World Fantasy 2020 Issues Apology

The World Fantasy Convention 2020 committee issued an apology via Twitter on October 7 after coming under fire online for their programming choices and descriptions, and added to the thread in subsequent days:

Regarding the program that went out this week:  We are sorry that our program caused hurt and concern, thank you to those that commented. We are working with our team and panelists to amend this and will be revising it as an ongoing process.

We have removed the descriptions of the panels in question from our website and will be revising these and the titles themselves

We are also seeking advice from professionals in the field of sensitivity and diversity to ensure that the final version does not make the same mistakes.

The program page on the WFC 2020 website was updated as well:

We are excited about the awesome panel discussions scheduled for the 2020 Virtual World Fantasy Convention. We have some terrific conversations planned, and our panelists are amazing.

But some of our original descriptions failed to live up to our members’ expectations. We apologize for offending the very people we hope to include in this year’s convention. We hear you, and we appreciate your feedback. We’re working to revise the descriptions – with the help of some of those amazing panelists! – and will update them here as they’re finalized.

The statements come in the wake of a number of public criticisms and attendee withdrawals from publishing industry notables, by such as K. Tempest Bradford, Yilin Wang, Jeff VanderMeer, Jonathan Strahan, organization Writing Excuses, and others.

As yet, no official press release has been issued and an updated program is pending. For more information, see the WFC 2020 Twitter account or the official website.


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12 thoughts on “World Fantasy 2020 Issues Apology

  • October 9, 2020 at 12:13 pm
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    It would be nice, in an article about an apology, to know what they’re apologizing for.

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    • October 10, 2020 at 3:30 pm
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      Was thinking just that, did I miss something?

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    • October 10, 2020 at 6:25 pm
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      Agreed! Minimal context 😂😂😂

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  • October 10, 2020 at 12:25 am
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    I don’t get it, what offended Jonathan Strahan and the others in the first place?

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  • October 10, 2020 at 8:59 am
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    What a stupid article completely lacking in content

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  • October 10, 2020 at 11:57 am
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    @Robert Nowall
    It’s fantasy. You’re suppose to imagine the offensive content.

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  • October 10, 2020 at 2:08 pm
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    If people are looking to make a political or societal statement they really should navigate their efforts towards something far more meaningful like our disaster of a government. Attacking some of fandom for running a fan convention that is catered to the majority of attendees and are by in large very good people(maybe naive to your plight)for not being woke/sensitive enough or comping you membership is just pathetic. These are not the ones causing the major issues. There are much bigger fish to fry people. Get a life already.

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  • October 11, 2020 at 4:25 am
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    Apology for what? 🤨

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  • October 11, 2020 at 6:26 am
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    Robert Nowall — thanks for writing what, I’m sure, a LOT of Locus readers are wondering. I know that we live in an age when seemingly everything is an affront, and that PC has gone waay overboard, but surely this came about for more concrete reasons like an obviously racist or homophobic statement. Right?

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  • October 13, 2020 at 8:51 am
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    To all: I just think a news story should report relevant facts. Omitting what someone is apologizing for is not reporting relevant facts.

    Reply

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