Hey, this looks like a great atheist convention!
Of the names listed, 12 I’d like to see, 7 I don’t know and might be pleasantly surprised by, and only 2 whose talks I’d skip* — that’s a pretty good ratio. The only drawbacks are that it’s all the way off in Australia, and registration is a bit pricey (~$200-$500), which might explain why there’s some concern that the number of registrants is too low right now. Hey, if you’re somewhere near Melbourne, though, you ought to consider going.
Additional plus: I saw some conversation about it, and someone was complaining bitterly that it was too feminist for his taste.
*You’re just going to have to guess who’s who.
There’s been a big attacks on it by anti- feminists who want the event shut down. http://www.smh.com.au/comment/view-from-the-street/why-do-public-atheists-have-to-behave-like-such-jerks-20170621-gwvg4s.html
Anti-SJW think if they stop this global atheist convention then future ones will not have feminists featured. However, unless this one goes ahead, GAC will probably never hold any other events, so anti-SJW succeed in preventing any chance of this or even more inclusive events.
If conference-goers support even the one day ticket (Saturday) which has the most feminists speaking, it is at least a start.
If it was possible, I’d go, unfortunately, it isn’t. I hope people step up and attend, in big numbers.
Can’t comment on you have not heard of but I’m intrigued to see Alice Fraser in the line up. I’ve heard her on The Bugle and she is quite entertaining. Did not know she was an atheist somebody. She is Aussie.
In Melbourne, and “too feminist”? I don’t generally do the convention thing, but that sounds worth rounding up a few friends for :)
About 500 miles away and probably the hottest part of the year. I’ll give it a miss I think.
About 300K away. But those prices are too steep for me, especially with accomodation, food, and travel costs. And even if I could scrape it together I won’t leave my family during bushfire season. #ruralrealitytrumpsatheisticcommonality
Don’t believe the hype… There is no anti feminist conspiracy trying to shut down the event. It’s going to be great , but it is rather costly
I wonder how many of those trying to shut this down have also whine about “free speech” and “de-platforming” previously?
There’s definitely a strong anti-feminist move against the GAC in both comments and feedback to AFA, as demonstrated in the news opinion link above, and even death threats to organisers for including feminists in the lineup. They posted the evidence on Facebook and you can see it in the Tweets that are abusing the AFA.
Their Facebook page had to get mod rules in response to the huge backlash.
Critics are hoping it’ll shut down this GAC and think there’ll be a ‘lesson learned’ for the future, as if any future organised atheism would have anti-feminists supported by a big venue and get government grants like the previous GACs. **rolls eyes**
I’d have to travel about 2,000 km to attend. I’m tempted, but it would cost me over $1000 even using frequent flier points for the flight for the 2 days.
I’ll have to think about it.
It might be nicer than Minnesota in February … but mainly because you’ll be inside to revel in the aircon rather than be fried outside. By and large though, if your luck holds it might just be warm or hot and dry as dust which is a whole heap more bearable than the steamy more tropical regions north. (Even the not technically sub-tropical Sydney region can be diabolically uncomfortable in February to those of us accustomed to dry, even arid, conditions in hot weather. For local topography reasons, it can be more humid than Brisbane in some months.)
Having been involved in filtering the facebook bile there is a lot more MRA agro nd anti SJW hurled our way than you see.
The GAC will be good though. Wish I could make it.