Indiana Could Lose Gamers' Confab Over Lack of LGBT Protections

A huge gaming convention that opened Thursday in Indianapolis may well seek other venues if Indiana doesn't adopt an LGBT-inclusive antidiscrimination law, says its CEO.

Gen Con CEO Adrian Swartout told the Associated Press that if a location with strong antidiscrimination protections makes a competitive offer to organizers, that could be a "catalyst" for it to leave Indianapolis when its contract expired in 2020. The city bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, but there is no similar statewide law.

"If we have opportunity to be in places that have state protections, that might make the deal," Swartout said. "This is important to us." Chicago and Orlando, Fla., are possibilities, she said, and organizers will consider other factors, but nondiscrimination laws will be "one part of the equation."

Some activists called for the convention to leave Indianapolis after the state passed a "religious freedom" law this year that critics said could allow businesses and individuals to discriminate against LGBT people. The law was amended so as not to be a cover for discrimination or override city ordinances like that in Indianapolis, but state civil rights law still doesn't ban discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Losing Gen Con could be a big blow. "The convention draws thousands of costumed damsels, dungeon masters and role-play game aficionados to Indianapolis each year," the AP notes. "Last year, more than 56,000 people visited, bringing in an estimated $67 million in revenue."

Trending stories

Two right-wing Supreme Court justices signal they may uphold access to PrEP and more

More than a stay: Airbnb’s latest release is built for the way we travel today

Meet the LGBTQ+ players & reality TV icons competing on 'Survivor 50'

Wilderness, woods, and Wigstock: Drag icons light up the Catskills

Grindr is reminding us why jockstraps are so sexy and iconic

'The Pitt' star Supriya Ganesh comes out as queer, uses she/they pronouns

Lesbian Pride: Here's every Dyke March in the U.S. in 2025

Polari, the secret gay language: 7 words we still use & 6 we should bring back

France becomes world’s first country to enshrine abortion rights in constitution

Out and About with Christian Cooper

Rachel Levine fought HIV & STIs at HHS. Now she’s speaking out because that progress is being undone

NewFest 2025: LGBTQ+ projects we're most excited to watch

25 hottest codpiece moments in pop culture history

How climate disasters hurt mental health in young people

All 6 rogue Mississippi cops got long prison sentences in 'Goon Squad' torture of 2 Black men

Rising star LAVERN says LGBTQ+ ravers 'bring the fire' ahead of EDC performance

Your guide to all things Pride 2025, from survival tips to the hottest events & more!

Joe Biden has tied the record for most LGBTQ+ judges confirmed in federal courts

Elon Musk uses burner accounts on X, doesn’t fact-check: report

500,000 Children at Risk: PEPFAR Funding Crisis

HRC holds 'die-in' to protest Trump health care cuts

AJ Bediako, OG 'Drag Race UK' Pit Crew member, reportedly dead

'King of Drag's Tenderoni teases game-changing show: 'We exist and we're not going anywhere'

Meet 'Fear Street: Prom Queen's queer secret weapon

Paige Bueckers gives Azzi Fudd the 'princess treatment' & lesbians are going wild

• 0
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8

Swartout met recently with Brian Bosma, speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives, who did not promise anything but said legislators would consider expanding antidiscrimination law, although no progress came on the issue in the most recent session. "It's appropriate for all of us to give [lawmakers] some room to try to work this out," she told the AP.

Meanwhile, Gov. Mike Pence has hinted that he feels the state is doing just fine without such a law, saying the state has had no lasting ill effects from the "religious freedom" controversy.

But some Indiana cities are moving to adopt expanded protections. This month Terre Haute added sexual orientation and gender identity to its nondiscrimination ordinance, and Goshen city officials will consider such a move Tuesday. In Elkhart, Mayor Dick Moore this week withdrew an LGBT-inclusive civil rights measure, citing lack of support in the City Council, but he plans to reintroduce it in August. Some council members have suggested a nonbinding resolution declaring Elkhart welcoming to all, but Moore deems that too weak.