GeekGirlCon 2018

Hello again, friends!

At the end of October, I attended my favorite convention in the Seattle Area: GeekGirlCon!

Oh hey! My dress matches my blog background! hahaha

You all probably know by now that I love this convention. (Here's my post from last year.) It is such a welcome retreat from all the bad news and regular life by surrounding oneself with other awesome people. Plus it's a great way for me to see many friends I don't get to see anywhere else!

With Hilary from The Cutie Life & Mia from XOMia at the JordanDene booth

I've mentioned before that Geek Girl Con, regardless of what the name implies, aims to be inclusive for as many people as is humanly possible. In geeky spaces (unless you luck out and find a really good community) there's not a whole lot of focus on the female geek and even less so on the trans and non-binary geek. For some, popular geeky spaces can feel really toxic when there's always the chance that we could be attacked for existing in them. But Geek Girl Con aims to combat that and show the world that there are in fact more kinds of geek than people realize. That you can be welcomed as any kind of geek that you identify as, and you have space in this community. There's no gatekeeping allowed, and it feels like a safe space to be whatever kind of geek/nerd/fangirl/etc. you see yourself as.

Geek Girl Con mission statement:

"GeekGirlCon celebrates and honors the legacies of under-represented groups in science, technology, comics, arts, literature, game play, and game design. We do this by connecting geeks worldwide and creating an inter-sectional community that fosters the continued growth of women in geek culture. GeekGirlCon provides a safe space to spark conversations around social justice while encouraging unabashed geekiness."

Each year GGC comes up with more ways to have fun and interact with all our favorite fandoms and fellow fans. Whether it be through panels, meet-ups, sing-alongs, the DIY science center, the introvert room, or a trip to the gaming area. There's something for just about anyone!

Gaming Area at GeekGirlCon

It doesn't hurt to step outside your comfort zone and learn from another's perspective. And there are so many panels offering up that option. Basically, Geek Girl Con gives you all the tools you need to be more confident about yourself and more empathetic towards those different from you.

I attended the panel "Building Your Own Themyscira: Connecting With Other Geeky Bosses" moderated by Jordan of Jordandene and featuring several awesome geek bosses. It was a really great panel and I learned quite a bit about connecting with my fellow geeky creators.

Pictured: Jenny Cheng @Fanmailbox | Jaime Cordero @glitterjedi @EspionageCosmetics | Lisa Granshaw @Geekfold | Robyn Warren @GeekGirlStrong | Mallory Cohen @Malaray | Jordan Ellis @jordandene

As someone with anxiety, it can get overwhelming at times to put yourself out there or engage when everything seems to be too much. It surprised me to learn that a lot of others (even those who seem the most successful) have experienced those very same feelings and have found ways to overcome them. It's really inspiring!

This year, the convention also unveiled new "Do Not Photograph" orange lanyards and stickers for badges to make sure that those who are not interested in being photographed can preserve their privacy. I think it's an awesome idea! I feel super weird photographing during the con not knowing who may get into my photo that may not want to be seen, and this is a good solution. Adding this to the already established photo and video policy stating you must gain consent before photographing anyone at the con is a great step forward and I hope more conventions make this a part of their own policies.

Other than the things mentioned above, GeekGirlCon is one of my favorite places to discover new artists and see some of my favorites! I have quite a collection from past shows and got a few additions this year too. I love how my little gallery is coming together!

Katie Clark is always a ray of sunshine with her brightly colored and geeky inspired pieces! It was lovely to chat with her again

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So much has happened over the past few months. Both of my parents have been hospitalized (which I won't get into), and its been really stressful for all of us. When I found out that there was a Steampunk convention called Steamposium happening the same weekend as Geek Girl Con, I was really excited because my mom loves Steampunk fashion. I was disappointed we couldn't attend it together, but I made sure to get her a ticket. Shortly after, however, the convention was canceled! GeekGirlCon was very kind and made space for some of the displaced vendors as well as offered a discount to Steamposium attendees. It was a huge setback for many of the exhibitors, but I'm glad that the GGC staff was able to step in and give them a backup plan. I'm also glad my mom was able to experience some of the vendors! At least we'll be ready when the next Steampunk event happens!


If you're interested, you can purchase tickets now at the discounted price to GeekGirlCon's 10th year show on November 16&17 2019! Check out www.geekgirlcon.com for more information.

Let me know in the comments if you've ever attended GeekGirlCon or plan/hope to attend some day! I'd love to see you there!

Till next time,

Stay Crafty!

❤❤❤Kelsey❤❤❤

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Disclaimer: I was not paid for my opinion on GeekGirlCon, but I was provided with a press pass in exchange for my coverage of the event. All opinions are my own and aren't influenced by this. I genuinely love GGC and will continue to attend as long as I'm able. The volunteers that make this whole convention possible are awesome and I have so much respect for what they've been able to create!