Otakon Part 2: Accessibility Is Crap Thanks to Otakorp AND The Convention Center AND People are Assholes
I took this picture from Wikimedia Commons. They said it was cool.
I, myself, am not going to be submitting a complaint to the ADA…but should someone feel the need to do so, they can fill out the form and do so here: https://www.ada.gov/
I’m just going to talk about how incredibly poorly accessibility is handled by both Otakorp and the convention center. I am someone who occasionally needs to walk with a cane… Like when I spend a bunch of money to attend an anime convention that requires a ton of walking.
You may have seen something like this before. When someone has issues with mobility, they walk with them. This is to help relieve pressure that causes unbearable extreme fucking pain from shooting through their legs, back, hips, whatever. There are lots of reasons to use a cane but, ultimately, they are all because it’s very difficult to get around without one if you have certain health, bone, or muscle problems.
In my case, I’ve had a bunch of surgery on both of my feet that included bone grafts, (Three in each foot,) tendon work, (I have an artificial Achilles tendon and I have an Achilles tendon that has been lengthened surgically,) metal rods in each of my feet to hold the deformed bones together, and an artificial arch was created to make up for the fact that I’m missing 9 bones in each of my feet.
As you can imagine, getting around is pretty painful. I’m also fat, which doesn’t help, but regardless I would have problems getting around. I have avoided using a cane as much as possible but as I hurl myself inescapably toward middle age, it becomes a reality that using one is necessary. I was in so much pain this year that on the third day of the convention, I required a mobility scooter to get around.
There are a few things that happened to me this year…more than once, I might add…
At the entrance to the gaming hall I was shoved and almost knocked down by a group of people who were hell-bent on getting in front of me so they could have their picture taken in their pretty costumes. Once several rows of assholes shoved me out of the way, I was able to yell, “I have a fucking cane, get out of my way.” To which I received nasty looks.
Well fuck you, and fuck your stupid costume. I hope you wear it and jack yourself off to death when you get home. I’m not the asshole in this situation, you are. If you weren’t so incredibly fucking vain about your stupid store-bought costume of your favorite Sailor Senshi complete with garbage papier-mâché, you might have the self awareness to know that shoving someone out of the way to get in a room makes you a complete dick. And I’m not feeling sorry for myself when I say that shoving someone out of the way with a cane to get in front of them doesn’t just make you a dick, it makes you a stupid asshole dick. Next year, I’m just going to either trip you over my cane so you bust your stupid face on the concrete floor, or I’m going to hit you in the face with it. I’ll let you decide in the half a second it takes me to swing it in your direction. I hope you develop an allergy to polyester and get cancer of the dick.
In the dealers room I was shoved out of the way multiple times by multiple people on the first day. I also got some rude comments about it. For the people who do this to me in the dealers room next year – the ones who physically shove me or shoulder check me out of the way, specifically, I’m going to be escorted from the convention in handcuffs while you are escorted to the hospital with a 36″ wooden cane adorned with a dragon’s head requiring surgical removal from your rectum. I hope all of your offspring come out racially distinct from you. I hope that the new pocket pussy you bought in the 18+ section of the dealers hall malfunctions and your penis gets mangled.
No, not really. I don’t want anything bad to happen to the people who do this, I just want them to stop being assholes. I really can’t believe how idiotic people have gotten in the past few years. Thoughtless turds. Matter of fact, I take it back, I do hope these people all get injured in some shitty inconvenient way that causes them to have to walk with a cane or use a mobility scooter in the future, and I hope they feel guilty about being stupid idiot assholes until they die as people constantly make rude comments, ridicule them, and shove them out of the way at their favorite conventions.
If I’m not being clear, here it is:
I’m going to take pictures of the people who do this next year and post them publicly on every Otakon page I can, which is what people should start doing to these bullies. I do not care if I get banned from Otakon permanently. Judging by the way they didn’t do a damn thing about any of this behavior tells me everything I need to know: They don’t care. Flat out.
While on a mobility scooter I pretty much experienced the same sort of shit, so I won’t rehash. People walking directly in front of it forcing sudden stops, then being mad when they almost get hit. Those things don’t stop on a dime. It’s not possible.
So next year, I’m not even going to try to stop. I encourage anyone else that needs to use one to also not stop. Give these assholes bruises on the back of their ankles. Fuck ’em. Lets be assholes about this, I’ve had enough.
Furthermore, when someone says politely, “Excuse me,” several times – get the FUCK OUT OF THE WAY – don’t wait until they have to press the little beep button and yell at you at the same time to think about moving, which most of the time you didn’t do anyway.
Fix this shit Otakorp, and fix this shit Walter E White convention center, or I will be seeking legal action for your complete lack of awareness, policy, and effort to make the convention accessible.
And before you go thinking I’m just some random asshole, here’s a link to a reddit post:
This isn’t my post, but it shows I’m not the only one that experienced all of this bullshit.
Do something about it Otakon, and don’t pretend you don’t know about it.
VERY IMPORTANT EDIT: I forgot to mention this behavior was almost all performed by white people. If you met me, then you know I’m white. I feel qualified to say that this particular shitty behavior makes white people look bad. We don’t need any more help with that, we already do a pretty good job of that as a group, thank you.
