Accessibility at SF cons, specifically DisCon III

[firecat]

Over the years I've been attending SF cons, many have improved their disability access. But there's still a long way to go. Pass it on, because the more attention this issue gets, the more likely that additional improvements will be made.

"Are we really doing this again? Discon III, accessibility, and genre cons" by Mari Ness (https://marikness.wordpress.com/2021/12/21/are-we-really-doing-this-again-discon-iii-accessibility-and-genre-cons/)

(I had a virtual membership to DisCon III, and I watched/listened to some of the virtual panels.)

Comments

[silveradept]

The large metropolitan area convention center for large cons that I've been going to is not very well laid-out at all for accessibility concerns, as it expects ambulatory people taking escalators, for the most part, and then tucks the elevators away in places fairly far away from the action for people to go. And while abled persons can cross through the main dealer's show halls to go between buildings, I didn't see an obvious space where wheelchair or elevator users could cross buildings without having to exit the building and cross the street, which is additional hassle of going back and forth through security operations in both buildings. There were ramps for panelists where needed, and enough microphones and people using them, which is good - no captions or captioners that I could see, past the automated materials that could be turned on for PowerPoint or similar things that panelists did for themselves. And trouble with people getting their +1s and interpreters into the convention without having to purchase an entire separate ticket for them.

Until it becomes financially disastrous for a con not to be accessible, I don't think they're going to pay nearly enough attention to it.

[firecat]

I've been to a number of events at the Santa Clara Event Center, and I've been fairly impressed by the accessibility, for scooters at least. Elevators not hidden as much as at some such venues. But it's probably too expensive for most SF cons.