Love and Acceptance were in Attendance for Flame Con 2018

The Sheraton in Times Square had the most excitement it has encountered in years with the presentation of Flame Con. FC is a brainchild of Geeks Out, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting and uplifting queer nerds. FC is a convention built on the foundation of helping queer humans from all backgrounds flourish in the media, arts, pop culture, and pretty much everything else you can think of. It is a convention for EVERYONE (family-friendly environment and accessible for differently abled people), with panels, workshops, fun 21+ parties with burlesque performances, and an unparalleled Artist’s Alley where your money will go towards supporting brilliantly talented people. I was also pleasantly happy to see so many cosplayers out and about showing love for all sorts of fictional characters. Walking through the Artist’s domain, I was stunned by the colorful prints, captivating literature, and super cute keychains, pins, and stickers that were on display. I have been to TONS of conventions in the past, but I can honestly say the Flame Con probably had the most outstanding display of work I have seen at a con in a very long time. There were so many books and zines that focused on LGBTQ characters, something I didn’t have growing up. It was so heartwarming to see these types of creations being spotlighted. Representation matters.

There was a variety of Queer-focused panels this year, and I attended two amazing ones: The Big Gay Sensational Animational Hour) with Nicole Gitau, Shadi P…