GaymerX

GaymerX was founded in August 2013 by Matt Conn and Toni Rocca as part of MidBoss.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-04-06-gaymerx-cuts-all-ties-to-midboss|title=GaymerX cuts all ties to MidBoss|website=GamesIndustry.biz|date=6 April 2018 |language=en|access-date=2019-02-05}}

The goal was to establish a space for those who felt larger gaming conventions like E3 were unwelcoming places for LGBT gamers.{{citation|url=http://narrative.ly/stories/were-here-were-queer-and-we-love-the-legend-of-zelda/|title=WE'RE HERE, WE'RE QUEER AND WE LOVE THE LEGEND OF ZELDA|author=Malcolm Thorndike Nicholson|date=26 June 2015 }} The first instance of GaymerX was financed through a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter,{{cite web|title=GaymerX on Kickstarter|url=http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gaymercon/gaymercon-everybody-games|work=Kickstarter}} and occurred on August 3 and 4, 2013 in San Francisco, CA.{{cite web|publisher=BoingBoing|url=http://boingboing.net/2012/08/16/planning-for-a-gay-old-time-at.html|title=GaymerCon for LGBT gamers|date=16 August 2012 }} Organizers have said the event is about uniting gay gamers, not creating a division among gamers,{{cite web|publisher=VentureBeat|title=GaymerCon is about uniting gay gamers, not separation|date=6 August 2012 |url=https://venturebeat.com/2012/08/06/gaymercon/}} as they want to create a "safe place" for LGBT gamers.{{cite web|publisher=ArsTechnica|url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2012/08/gaymercon-wants-to-provide-a-safe-place-for-lgbtq-gamers/|title=GaymerCon wants to provide a "safe place" for LGBTQ gamers|date=10 August 2012 }}

The planned convention began with significant news coverage of its initial Kickstarter launch, but the event achieved more widespread attention after the anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church, known widely as a hate group that pickets espousing homophobic statements, announced that they would protest the convention.{{cite web|publisher=Upcoming Cons|title=Gay Gaming Con To Be Protested By Westboro|url=http://www.upcomingcons.com/posts/477-Gay-Gaming-Con-To-Be-Protested-By-Westboro|author=Nate Cook|access-date=2012-08-19|archive-date=2013-03-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130330230810/http://www.upcomingcons.com/posts/477-Gay-Gaming-Con-To-Be-Protested-By-Westboro|url-status=dead}}{{cite web | url=http://www.gamerevolution.com/features/gaymerx-best-weekend-evar | title=GaymerX: Best Weekend Evar | publisher=gamerevolution.com | accessdate=1 September 2013 | author = Nicholas Tan | date=5 August 2013 }}

GaymerX began with a Kickstarter project launched on August 1, 2012, which was covered by sites such as Examiner and GamePolitics.com.{{cite web|url=http://www.gamepolitics.com/2012/08/03/gaymercon-raises-over-14000-two-days|title=GaymerCon Raises over $14,000 in Two Days|publisher=GamePolitics}} The convention raised over $14,000 in its first two days, exceeded its goal of $25,000 as early as August 6,{{cite web|publisher=ShackNews|url=http://www.shacknews.com/article/75165/lgbt-convention-gaymercon-secures-kickstarter-funding|title=LGBT convention GaymerCon secures Kickstarter funding}}{{cite web|publisher=Kickstarter|url=http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gaymercon/gaymercon-everybody-games|title=GaymerCon: Everybody Games}} and ended with over $90,000. Throughout the fundraising campaign, organizers added new support levels, in addition to existing support levels that include admission to the event and voice acting from Ellen McLain.{{cite web|publisher=GameRanx|url=http://www.gameranx.com/updates/id/8191/article/ellen-mclain-summons-glados-to-voice-support-for-gaymercon/|author=Lana Polansky|title=Ellen McLain Summons GLaDOS to Voice Support for GaymerCon}} At a session during the convention, McLain took part as assistant to a marriage proposal to help an attendee propose to his boyfriend by voicing a version of the song Still Alive with reworked lyrics.

File:GaymerX2 Logo.png

GaymerX2 was held at the InterContinental Hotel between July 11–13, 2014 in downtown San Francisco. It featured Darren Young, the first openly gay wrestler in the WWE,{{cite web|publisher=ThinkProgress|url= http://thinkprogress.org/sports/2013/08/15/2476321/wwes-darren-young-comes-out-as-first-openly-gay-professional-wrestler/|author=Travis Waldron|title=WWE's Darren Young Comes Out As First Openly Gay Professional Wrestler}} who revealed that he would be a playable character in the upcoming WWE 2K15.{{cite web|url=http://www.zap2it.com/blogs/wwes_darren_young_reveals_his_wwe_2k15_character_pic-2014-07|title=WWE's Darren Young reveals his 'WWE 2K15' character: Pic|date=July 11, 2014|last=Hayner|first=Chris|work=Zap2It|access-date=October 21, 2014|archive-date=October 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006184039/http://www.zap2it.com/blogs/wwes_darren_young_reveals_his_wwe_2k15_character_pic-2014-07|url-status=dead}}

