually, if you are my friend and this is not the case, could you check in about this so we can reassess what fucking planet we're both living on, thnx).
- slashers
- Torchwood fans

I think you should know the following:

The Manchester Grand Hyatt is one of the most popular and expensive hotels for people going to SDCC because of its prime location. It's owned by Doug Manchester who just "donated $125,000 to help get Proposition 8, a measure that could amend the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage, on the ballot" in California.

The article is here: http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid57778.asp

Other hotels are here: http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_hotel.shtml

This infuriates me.

I'm not at SDCC (I was invited to be a guest) because my partner is coming home after being on a dig for 9 weeks. And I'm sad about not being at SDCC because of the love the oh so queer Torchwood is getting at the con. So seriously people, I know SDCC hotel space is at a premium and then some. But if you're booked in there, please consider doing the right thing and bring your business elsewhere (difficult at this late date -- considering piling into a room at another venue with friends or look at redstapler's suggestions in comments) or make an offset donation.

(And wow, I hope none of the guests are booked in there, although maybe if they decide to make a statement about it, that would rock.)


via bethbethbeth

Comments

[magnetgirl.livejournal.com]

One of my friends happens to be the treasurer for the SDCC, I'm going to email this information to him.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Fantastic.

[magnetgirl.livejournal.com]

Done. Let you know what he says.

[magnetgirl.livejournal.com]

Here's what he had to say:

"How do I feel? I hate it. I’ve known awhile, and I think he’s a total douchebag.
The way hotels are though, hard to exclude the Grand Hyatt. Completely impossible actually. I also hate the fact that we let Scientology have a booth to spread their cancerous nonsense.
I also struggle with the constitutional issues. Yeah, if I wanted to, I could kick the freaking Scientologists out, ban the hyatt, etc… but free speech is free speech. Do I become the douchebag if I ban em just because I think they’re fear mongering, profit motivated inbred asshats?

Ain’t life grand?"

I responded asking if he had any advice aside from protesting on how people attending could make some of this stuff known? What forums or avenues to pursue to get the word out so that even if it doesn't help bookings for this year, it could affect next year. We'll see what he says.

I think someone should start up a grassroots group at the con with information, like: NFRAG for LGBT (Nerds, Fanboys/girls, Roleplayers and Geeks/Gamers for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender)! I'd buy that shirt. I bet others would too just for the BSG reference ;)

[nobodyreally.livejournal.com]

I think you should all go by the Scientology booth and treat it like it's a new TV show about some weird aliens. Fiction, of course.