Panel Room 120

11:00am – 11:50 am: Janelle Monae: Artist, Icon, Gender Renegade from the Future

Presented by: Andrew Lucchesi, Assistant Professor of English, and his co-panelist students from the English master’s of arts and creative writing programs

This panel examines the music, career, style, and persona(s) of American recording artist and queer icon, Janelle Monae. To many, Monae is so much more than a musician. She is a storyteller, who has been working the past fifteen years to create “emotion pictures,” which recount the story of a criminal android whose only crime is to fall in love, and who rises to be the leader and savior of her people. She is an artist, who has developed unique approaches to fashion, dance, and visual aesthetics that bend traditional concepts of gender and identity. Finally, she is a fascinating public figure, who has cultivated an ever-evolving persona as part of her prominent political engagement.

 

1:00pm – 1:50 pm: Reflections of Us, Minority Representation in Media

Presented by: Nani Thompson, a disabled, queer, trans, person of color with a strong media interest who also writes YA Queer Lit who isn’t trained in any of this, but just wants to toss their hat in the ring

One well-meaning idiot attempts to convey the broad topic of representation in media, spanning mental health/neurodivergency, disAbility, people of color, and LGBTQ folks in everything from books to movies to graphic novels.

 

3:00pm – 3:50 pm: The History of Asexuality

Presented by: Western Aces

A brief summary of asexuality and its development in the public eye, by your local ace club.

 

Panel Room 316

12:00pm – 12:50pm: Out in Science: Being LGBTQ+ in STEM

Presented by: WWU STEM students, and Associate Prof. Dimitri Dounas-Frazer from Physics/Astronomy and SMATE

Three Western students and a professor discuss their experiences in STEM spaces in relation to their LGBTQ+ identities. There will be time for audience questions during the panel.

 

2:00pm – 2:50pm: Webcomics 101

Presented by: Mister Loki, author of the web comic Until the Last Dog Dies

 

4:00pm – 4:50pm: A List of Queer Characters in Dragon Age

Presented by: Alexis Goss, president of Western Gaymers

An excuse to talk about the execution of queer representation in video games through the lens of Bioware’s RPG series Dragon Age.

 

Panel Room 115

12:00pm – 12:30pm: Costume Contest Pre-Judging- registration here

1:00pm -1:50pm: Costume Contest

 

Map of Communications of Facility: http://www.wwu.edu/wwuarchitect/floorplans/CF-All-Floors.pdf