j. a. micheline Archives - Graphic Policy

Small Press Expo 2023: Gay Shit, Kink Shit, And King Shit

Posted on December 2, 2023 by Graphic Policy Team

The Small Press Expo has posted all of the programming panels from SPX 2023 on YouTube to watch!

This panel will explore queerness and kink in comics, with a specific eye to how yaoi (and other queer comic traditions) have influenced the work of American cartoonists — or not! The discussion will emphasize each of the featured cartoonists’ personal history with yaoi and queer comics, the structural lessons taken from these works, and where they would like to see queer comics go next. Moderator J.A. Micheline will join artists Shannon Wright (Twins), Ngozi Ukazu (Check, Please!), Rebecca Mock (Die Horny), Casey Nowak (Bodyseed), and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell (Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up WIth Me) in the panel.

Conventions

Flame Con 2: LGBTQ Activism in Fandom and Beyond Panel

Posted on August 22, 2016 by Elana Levin

At Flame Con 2, I moderated the LGBTQ Activism in Fandom and Beyond Panel talking about how fans are organizing to make fandom more inclusive AND using their love of pop culture to win campaigns in the world beyond! Panelists included Jackson Bird (Chief of Muggle Relations at the Harry Potter Alliance), Nicole Gitaua (Geeks Out), and J. A. Micheline (Writer).

At the LGBT Geek Activism panel with @Elana_Brooklyn! #Flamecon2 pic.twitter.com/npUSOmeddV

— Ashley @ Flame-XT! (@misskittyf) August 21, 2016

Great panel and great to talk with @Elana_Brooklyn, @cocodevaux, and @jackisnotabird 💪🏽
— ✨J. A. Micheline✨ (@elevenafter) August 21, 2016

HP Alliance uses lessons from the books to confront real-world issues

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

Visit r panelist @jackisnotabird of @TheHPAlliance booth. He's on r activism panel 2pm room A @flamecon. #Flamecon pic.twitter.com/IAJ5elPGDZ

— Graphic Policy (@graphicpolicy) August 21, 2016

The HPA works on real-world issues: ex. Hunger Games campaign to work for fair wages. "Fan activism" goes beyond media issues. #FlameCon2

— WWAC (@womenoncomics) August 21, 2016

Bird says that they call their brand of activism "fan activism." That usually means fans organizing in relation to their media, but

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

Termed of fan activism, Henry Jenkins, changed the definition from the HP fandom's activism

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

Case study for Harry Potter Alliance: getting Warner Bros. to ethically source chocolate (in chocolate frogs, etc.). #FlameCon2

— WWAC (@womenoncomics) August 21, 2016

HP Alliance has been around for 10 years, most recently works on making trans safe spaces & making HP chocolate ethically sourced

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

.@jackisnotabird says that their first approach to WB about their chocolate included a letter asking about their sourcing #Flamecon2016

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

Warner Bros resisted showing their report after another org gave their sourcing an F. Fans sent them Howlers, own choc frogs #Flamecon2016

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

.@jackisnotabird says that public opinion is changing, which means there are more and more ways to put pressure on corporations #FlameCon2

— WWAC (@womenoncomics) August 21, 2016

.@jackisnotabird brings up the delineation between organizing and activism. He says fans are natural organizers which helps. #FlameCon2

— WWAC (@womenoncomics) August 21, 2016

.@Elana_Brooklyn What are other places we can be using fan power? #FlameCon2

— WWAC (@womenoncomics) August 21, 2016

Bird points out that we have more opportunity to make public pressure against corporations and laws like HB2 #Flamecon2

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

.@Elana_Brooklyn "What can we do to make spaces even more safe?" Bird recs Engage and Hollaback #Flamecon2

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

#Flamecon is praised for the gender neutral bathroom, which a lot of establishments don't have.

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

"Can I just say that fiction is important? Massively important to making these changes." -JAM #Flamecon2

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

.@Elana_Brooklyn: "Critics are not [necessarily] the same as activists" #Flamecon

— Spool of L'Engle (@spooloflies) August 21, 2016

.@elevenafter: "there's nothing we can do that's not political, & I'm so tired" but dominant power structures not viewed as such #FlameCon2

— WWAC (@womenoncomics) August 21, 2016

.@jackisnotabird and @Elana_Brooklyn mention intentionality as a part of activism #FlameCon2

