Ally Kotetsu: Blacklisted

I knew the day would come where I'd be blacklisted from an event, I just didn't know it'd be so soon.

This weekend I was supposed to go to Seattle's My Little Pony convention, Everfree NW, but when I went to go pick up my badge, the staff member pulled me aside to inform me that I had been blacklisted from attending the convention due to my website and social media.

So that was surprising, to say the least. I told him to have a good day, and then I went back home and collected my thoughts.

As a person on this planet I like using social media. I figured posting about going to the convention would be a good way to potentially meet a follower or something. I'm always down to meet and greet people, since a lot of the community may feel alone and not know anyone else like them. But I suppose it is a double edged sword being some amount of popular. I knew that there was a risk to sharing my convention plans publicly online, but I didn't actually think anything would come of it. Guess I was wrong.

I suppose I know better for next time now. Everfree isn't the only convention I attend, though I will not list the others for fear of being blacklisted from cons that are important to me. I am not sure how I will let people know of my presence at cons, especially since I run a panel at one, and it's somewhat important for me to announce that publicly so that people know about it. But I guess that is a privilege I no longer have.

These are the risks of my line of work I suppose. I try to be as public as possible to show people who I really am, and this is what can happen.

I may not be a big My Little Pony fan, but it's a show that I've bonded with my wife over, and it's given me something to do with my friends. I didn't attend Everfree last year, so I was excited to get to do so this year, especially by the side of a friend who wanted to not be as lonely this time around. Guess neither of us got what we wanted.

I attempted to appeal this, but it seems like the consensus from the Higher Ups was that they were "concerned" of my presence at the convention. They couldn't actually prove it was me, but no chances taken I suppose.

Those are my thoughts on the matter. Once again this is more of a ranty post, but something this extraordinary I think called for some piece of extended writing about it; it's not everyday you get banned from a My Little Pony convention. But I have put enough energy towards this.

I am disappointed that I could not go to the convention, and it would be easy to mope about and do nothing. But whoever reported me wants me to be unhappy, so I will have a good weekend. I will have fun in spite of my enemies, maybe watch some My Little Pony tonight with my wife.

My hope is not that you will read this and become scared. This is something we will have to face for a long time. My hope is that you read this and realize why this activism is so important. This is why we fight.