Rule 6 Party

Related terms:	Room Party
See also:	Rule 6, @! Parties
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Rule 6 Parties are a type of convention party common in the San Francisco Bay Area.

They are generally quiet, dimly-lit, and prone to cuddles and backrubs.

These parties began as a result of Rule 6.

Rule Six History

The parties began after Timecon in 1991 in San Jose, when the Red Lion Inn hotel staff required a signed consent form from every convention-goer agreeing to a long list of rules. Some of the rules were harshly-phrased standard hotel behavior ("14. Safety violations: Jumping or hopping from room balconies or any other serious safety violation will result in removal from hotel property and possible room eviction with NO REFUND.") while others were perceived as ridiculous attempts to force business-standard morals & behavior on a Fan crowd.

Rule #6, in particular, was widely mocked: "No physical contact other then holding hands, a quick hug or kiss will be tolerated. Any further actions will result in the subjects being asked to leave the property for the remaining time of the Con."

Some fen decided that five seconds was the limit for a "quick hug," and they would greet each other in the halls with a hug while a crowd of people chanted, "one-one thousand, two-one thousand" up to five, at which point they'd break apart. Others wore buttons saying "SIX OFFENDER."

The next convention in that hotel, Silicon, hosted the first "Rule Six Party," advertised as a poly-friendly cuddle-fest for people who didn't want to put up with rules about how long they could touch each other: "This year, the House of Anonymous Bosch is pleased to present four parties at Silicon: the usual House Party (otherwise known as "the party with the good food and good beer"), the @! party, the Quantum Leap party, and the Rule 6 party. Those of us in charge of these parties are veteran party-throwers, but we still need help. We need: 1. People (preferably folks who "give good party"), 2. Food (the weirder, the better -- we adore and have had things like specialty breads, dim sum, sushi, and Romulan Ale truffles at 3. past parties), 4. MONEY.

Almost every convention in the area since has had a Rule Six party.