— WWAC (@womenoncomics) August 21, 2016

.@cocodevaux "it's radical just to exist and be visible." #FlameCon2

— WWAC (@womenoncomics) August 21, 2016

.@elevenafter says in her writing she's asserting her own personhood, and doesn't want to label that activism #FlameCon2

— WWAC (@womenoncomics) August 21, 2016

The more stories you present where [progressive change] is possible the more it seems possible – JAM

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

"You need that dominant group of non cishet men of looking up to women in non traditional masculine roles" – JAM #Flamecon2

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

Levin says that some change doesn't involve reinventing the wheel, but reaching out sometimes to experts to improve spaces #Flamecon2

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

Last words: De Vaux says a lot of things come down to money, which makes things difficult bc our spaces have little wealth #FlameCon2

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

Says that #OscarsSoWhite worked bc audience threatened not to consume what the industry produces #FlameCon2

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

Levin points out the change #OscarsSoWhite has brought about after several years to judge make ups #Flamecon2

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

.@Elana_Brooklyn talking about how Twitter has helped protestors and activists keep it simple. #FlameCon2

— Ashley @ Flame-XT! (@misskittyf) August 21, 2016

.@cocodevaux is a Board Member of @GeeksOUT – she got involved after seeing them as a visible safe space at NYCC #FlameCon2

— WWAC (@womenoncomics) August 21, 2016

.@Elana_Brooklyn asks what can we do when laws works against us in our spaces? #Flamecon2

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

An audience member says re: to HeroesCon/transness that the burden should not be put on those at risk #Flamecon2

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

.@Elana_Brooklyn mentions how sports fandom has taken stances against North Carolina's HB2

— WWAC (@womenoncomics) August 21, 2016

JAM tells audience that all they can do is what's right for them. #FlameCon2

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

.@Elana_Brooklyn points out that even people who aren't activists can have influence – think participating in #OscarsSoWhite #FlameCon2

— WWAC (@womenoncomics) August 21, 2016

.@jacksonisabird "fans tend to be natural organizers."

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

De Vaux says Geeks Out focuses on making a space and community, most often. #FlameCon2

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

.De Vaux: we don't venture into the political arena too much
JAM: sure you do! #FlameCon2

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

.@Elana_Brooklyn "you guys do important work. You write tweets–"@jackisnotabird "that's activism! Writing tweets!" #FlameCon2

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

.@Elana_Brooklyn says that Twitter forces people to speak clearly and concisely #FlameCon2

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

"How do you define activism?"@jackisnotabird says HP Alliance uses the term "wizard activist" to "soften the blow" #FlameCon2

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

.@elevenafter is it activism or criticism when a reader speaks out about a book with bad representation of them? #FlameCon2

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

.@cocodevaux emphasizes putting YOUR information out there because no one else will speak for you #Flamecon2016

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

.@elevenafter "Activism becomes the burden of people lower in the power structure." "People trying to live becomes activism." #Flamecon2016

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

.@elevenafter doesn't call herself an activist, says that she works more toward anti-blackness and asserting her personhood #Flamecon2016

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

.@cocodevaux says that critics should not be responsible for petitions and other activist change. That should fall on others #FlameCon2

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

.@jackisnotabird eventually identified as an activist, however.@cocodevaux says her org has a unique organization structure #FlameCon2

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

.@jackisnotabird initially identified as an artist. Says that the term activism carries a sense of a lot of responsibility. #FlameCon2

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

.@cocodevaux says that one of her first hurdles was getting over Imposter Syndrome, whether it was about identity or nerdery #Flamecon2016

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

.@cocodevaux says Geeks Out came out of lack of queer presence at cons, on panels etc. 2012 at NYCC was their first year #Flamecon2016

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

.@cocodevaux was inspired, knowing as a WOC that cons are not always safe spaces and joined. #Flamecon2016

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

.@elevenafter says, fiction is important to show people that change is possible, a different reality is feasible #FlameCon2

— WWAC (@womenoncomics) August 21, 2016

.@Elana_Brooklyn is an excellent moderator

— ko @ FlameCon! (@dogunderwater) August 21, 2016

Last word, Elana says that she would love "to play matchmaker" between anyone who wants to help make change & orgs #FlameCon2

— Ray @ Flame Con (@RaySonne) August 21, 2016

Learn more about the Harry Potter Alliance and Geeks OUT!.

Where Comic Books and Politics Meet

Tag Archives: j. a. micheline

Small Press Expo 2023: Gay Shit, Kink Shit, And King Shit

Flame Con 2: LGBTQ Activism in Fandom and Beyond Panel