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Ok so I feel like I'm being judged based upon age right now and the person doesn't even know my age...but that's what they are going to use against me. Because I'm not a kid they are going to just tell me to 'grow up.' Anyways...long story short I want to go to an anime convention this year and my SO is going to be driving me and staying with me the whole time but he has no interest but to be with me and I wouldn't want him to go off and do his own thing because I get nervous about being on my own in a big city around thousands of people I don't know....I sent an email to the con's registration head and they emailed me back with a one liner. (I have yet to respond back because I'm kind of pissed about it.)



So I get this response back today from the guy in charge of registration..




That's it...no, hi glad you're interested in the con blah blah niceties I hope I can help! Nope just tell me how old you are so I can judge you for not wanting to be a woman alone in a crowd of people in a big city. I just feel like it's so irrelevant...I want to meet a couple people I haven't met before at the con but if the cost to go is $100 instead of $50 then I probably wont be able to go...my SO even says all the stuff he's gone to are no more than $15 each so he doesn't even get it. I don't know what to do here...

while the answer is pretty short and comes off as a bit rude, I can see why it bothers you, they probably aren't judging you at all. Depending on how far away the convention is, this is "crunch time" for the staff members and volunteers who put it together and make it run. Now I can't say for sure exactly what the answer will be if and/or once you answer back with your age, but I doubt it's for anything rude. I'm on staff with a local convention myself and certain rules have to be followed based on an attendee's age. say if you were about 13(not saying you are, just an example) and you're in this big city wanting a chaperone but said person isn't interested in the convention, we can try and keep that in mind and we can link their specific contact information to your badge/ID for the convention so if something does happen(you need a ride, money, there's a medical issue, of you're being picked up and need to be found) we can get in contact with them and you faster. Now I can't say for sure that they'll wave the $50 if that's what it'll cost for the other person to get in, but when most people hear the word "chaperone" they think the person is under aged(being under 1 cool and might need one.

That's my first impression with the question. They're trying to figure out exactly how to approach the situation so they can give you the information that you want/need. True, they could have been a bit less blunt and sound less rude about it, but I don't think it was intended that way. If you DO respond and are met with rude behavior or anything of the like, I would encourage you to look at how to contact the people in charge specifically. An e-mail address, phone, facebook group page, whatever, and try to get in contact with another member of the staff, and explain the problem. Conventions rely on the attendees coming and being happy so if someone is doing something to upset anyone, we want to know about it so we can try and resolve the issue the best way possible, if nothing else then to show the deserved respect towards the individual.