CON.TXT

Convention
Name:	CON.TXT
Dates:	June
Frequency:	biennially
Location:	Silver Spring, MD
Type:	fan-run fan con
Focus:	slash
Organization:
Founder:
Founding Date:	2006
URL:	CON.TXT website, CON.TXT LiveJournal, CON.TXT Dreamwidth community
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Convention Logo

CON.TXT is a multi-fandom slash-friendly con held biennially (in even-numbered years) in Silver Spring, Maryland. The con mascot is a purple duck, and ducks feature prominently in con activities, i.e., the Disco Duck and the Ducks Deluxe Arts & Crafts Show and Auction.

Some fans' thoughts about Con.txt

• "It was basically like LJ come to life, and the experience of having that familiar Western-media-fannish slashy meta-liking online vibe taking physical form and embodied all around you was fascinatingly trippy."
• "I think Con.txt is really fun. It's a nice mix of meta and squee and technical type panels. There's a dance party that's super fun, a curated vid show that's always got great vids. The con suite is just a huge room that has the art show and dealer's tables in it, along with snacks and tables set up with power strips for people to use. It's where the dance party is, and the vid show, and it's just an awesome space to hang out in."
• "It's a really good con, if you want the full blast ficcer-con experience. If you want to be eased into fic cons with something a little slower paced, this is not the con for you."

Playlists for the Vid Shows are here.

2006

flyer for the 2006 convention

The first CON.TXT was held June 16–18, 2006; it featured two and a half days of tech, meta and fandom-specific panels, a Friday night party, a Saturday vid show, an art show, and a combined Dealers' Room and Con Suite (aka the ConSweet). Some highlights included the Fandom Spelling Bee, the 'Hot Topic' panels, and the Con Comm Favorites Vid Show (offline, archived here).. The con was attended by 172 fans. Programming is archived here..

2006: Convention Panel Notes

• Con.txt Report (General stuff) dated June 25, 2006
• writing diversity panel at con_txt dated June 25, 2006
• panel notes: The Return of Ray Vecchio! dated June 27, 2006
• Handout for the Pairing Inequities panel dated June 19, 2006
• Friday Panels, more Friday panels, and Saturday panels dated June 21, 2006

2006: Convention Reports

• panel notes: Their love is so messed up: Joe Dick and Billy Tallent by brooklinegirl (June 27, 2006) (now requires log in)

• Con.txt Thurs/Fri; Saturday; Sunday by Thalia (June 20–26, 2006)

• con.txt!!1!! dated June 21, 2006
• Con.txt How Are You So Awesome? Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 dated June 20–23, 2006
• Con.txt report dated June 22, 2006
• OMG!!! I had such an amazingly good time dated June 19, 2006
• quick Con.txt report dated June 18, 2006

2008

In 2008 CON.TXT was held June 13–15 and was attended by 171 fans. Many of the same features from the last con were present, including the art show, where fans raised $1700 dollars for the con charity, Heifer International. Some popular panels at the 2008 con included 'Creating Fandom as a Safe Space for Fen of Color', 'John Sheppard - Action Hero as Dork' and 'Writing Longer Stories.' There was also a vid show. Playlist is here (offline, archived here). .

2008: Additional Programming

• The Personal Politics of Slash Handout dated June 16, 2008
• Firefly Panel Handout
• Writing Longer Stories Panel Notes
• Going Pro Panel
• Fair Use and Fan Fiction; also here
• Fanon in Harry Potter with illos
• Panel Notes for: 'No one expects the Spanish Inquisition Metafandom Hordes!' and 'Creating Fandom as a Safe Space for Fen of Color'

2008: Convention Reports

• Con.text report, ^{Archived version} by Shoshanna (June 16, 2008)
• unititled, ^{Archived version} by bayleaf/Alanna (June 16, 2008)

2010

In 2010, CON.TXT was held June 18–20. 2010 Programming can be found here and the Vid show playlist is here (offline, archived here).

