These two pictures of Thunder from Black Lightning, signed by Nafessa Williams, are up for a giveaways from me and my girlfriend! But first, story time.
So here at ClexaCon, everything has been amazing. I’ve met writers and creators and artists, watched awesome, enriching panels, and was lucky enough to be on a panel with some amazing people. The crowds here are immense: the thousands of passionate fans are a testament to the strength of f/f fandoms.
And yet…fandom is not without issues. First came the modest attendance for the Queer Women of Color panel because it was followed by an actress panel; second, was what happened today:
My girlfriend and I got back to our hotel room Saturday afternoon after we finished watching our last planned panel, only to open up Twitter to several stories about how the lovely and amazing Nafessa Williams, who plays Anissa Pierce on Black Lightning, had an empty autograph line. She was being totally sweet, chatting and taking selfies with people, but she wasn’t getting too many fans coming through.
Meanwhile, at the table next to her, Emily Andras had an autograph line overflowing with people. A straight white woman with a history of questionable comments about rep and BYG had a massive line.
Nafessa is playing the first ever black lesbian lead character on television. Anissa is an out and proud lesbian; she’s a strong, complex woman of color; she’s a young activist; and she’s one half of an interracial relationship.
And she’s bulletproof! And badass! She is the rep people have been crying out for, and yet when it actually came down to it, people would rather pay to meet a straight, white, historically problematic woman.
Come on. Do better.
So as soon as my girlfriend and I found this out, we left our hotel and headed back to the con, agreeing to split the cost of an autograph. My girlfriend and I are both white women. The only time in my life I’ve ever bought an autograph was from Eliza Taylor; my girlfriend never has. But we realized that we’re part of the problem in not supporting actresses like Nafessa and shows like Black Lightning—especially when everyone is so eager to support other people at the con.
Anyway, along the ten minute walk from our hotel back to ClexaCon, one autograph turned into four. We each got one for ourselves, and we have two left over for a giveaway!
My girlfriend will be hosting the giveaway on her twitter in the next few days. Her twitter is @ABCs_of_theLoo. Please reblog this to spread the word!
So before the afterparty at Clexacon @plastic-pipes and myself saw Isabella at a bar and Pipes went up and told her she was the artist of that picture. I managed to capture the moment
“At some point when somebody else comes along, and I don’t have specifics, sorry … but I told them. Just rest assured – I said very specifically: I will be part of the journey again. I will audition with her. I will make sure that she’s the one. That she’s right. And I will make sure that she’s invested, just like Flo – please hear me on this. But I will also make sure that if it happens, it happens – and it STAYS. So I said, keep it and make it for real. Make sure that it’s for real. I know there will be ups and downs. But DO NOT MESS WITH this community.”
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Chyler Leigh, on Alex Danvers, at ClexaCon 2018
(Chyler crying as she’s given a standing ovation when she comes onstage.)
It has honestly been such an amazing experience watching Alex Danvers and Elena Alvarez. I don’t know how many of you have watched One Day at a Time and Supergirl yet but seriously I was crying my eyes out. I loved getting to see Alex come out and have her family support her so quickly and unwaveringly– and then getting to see Elena come out and her mom struggling with it a little was really moving in a way I hadn’t expected to to be moved? I can write a lot about these two really, but mostly that I’m happy they’re being written and acted the the way are. I’m not out to my parents, and honestly I don’t know if I ever will be, and that kind of hurts not being able to share things like this with them. So I’m happy I can share them with you all, these two coming out stories that we’ve gotten to see have given me comfort and hope and I am really excited for more c: AndifyouhaveseriouslywatchOneDayataTimeitsdiverseandbeautifulandimstillcryingtbh
Question of Smoke 