Worldcon: Difference between revisions
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==Women who have been Worldcon Guests of Honor== | ==Women who have been Worldcon Guests of Honor== | ||
* Leigh Brackett (1964, Oakland) | * [[Leigh Brackett]] (1964, Oakland) | ||
* Juanita Coulson (1972, Los Angeles) | * [[Juanita Coulson]] (1972, Los Angeles) | ||
* Ursula K. Le Guin (1975, Melbourne) | * [[Ursula K. Le Guin]] (1975, Melbourne) | ||
* Susan Wood (1975, Melbourne) | * [[Susan Wood]] (1975, Melbourne) | ||
* Kate Wilhelm (1980, Boston) | * [[Kate Wilhelm]] (1980, Boston) | ||
* C.L. Moore (1981, Denver) | * [[C.L. Moore]] (1981, Denver) | ||
* Lee Hoffman (1982, Chicago) | * [[Lee Hoffman]] (1982, Chicago) | ||
* Doris Lessing (1987, Brighton) | * [[Doris Lessing]] (1987, Brighton) | ||
* Joyce Slater (1987, Brighton) | * [[Joyce Slater]] (1987, Brighton) | ||
* Andre Norton (1989, Boston) | * [[Andre Norton]] (1989, Boston) | ||
* Betty Ballantine (1989, Boston) | * [[Betty Ballantine]] (1989, Boston) | ||
* Joni Stopa (1991, Chicago) | * [[Joni Stopa]] (1991, Chicago) | ||
* Alicia Austin (1993, San Francisco) | * [[Alicia Austin]] (1993, San Francisco) | ||
* Anne McCaffrey (1994, Winnipeg) | * [[Anne McCaffrey]] (1994, Winnipeg) | ||
* Elsie Wolheim (1996, Anaheim) | * [[Elsie Wolheim]] (1996, Anaheim) | ||
* Sachiko Shibano (1996, Anaheim) | * [[Sachiko Shibano]] (1996, Anaheim) | ||
* C.J Cherryh (1998, Baltimore) | * [[C.J Cherryh]] (1998, Baltimore) | ||
* Anne Passovoy (2000, Chicago) | * [[Anne Passovoy]] (2000, Chicago) | ||
* Bjo Trimble (2002, San Jose) | * [[Bjo Trimble]] (2002, San Jose) | ||
* Jane Yolen (2005, Glasgow) | * [[Jane Yolen]] (2005, Glasgow) | ||
* Connie Willis (2006, Anaheim) | * [[Connie Willis]] (2006, Anaheim) | ||
Revision as of 19:31, 26 April 2007
History
Worldcon is the annual gathering of the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS) [1]. It is one of the oldest science fiction conventions in the world, having first been held in 1939 and being annual from 1947. It is also the home of the Hugo Awards.
The term "Worldcon" comes in for some criticism as the convention takes place in the USA more often than not. Some claim that the origin of the name has more to do with the first Worldcon being held in conjunction with a World's Fair then to any claim of internationalism. On the other hand, Worldcon has a far better travel record than, say, the World Fantasy Convention. As well as USA venues it has been held in Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK and is due for its first visit to Japan in 2007. WSFS insiders will tell you that it would travel more if more countries had a fan base that was large enough and enthusiastic enough to cope with staging it. British and Australian fans will tell you that staging it once a decade is quite often enough, thank you.
Worldcon is one of the largest all-volunteer-run events in the world. It is also very democratic. There is no board of directors or other official officers. All decisions relating to the WSFS Constitution (including the rules for the Hugo awards) are taken by a vote of attending members at a meeting at Worldcon. While the majority of fans who run WSFS and Worldcons are men, there are no formal barriers preventing female involvement. You just have to turn up and be persistent.
Women who have Chaired Worldcon
- Julian May (1952, Chicago)
- Ella Parker (1965, London)
- Leslie Turek (1980, Boston)
- Suzanne Carnival (1981, Denver - co-chair with Don C. Thompson)
- Penny Frierson (1986, Atlanta - co-chair with Ron Zukowski)
- Kathleen Mayer (1991, Chicago)
- Karen Meschke (1997, San Antonio)
- Peggy Rae Pavlat (1998, Baltimore)
- Deb Geisler (2004, Boston)
Women who have been Worldcon Guests of Honor
- Leigh Brackett (1964, Oakland)
- Juanita Coulson (1972, Los Angeles)
- Ursula K. Le Guin (1975, Melbourne)
- Susan Wood (1975, Melbourne)
- Kate Wilhelm (1980, Boston)
- C.L. Moore (1981, Denver)
- Lee Hoffman (1982, Chicago)
- Doris Lessing (1987, Brighton)
- Joyce Slater (1987, Brighton)
- Andre Norton (1989, Boston)
- Betty Ballantine (1989, Boston)
- Joni Stopa (1991, Chicago)
- Alicia Austin (1993, San Francisco)
- Anne McCaffrey (1994, Winnipeg)
- Elsie Wolheim (1996, Anaheim)
- Sachiko Shibano (1996, Anaheim)
- C.J Cherryh (1998, Baltimore)
- Anne Passovoy (2000, Chicago)
- Bjo Trimble (2002, San Jose)
- Jane Yolen (2005, Glasgow)
- Connie Willis (2006, Anaheim)