2010: Convention Reports

• "I remember last year I went to a slash writers' con called CON.TXT. It was a very small con - about 200 people - and it was a sea of women, that's for sure. There were literally three men in attendance, by all reports, and one of them was the son of a woman who had been in the slash writing community for years. The other was his friend, and the third was a gay guy no one knew. From what I heard him speaking up in panel Q&As, he was interested in the question of why gay men didn't tend to read slash. His take on it seemed to be not so much that gay men felt objectified by slash, but that not a lot of them identified with the POVs in slash."
• "When we got back, I went to the Open Source panel run by Synecdochic and Cesy. This was a pretty decent panel on AO3 and Dreamwidth, but it was not exactly the panel I wanted*, which is the problem when you cannot run all of the panels yourself. I wanted a panel to talk about how remix culture and free software were sort of similar to and sort of different from media fandom. The panel it was, though, went well and was informative, and will hopefully lead people to volunteer with AO3 or Dreamwidth or both."
• "Then it was the vid show. First we did the quiet room, and there were some lovely vids, including a fascinating femslash vid where Starbuck of new BSG and Vala of SG meet like ships in the night. It was a rare pair story in three minutes and so well done. I don't do RPS, but there was an adorable Mythbusters vid to a song called James Bondage, and it was an absolute hoot. Then we adjourned to the Noisy Room for part two of the show, where there were also some excellent vids. Things ended on a high note with a gorgeous Hot Fuzz vid, which made one feel warm and uplifted and - well – fuzzy inside. :-)"
• "So I went to the Holmes panel and sat between synecdochic and melannen, who recognized me based on my shopping bag of Star Trek books, and then I went down the hall to mod the Star Trek paracanon panel. It was a lot of fun, and I thought it went pretty well; it mostly was a conversation in which all of us wound up proselytizing our favorite bits of the paracanon while I wrote semi-random things on the big notepad. Fun times, to be sure, and I managed to score a physical copy of The Empty Chair at the book swap, as well as a random New Frontier book and a book about early Star Trek fandom, and then we also managed to dump the leftovers on the swap table despite the con suite technically being closed, FTW. We are stealthy!"
• "There was an interesting discussion in the "Kinked for Kink Memes" session about privacy and fandom. It was very evident that a lot of fans approach things very differently from me (and many of the people I know personally in fandom). Not that my LJ & DW are linked to my facebook or anything, but I work at a sex-positive Gay & Lesbian non-profit and I never intend to be any kind of public figure and so I don't think that I have quite the same concerns as, for example, the person who said she works for the government and has family members with very high security clearances. I did feel condescended to a bit at times like people thought the only legitimate way to exist on the internet and in fandom is anonymously, but they're entitled to their opinions and if my decisions bite me in the ass someday then they do and I'm sure I'll be fine one way or another. Plus I really do understand that people have legitimate concerns and people's jobs are much more important to them than fandom is, but I've grown up doing this stuff since a very young age. All my friends have always known about fic and slash. We all read each other's LJs growing up. If someone wanted to dig up details about my fannish life, then they could. That ship sailed a very long time ago."
• con.txt! yay! dated June 21, 2010

2012

• Was held June 15–17, 2012
• Twitter hashtag was #Contxt
• At the art auction, a quilted bag sold for $200, and a Bucky Barnes photomanip by DigitalWave went for $450.
• The total con.txt raffle earnings for Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières and The Trevor Project came to $867.00.
• Vid show playlist is here (offline, archived here).

2012: Convention Reports and Panel Notes

• I'm at con.txt! dated June 15, 2012
• AO3 links, and con.txt panel dated June 16, 2012
• Con.Txt is, in fact, pretty damn awesome dated June 16, 2012
• CON.txt mid-con report dated June 16, 2012
• Con.txt is excellent so far dated June 16, 2012
• Con.txt post the first! dated June 17, 2012
• Con.txt post the second (of three) (I hope) dated June 18, 2012
• Con.txt post the third (final) dated June 19, 2012
• Con report: Con.txt 2012: Love in Dark Settings: dated June 17, 2012
• Pro-slash panel handout: Information for self-published/indie authors (esp. writers of GLBT fiction) dated June 17, 2012
• Con.Txt DIY Panel Write-Up: Hockey RPF Splinter Faction Table dated June 17, 2012
• CON.TXT vidshow & title cards dated June 18, 2012
• Back from CON.TXT; subtitles on vids dated June 18, 2012
• Post-con write-up at long last. dated June 18, 2012
• Con.txt, Day 1 dated June 19, 2012
• Con.Txt Write-Up: Handling Problematic Characterizations Through A Social Justice Lens dated June 22, 2012
• Con.txt, Day 2 dated June 24, 2012
• Con.txt panel report #1: Avengers Fans Assemble! dated June 26, 2012
• Resources and info from the ConTxt Ereader panel! dated June 26, 2012
• CON.TXT Panel Report: The Phylogeny of Speculative Erotica dated July 8, 2012
• Con Reports, Long Overdue dated August 1, 2012
• Panel Notes Spreadsheet on Textually Queer Media dated August 1, 2012
• Panel Notes Spreadsheet for Femslash Fandom Faire dated August 1, 2012

2014

Con.txt 29014 was held 13-15, 2014. The Vid Show Playlist is archived here

2014: Convention Reports

• CON.TXT 2014 Convention Report, ^{Archived version} by sockii

2016

• Website Archived
• Schedule
• Vid Show 2016

2018

Vid Show – CON.TXT 2018, ^{Archived version}

Con.txt 2018 - Vid Show Report, ^{Archived version}

2020

Due to the coronovirus pandemic, the 2020 convention was held as a single-day virtual convention only July 25, 2020.

