Out A Space
| Convention | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Out A Space |
| Dates: | 11 June 2000 |
| Frequency: | |
| Location: | ALSO Foundation, Cato Street Prahran |
| Type: | |
| Focus: | LGBT, Science Fiction, Multimedia, space |
| Organization: | Spaced Out |
| Founder: | |
| Founding Date: | 2000 |
| URL: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Out A Space was a science fiction mini-convention held on 11 June 2000 by Spaced Out, the Melbourne-based LGBT science fiction group. It was held to coincide with the first anniversary of the club's first public meeting held on 9 June 1999. Ironically, that weekend date clashed with that of the first SinpOzium, a slash convention held in Sydney on the same public holiday.
The venue for Out A Space was the headquarters for the Alternative Life-Style Organisation (ALSO), in Cato Street Prahran.
Guest of Honour was Kerry Greenwood, an Australian author and straight ally.
Fan Guest was Addam Stobbs, a well-known LGBT radio personality.
Space author (and Spaced Out member) Kate Doolan assisted in running a panel on space and science fiction.
Probably about twenty people attended on the day, and although it was judged to be a success at the time, the impetus was not carried forward to future events of this nature.
From the Convention Book:
We are proud to host what may be Australia's first "queer" science fiction mini convention, and, we hope, the start of a long tradition.The Spaced Out Committee, 'Welcome', in the Out A Space Convention Book, 11 June 2000.
Program Included:
1 pm: Opening Address by Convenor, Spaced Out: "Looking Towards an Inclusive Future"
1:15 pm: Guest of Honour Speech by Kerry Greenwood: "Straight but not Narrow - The Author's Dilemma"
1:45 pm: Panel Discussion with Geoff, Kerry and Addam: "Alternative Sexuality, Alternative Science Fiction"
3:30 pm: Guest Speech by Addam Stobbs: "Sex in Science Fiction - Future Possibilities"
4 pm: Public Forum: Audience participation invited: "The Invisible Fan? The way ahead for GLBTs in Science Fiction and Fandom"
4:45 pm: Panel Discussion with Will and Kate: "When Science Fiction becomes Science Fact".
Post-Con Report
Out A Space, the first mini convention for the club SPACED OUT, was held on Sunday 11 June (Queen's Birthday Weekend) in Prahran, Melbourne, Australia.
We believe it was the first such event in Australia aimed specifically at the GLBT community, although an unfortunate coincidence meant that SinpOZium, a "Slash" convention, was being held in Sydney on the same weekend. (Undoubtedly, they picked the same weekend for the same reason: Queen's Birthday!)
The day began with a talk by Guest of Honour, Kerry Greenwood, a published Australian author. She spoke of the various "queer" characters in many of her stories, and of the intricacies of getting a gay-type character included in a novel.
Our first panel featured Kerry, our club convenor, Geoff, and JOY-FM media personality, Addam Stobbs. They discussed "Alternative Sexuality, Alternative Science Fiction", the topic having been selected due to popular demand at Aussiecon 3, last year's world SF Convention held in Melbourne...
The audience joined in a spirited debate about the highlights and disappointments from many popular SF programs and novels. It was noted that "queer" characters of any description were virtually invisible from Hollywood productions and we questioned this effort at the "ethnic cleansing" of our future.
We also discussed "slash" fiction and questioned why this gay and lesbian fan fiction was most popular among heterosexual women. ... If so, is it brave new adventuring into GLBT territory, or is it blatant exploitation?
The next item on the program was a talk by Addam Stobbs, our mini convention Guest, who spoke about the future of sex and sexuality. He dazzled the audience with his knowledge of contemporary science fiction and its implications for future realities. Oh brave new world, with such 'critters in it!
... Miriam's art display and virtual reality demonstrations impressed everyone - literally bringing all conversation to a halt on more than one occasion...
The final event for the day was a panel led by Will and Kate on "Science fiction versus science fact". The audience again joined in a spirited debate about the space program and its current directions. Has science fiction served to encourage the space program, or has it led the public to feel that real-life is boring compared to the whizz-bang of special effect movies? Alternately, has SF lost its "sense of wonder" at the Universe?... [1]
Documents and Photos
Advertising Leaflet
Out A Space convention book cover
Author Kerry Greenwood and JOY-FM radio celebrity Addam Stobbs
Author Kerry Greenwood receives her Guest of Honour plaque and thank you certificate
Quik Quiz #1 for Out A Space
Quik Quiz #2 for Out A Space
Quik Quix #3 for Out A Space
Quik Quiz #4 for Out A Space
- ^ Anonymous, "Post-Convention Report: Our First Mini Convention!", Diverse Universe #4, July 2000, p. 1.