Philly FatCon isn’t an explicitly LGBTQ+ event — but it’s pretty queer

“We wanted to make Philly FatCon not just a party but also a place for education, for movement — a place where you can be yourself without feeling judged,” said founder Adrienne Ray about the organizers’ intentional approach to cultivating the vibe and community that gathers at the convention.

Although Philly FatCon, which will take place Oct. 18-20, wasn’t designed specifically for LGBTQ+ people, it’s a place where the queer community has felt at-home and supported — likely because of Ray’s intentional approach to diversity linked to her own lived experiences.

“I am someone who is Black, queer and disabled,” said Ray, explaining that fat liberation is tied to justice movements across each of those experiences as well. “As a business owner and entrepreneur, I understand how all of those things can be invisible [to others].”

“We wanted to make sure that we were fostering a safe space because there’s so many spaces that these folks walk into that are not safe for them,” she added.

Ray explained that even though the co-organizers are cis, straight women, the event is queer in the way it was conceived and designed. She said marginalized people — especially those living at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities — often get slighted, even in spaces that are promoted as safe and inclusive. That led organizers to seek a diverse group of speakers who represented a variety of lived experiences and to find a location that would affirm such a diverse community.

“This is going to be a place where we can amplify those voices — the voices that are often drowned out, the voices that are often ignored,” she said. “We wanted to give those people a platform.”

Organizers hosted the inaugural FatCon at Temple University last year — Ray’s alma mater — and planned to use the University of the Arts in 2024 because both spaces are ADA compliant. But when the University of the Arts suddenly closed in June, Ray turned to the robust community that has developed around the convention as she and other organizers sought a new location.

The group landed on a partnership with William Way LGBT Community Center “by luck,” she said, thanks to schedules, space and values aligning. Both FatCon organizers and William Way leaders want to welcome marginalized people, Ray explained, with a community-minded approach to gathering that made the two a perfect fit.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with them,” she said.

Ray is excited to pay speakers for their time and expertise and to rent from William Way which she hopes will benefit from the collaboration. Speakers and volunteers will also be given a meal voucher to spend on local eateries in the Gayborhood.

William Way is a little bit smaller than the previous venues — but the convention hasn’t had to cut back much. Morning yoga sessions will take place at the Holiday Inn Express Midtown, which is partnering to also accommodate out-of-towners.

The biggest events for FatCon 2024 will take place on Oct. 19 and Oct. 20, but it kicks off with a Friday evening welcome party on Oct. 18 at a secret location only revealed to attendees.

“That’s a great opportunity to just get your toes wet a little bit, meet other people [and] check the vibe out,” said Ray.

Last year, a Saturday-night costume party took place at lesbian-owned Fat Lady Brewing in Manayunk. That get-together will return at Craft Hall with burlesque performances and stand up comedy.

Extending convention hours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. allows participants to make effective use of space at William Way, where the ballroom and conference rooms will be used to host speaker sessions, panel discussions and movement classes. The ballroom actually accommodates double the seats than last year’s location — making space for approximately 150 people at a time.

Topics for the talks and discussions include navigating gym spaces, fat-positive approaches to sex and pleasure, fat bodies in arts and literature, designs and patternmaking for fat bodies, and behind-the-scenes perspectives from fat documentarians.

One of the workshops will be led by NAAFA (the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance) to discuss anti-fat activism and potential legislative efforts. Attendees will learn about New York City’s ordinance prohibiting discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodation based on a person’s height or weight.

“This workshop is going to introduce our attendees to the Campaign for Size Freedom and start them on a path towards getting legislation in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania,” Ray said.

Movement classes will include boxing, belly dancing, Zumba, strength training and yoga.

The marketplace — which will be open all weekend — is downsizing slightly from about 35 to 25 vendors and will take place in William Way’s lobby. It will include a merch table and continue to showcase only fat-friendly retailers. For instance, “women’s” clothing retailers will include a range of sizes from at least 14 through 40.

“We wanted to make sure that all body sizes were represented there,” said Ray.

A panel discussion will take place on Sunday before the clothing swap from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event — a fan favorite that started as a separate meet-up in 2021 — is available as a stand-alone ticket. Participants are asked to bring five pieces of gently used clothing to the swap, and mending tables will be available for those who need repairs and alterations. Nine additional vendors will also be present.

“It’s a full weekend again,” said Ray. “It’s a great opportunity for people who are looking to connect with folks that have similar experiences, that are like-minded, that care about fat liberation, that care about fat justice — or people just looking to make friends.”

Ray said that the convention doesn’t currently host any events that are specific or exclusive to LGBTQ+ attendees — but this is something she’s now considering for the future.

“I want to say,” she laughed, “even though there’s not any queer specific events — baby, it’s all queer.”

Philly FatCon 2024 will take place Oct. 18-20 at various locations. For more information or to register, visit eventcreate.com/e/phillyfatcon2024.