Programming

• Social
• Panels

• Welcome to CON.TXT 9:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.
• Canon, Fanon, Fever Dream - 10 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.
• Best Friends Squad! She-Ra Wrap-Up Feels - 11 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.
• The Untamed Discussion Conference - noon - 12:50 p.m.
• Singalong Vid Show 3 - 1 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.
• Star Wars: Darth Disney 2 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.
• Introduction to Starfleet Legal Principles 3 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.
• C-Novels That Aren't MDZS 4 p.m. - 4:50 p.m.
• Catharsis - Vid Show - 5 p.m. - 5:50 p.m.
• I, Murderbot 6 p.m. - 6:50 p.m.
• CON.TXT 2020 Vid Show 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. (Playlist is archived here)
• CON.TXT 2020 Wrap-Up 9:45 p.m. - 10 p.m.
• f/f forever: Queer Women Represent! 10 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.
• Advanced Fic Finding 11 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.
• Let's Do the Fanwarp Again noon - 12:50 p.m.
• Hey, how would you pronounce ❤?" 1 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.
• Bring Your Fandom to Work 2 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.
• How Is This So Hot? 3 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.
• Baby's First Fanfic 4 p.m. - 4:50 p.m.
• Civic Engagement for Introverts 5 p.m. - 5:50 p.m.
• So You Want to Make a Vid 6 p.m. - 6:50 p.m.
• Financial Crime for Fun and Profit 10 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.
• Werewolf Torts and Undead Annuities III 11 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.*

2021

Due to the coronovirus pandemic, the 2020 convention was held as a three-day virtual convention: June 25-27, 2021

Programming:

Friday

• Friday Night Events
• Panels and vid shows>ref>25th June, ^{Archived version}</ref>

Saturday

• Panels and vid shows
• 3 hr main vid show (Saturday)

Sunday

• Panels and vid shows

2023

Virtual convention held on the Conline Club platform with convention Discord.

Vid Shows

Some Vids We Liked

Problem (Remaster)''''	Captain America: The First Avenger & Captain America: The Winter Soldier	kuwdora & talitha78
No Plot, Just Thirst	Judge Dredd	condnsdmlk
Muppet Goncharov''''	The Muppets (Various)	Airawyn Summers
Good Vibrations''''	Multi	Krim
A Quake!''''	Hogan's Heroes	Vielmouse
I Gotta Feelin'''''	The Muppets (Various)	Countessmry
She Works Hard for the Money''''	KinnPorsche the Series La 'forte	teyla
9 to 5	Succession	hermajestythespinach
Human Behaviour	The Favourite	Corbae
Gimme More''''	Nope	findmeinthealps
Can't Hold Us''''	Hannibal	Desdemon
Dante's Prayer''''	Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan & Star Trek III: The Search for Spock	Killa

We Only Listen To Mountain Goats

Title	Vidder	Fandom
No Children	Xandra	Community (2009)
Dilaudid	lilly_the_kid	Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)
The Autopsy Garland	isozyme	Word of Honor (2021)
This Year	indigostohelit	Cobra Kai (TV) (2018) & The Karate Kid Series (1984+) (1984)
Cry for Judas	ascatman	Gravity Falls (2015)
Balance	absternr	Nirvana In Fire (2015)
International Small Arms Traffic Blues	Sebastian Dean	Better Call Saul (2015) & Breaking Bad (2008)
Love Love Love	Rowan Oake	Revolutionary Girl Utena (1990)
The Least That We Could Do	seekingferret	Indecent (2017)
Michael Myers Resplendent	Vector Spector	Halloween II (1981)
Rain in Derry	Periru3	It (1990), It part 1 (2017) & It part 2 (2019)
Hail Satan	Tafadhali	Stranger Things (2016)
Nameless Bodies, Unremembered Rooms	stardust_rain	Star Wars: Andor (2022)
IKARI: The Last Thing That I Do	LEONHART	The End of Evangelion (1997)
Feasting and Dancing	seekingferret	Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977), Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) & Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)

Premieres

CON.TXT Show Intro by Corbae	Spring Rain by Aaron Ximm
Fixerupper by Rhea314	Fixerupper by Tayla Parx	Beyond Evil (2021)
War of Hearts by AurumCalendula	War of Hearts by Ruelle	Nv Er Hong (2023)
Fashion by lolathexxiii	Fashion by David Bowie	Till the End of the Moon (2023)
Who the Hell is Edgar? by Aaronantium	Who the Hell Is Edgar? by Teya and Salena	Mob Psycho 100 (2016), Multifandom (1000) & Red Dwarf (1988)
Invisible Thread by Diana Williams	Invisible Thread by Matt Gould & Griffin Matthews	Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! (2020) & Cherry Magic! Thirty Years Of Virginity Can Make You A Wizard?!: The Movie (2022)
The Brave by nu_breed	The Brave by Shapeshifter	My Country: The New Age (2019)
The City by Vielmouse	The City by The 1975	The Sentinel (1996)
mirror in the sky by BeatriceEagle	Landslide by Robyn Sherwell	12 Monkeys (2015), Doctor Who (2005), Farscape (1999), Looper (2012), Predestination (2015), Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973) & Star Trek: Voyager (1995)
Fast Car by sandalwoodbox	Fast Car by Tracy Chapman	Little Women (2022)
Dancing in the Dark by starlady	Dancing in the Dark by Lucy Dacus	Ms. Marvel (2022)