In July 2017 Gaymerx officially incorporated as a 501c3 nonprofit, separating it from MidBoss.{{Cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2017/07/07/gaymerx-foundation-becomes-a-nonprofit-to-boost-its-diversity-mission/|title=GaymerX Foundation becomes a nonprofit to boost its diversity mission|date=2017-07-07|website=VentureBeat|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-05}} At this time a board of directors was formed consisting of Raymond Lancione, Tanya DePass, Brian Kunde, Soraya Een Hajji, Steven Harmon, and Eugenio Vargas.{{Cite web|url=https://gaymerx.org/who-we-are|title=Who We Are – GaymerX: Everyone Games|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-05}} Matt Conn was replaced by Toni Rocca as executive director.

In 2018 Matt Conn was accused of labor rights violations. While Matt had not been affiliated with GaymerX since the organization split from MidBoss the previous year, he was the head of MidBoss, which had been a major sponsor of past events. In response GaymerX announced they were cutting all ties with MidBoss, and would no longer allow them to sponsor future events.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2018/04/gaymerx-cuts-ties-to-midboss-amid-allegations-agai.html|title=GaymerX Cuts All Ties to MidBoss Amid Allegations Against Founder|website=pastemagazine.com|date=6 April 2018 |language=en|access-date=2019-02-05}} Although shortly afterwards Matt resigned from MidBoss,{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-04-06-midboss-names-cade-peterson-ceo|title=MidBoss names Cade Peterson interim CEO|website=GamesIndustry.biz|date=6 April 2018 |language=en|access-date=2019-02-05}} the two organizations have had not had any further relationship.

In April 2018 GaymerX named a new Executive Director, Katie Kaitchuck,{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/GaymerXOfficial/posts/1814336578623564|title=GaymerX|website=www.facebook.com|language=en|access-date=2019-02-05}} replacing Toni Rocca. Since her appointment, they have launched a new scholarship program to help LGBT developers get into the industry.{{Cite web|url=https://gaymerx.org/gaymerx-gdc-scholarship|title=GaymerX GDC Scholarship – GaymerX: Everyone Games|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-05}}

In January GaymerX East 2019 was announced{{Cite web|url=https://gaymerx.org/gxe19|title=GaymerX East 2019 – GaymerX: Everyone Games|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-05}} and planned to take place on April 27 & 28 at the Microsoft Conference Center in Times Square. On February 14, 2019, it was announced that GaymerX East 2019 had been cancelled.{{cite web |url=https://gaymerx.org/news/gaymerx-east-19-has-been-cancelled |title=GaymerX East '19 Has Been Cancelled |last=Kaitchuck |first=Katie |author-link= |date=February 14, 2019 |department=News |website=gaymerx.org |access-date=2020-03-17 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200317225351/https://gaymerx.org/news/gaymerx-east-19-has-been-cancelled |archive-date=2020-03-17 }}

GXDev: Everyone Creates, was a game jam and hackathon that happened over January 9 through 11th in 2015 and featured over 40 developers who produced over 10 games featuring queer content and themes,{{cite web|url=http://itch.io/jam/gxdev |title=GXdev|accessdate=2015-01-19}} including one about "dating butts",{{cite web|url=http://www.polygon.com/2015/1/16/7559133/bobs-burgers-butts-tina-belcher-cheek-to-cheek|title=Inspired by the best character in Bob's Burgers, here's a game about butts|first=Danielle|last=Riendeau|date=January 16, 2015|accessdate=January 16, 2015|publisher=Polygon}} and one about polyamory.{{cite web|url=http://www.polygon.com/2015/1/16/7558005/polyamory-game-free-game-gxdev|title=A game about gardening, cute deer and dating multiple people|website=Polygon |date=16 January 2015 |accessdate=2015-01-16}}

• Flame Con, an LGBTQ-focused multi-genre entertainment and comic convention
• Gaylaxicon, a national LGBTQ+ science-fiction, fantasy, horror, comics and games convention
• ClexaCon, an entertainment convention focused on LGBTQ women
• LGBT culture
• Video games in the United States

{{reflist|2}}

• {{Official website|https://gaymerx.org/}}
• [https://www.twitter.com/GaymerX GaymerX on Twitter]

Category:Annual events in California

Category:Gaming conventions

Category:Kickstarter projects

Category:LGBTQ and video games

Category:LGBTQ culture in San Francisco

Category:LGBTQ events in the United States

Category:Recurring events established in 2013

Category:San Francisco Bay Area conventions

Category:Video gaming in the United States

Category:2013 establishments in California