Lord Hosk wrote:I think we are getting off PAX, and back on "the mike problem" again.
Which is what I was pointing out on the last page, I understand that Mike is a huge part of Penny Arcade, and its the "Penny Arcade eXpo" but Mike is one person, Penny Arcade is 20 people, PAX is 300+ per event (I would give you a more specific number but the PA forums just closed down "for Christmas". Thats not going to cause problems...) so when people say "PAX IS A HATEFUL PLACE, SEE WHAT MIKE SAID ABOUT RAPE!" I think... OK, how does Mike making dumbass statements about rape and ignorant comments about Transgender people, mean that PAX is homophobic, Xenophobic, Antisemitic, Anti-(insert group)
Once again, I can't speak for everyone, but here's my interpretation of that.
Mike is only one small part of the PAX machine, but he is arguably the most well-known. This leads to two effects: one, people who felt like Mike's comments are dismissive of their experience come to associate these feelings with PAX because Mike is so heavily involved, and two, the "dumbass" comments turning into a bigger Internet drama mean that the people who felt negatively about Mike's comments are now worried that people who approved of the comments are going to attend PAX in greater numbers, and therefore that there will be a greater proportion of people who may make them feel threatened.
As for how that interacts with the Diversity Lounges, well, once again, I can only offer my own perspective, I can't speak for anyone else. Personally, something doesn't quite sit right with me about the diversity lounges (although I'd have to see it in practice to be sure), and other people may feel similarly to me. If those people already feel uncomfortable for above stated reasons, they may feel that this is an insufficient measure, or that it is the wrong measure under the circumstances.