Nearly New

Title	Vidder	Fandom
CON.TXT Show Intro	Corbae
seven	BeatriceEagle	Psych (2006)
Stray Italian Greyhound	sandalwoodbox	Dear Missy (2020)
Aint Misbehavin	Rhea314	Chicago Typewriter (2017)
Small Talks	marah sarie	Miss Sherlock (2018)
You and Me	starlady	Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)
Totally Fucked	Diana Williams	Loki (2021)
Youre So Vain	Cassie Ingaben	From Eroica with Love (1976)
Youre Really Pretty, Girl	Allekha	Hikari no Densetsu (1986)
Thoughts (Both Cassandra And Duncan Versions)	Vielmouse	Highlander: The Series (1992)
Blank Page	nu_breed	Mad Dog (2017)
Velodrome	Rhea314	Little Women (2022)
Dead Of Night	AurumCalendula	The Vampires (2022)
Monster	AurumCalendula	Killjoys (2015)
Where Is the World Going?	Dee Laundry	BPM: Beats per Minute (2017)
Crowded Table	sandalwoodbox	Papa Daddy (2021)

Let's Get Animated

Title	Vidder	Fandom
CON.TXT Show Intro	Corbae
Blank Space	Tigrin	Death Note (2006)
Mr. Suave	MomtoCutiePia	Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto (2016)
Witching Hour	2009JoRose, AnneLabyrinth, CasualLove, FableSecrets, Just Me, PeanutbutterjellyXx, UnstableObsessions, WCRfan126 & xDivineMemoriesx	Disney Movies (1950) & Multifandom (1000)
Spectrum	Nekokitkat	Multifandom (1000)
Monarch	Iren S.S.	Mononoke (2007)
Lily Blossom	alchemyminiAMV	Kase-san and Morning Glories (2018)
You Can (Not?) Alone	LopezAMV	Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance (2009), ヱヴァンゲリヲン新劇場版:序 | Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone (2007) & ヱヴァンゲリヲン新劇場版：Q | Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo (2012)
Sanctuary	Bleedgirl & TheNamelessDoll	My Neighbor Totoro (1988), もののけ姫 | Princess Mononoke (1997), コクリコ坂から | From Up on Poppy Hill (2011), ハウルの動く城 | Howl's Moving Castle (2004), 借りぐらしのアリエッティ | The Secret World of Arrietty (2010), 千と千尋の神隠し | Spirited Away (2001), 崖の上のポニョ | Ponyo (2008) & 魔女の宅急便 | Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
Oh No!	Periru3	Yuri!!! On Ice (2016)
Youth	Lyrical Beauty Productions	Revolutionary Girl Utena (1990)
Technicolor Dreamer	Kireblue	Little Witch Academia (2017)
Magic Eye	ShinAMV	Steins;Gate (2011)
Infinity	FableSecrets, TheNight130, WCRfan126 & xDivineMemoriesx	Disney Movies (1950)
JaAM	Vivifx	Multifandom (1000)

I'm Walking Into Spiderwebs

Title	Vidder	Fandom
CON.TXT Show Intro	Corbae
Where Did You Sleep Last Night	ohvienna	Yellowjackets (2021
I’m (Not) Myself	SasukeChanx	Perfect Blue (1997)
Dilaudid	LithiumDoll	Hannibal (2013)
Control	vanderwaalx	Carrie (2013)
i can feel you	winterevanesce	The Exorcist (2017)
girl anachronism	firstaudrina	Interview with the Vampire (2022)
Bird Song	aguntoaknifefight	Crimson Peak (2015)
Empty Hands	Shainira	Haunting of Hill House (2019)
Sunshine Part 1	kiki_miserychic	Westworld (2016)
For Emily	hollywoodgrrl	The Handmaiden's Tale (2016)
Black Magic Woman	17KSS	Lovecraft Country (2020)
Community Gardens	atlasofgalaxies	The Magnus Archives (2016)
Millions	silverelver	Severance (2022)
Wonderwall	Henriikka	Fear Street (movies) (2021)
Undefeated	Apprentiss	Prey (2022)
Blinding Lights	L3V1 4CK3RM4N	Stranger Things (2016)