The growing disregard for panels at conventions.
AlleyDreamer once stated, “If you started joining fandom spaces in 2020, please do not talk to me.” As harsh as they were, I completely understand why they said that. Fandom continues to feel increasingly off because it’s become full of people who have little respect for how these spaces operate. Even then, many of the people who were here before 2020 have slowly started to pick up similar vibes to those who came along after.
What is the purpose of having a panel at a convention anyway? Panels are part of the convention’s programming, where people talk about whatever they want, as long as it’s relevant to the event. According to Mark McPherson, “They allow the speakers to take center stage and talk about what matters to them most, bringing those perspectives to an audience equally interested.” Panelists bring the community together talk about what’s on their minds.
Not long ago, I asked a general question on Threads (this lowkey was not a good idea) about whether people don’t care to go to panels at conventions anymore, and I got this reply that had me thinking for a little while.
“People don’t go to cons for panels, they go to socialize and cosplay.”
As someone who attends conventions for panels, I just didn’t find this statement to be true for everyone. I have met numerous people at conventions who go alone and go for the programming. I often go to conventions alone and make my own schedule of what I want to do when I get there; this often includes panels, workshops, the cosplay contest, and the fashion show, if one is included. While this person is entitled to their own opinion, this just isn’t true for everyone. We shouldn’t put everyone who engages in fandom spaces into one box; we aren’t one-size-fits-all. Truth be told, I have relationships with my friends who go to cons outside of conventions, so I don’t feel like I have to be glued to them the entire time when I’m there. While yes, conventions are for socializing, there is so much more to do than walking around and meeting up with people.
I will be a guest at Dashcon 2 this summer, and I mentioned to the Dashcon 2 community about how I really appreciate how panels are major to the convention (along with how there were plenty of people who went to them at this convention); this led to us discussing the growing changes within fandom spaces and how they aren’t necessarily for the better, as plenty of these spaces are becoming more corporate. People like AlleyDreamer and me are constantly studying the shift in fandom after 2020, because once these spaces became more mainstream, the things that make fandom what it is are slowly being pushed out. It’s as if people don’t want to be seen as uncool to those around them. And I say this for hosting panels and attending them. To bluntly put it, you all care too much about what strangers and people who do little for you think of you. This has affected the way people interact in fan environments overall, not just conventions. This shit has even caused problems with fucking concerts, one of the most mainstream fan events that exists. Why are we complaining about people in the audience singing along to the damn songs?!
Remember when I said to stop trying to make fandom cool in me and Amaya’s book? Yeah, these places were never about being cool! Panels are meant to entertain guests; it does not matter how cringeworthy you find the subject. If you are passionate and knowledgeable enough to talk about something, by all means, you can host a panel about it. Want to attend a panel that’s about your favorite anime? By all means, you should go! This rise in “nonchalant” behavior is growing more and more within fandom, and that’s just never what was meant for these environments.
Here are four other things regarding how people treat panels and panelists nowadays.
Only caring to get in for free.
I found out at this convention, which I go to every year, that 2025 was one of the highest years for panel submissions. With the rising cost of convention badges, more people are doing what they can to get into conventions for free, and one of those things is to host a panel. So many do not understand all that it takes to do a panel, which can lead to weak applications. You have to be prepared to speak to an audience, and when submitting your application, you have to prove you can discuss the subject you signed up for. It is obvious from the application whether you care (or don’t care) and what you submitted your panel on; they can tell and sense when you’re signing up simply because you want the free admission.
Even then, there are people who sign up for a panel, get in, and then don’t show up to the panel at all, just taking the free admission without giving anything in return. Nothing is truly free. To get into a convention for free, you have to offer something of value in exchange. This just proves even more how people don’t seem to realize that panels require work from them.
Celebrity Q&A panels.
There has been a rise in people discussing how they aren’t the most favorable of celebrity Q&A panels, which is understandable. As I mentioned previously in my work, celebrity culture is a disease, and fandom contributes to it in the worst way sometimes. These kinds of panels take up so much space on the schedule, which is understandable because the guests do convince people to buy tickets for the convention, but it also shows how we continue to hold celebrities on a pedestal within fandom. I don’t mind when the celebrity guest hosts a panel, but I would very much prefer they do something other than answer fans’ questions that they have already answered numerous times. It would be nice if more of them had a presentation prepared for the audience. Talk about your favorite movies, please! You can even put together a PowerPoint of who and what inspired your career path! Spice it up!
Be quiet?
Let’s keep this brief. Can we stop talking to our peers in the audience when the panelist is hosting? There have been numerous times when panelists have had to tell audience members to quiet down while they’re presenting. It is just rude, alright? When it comes to situations like this, I always say to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. You wouldn’t like it if you were giving a presentation and someone was being loud in the audience, so do not do that to someone else.
Can we at least be respectful?
Whether you like panels or not (let alone go to them), there has to be credit given when it’s due. People took time out of their day to research and put together a presentation to be part of the convention’s programming. Panels are literally one of the backbones of conventions because they give attendees more to do and often encourage socializing. Often, when I go to panels, I end up talking to the host and/or audience members about the given subject matter. I have even sat in on panels about things I didn’t care much about and left with new knowledge, but I could also see the passion they had for whatever it was they were talking about. It takes a lot to put on a panel, and as someone who hosts them regularly, I am lowkey out of breath by the time I finish. To act like panelists aren’t doing anything important at the convention is just disrespectful, especially if you aren’t providing anything to the convention aside from attending. While yes, some conventions can add more diversity to their panel schedule, it’s completely rude to fully blow off everyone who’s presenting a panel as if they didn’t put in the work to be there.
ColeyDoesThings recently said, “These new fans kinda suck,” and yep. While she was talking about online fandom spaces when she said that, I feel the same way about in-person fan events at this point. It feels like it is losing what makes it a fandom in the first place because of these ongoing changes in the environment. You don’t have to like a panel subject, but you can at least respect that someone took their time to make it. You can want something to change with the convention’s panels, but you also need to put forth some effort to actually do something about it if you want better. Stop being loud in the audience when the panelist is presenting. Do not let anyone convince you that hosting or attending a panel is lame. And it’s flat-out rude to sign up to be a panelist and not even give the presentation that got you in the building for free in the first place. We need some decorum!
thank you all so much for reading this rant essay lol. if you would like to support more of my writing, my newest zine “really? for him? how androcentrism ruins female friendships” is now available for purchase on my website.
SOURCES.
https://twincitiesgeek.com/2023/03/the-importance-of-panels-in-the-geek-convention-experience/
https://nerdsthatgeek.com/conventions/a-few-thoughts-on-improving-panels-at-conventions