Our Con Means Death is back and fundraising in aid of Mermaids!

“What we’re about to do will be perilous…” but that didn’t stop our co-captain Stede Bonnet so why would it stop us?  

What is Our Con Means Death?

Our Con Means Death is a non-profit, unofficial fan convention that will feature panels, workshops, cosplay, games and other pirate-themed group activities, as well as fan-run booths and booty (exclusive con merchandise).

Run by a dedicated team of fans who just happen to have a background in event organising, it will take place from 15 - 17 September 2023 at Future Inn Bristol and online.

Why Our Flag Means Death? 

The Our Flag Means Death community is incredible - a show with next to no marketing managed to stay in the top spot of in-demand new shows for months, beating even established franchises like Star Wars. And it’s not just because of the fans.

The show has a diverse cast and crew and denounces toxic masculinity, both of which are very important. But most of all, it represents a truly historic shift in the treatment of the LGBTQIA+ community on-screen.

To us, people repeatedly hurt by the too-common practice of queerbaiting, the kill-your-gays trope and the downright traumatic storylines that plague almost every appearance of a queer character elsewhere, Our Flag Means Death has proved a healing experience.

Who are we?

Hello! We are Laura, Maddie and Nate. We are a small group of LGBTQIA+ Our Flag Means Death fans based in the UK, each with years of events experience (past volunteer and organiser credits include The Ineffable Con) and a severe case of pirate brain rot. Whoops. 

One of us closed their browser at the end of episode eight and said: "Is anyone doing a convention? I think we should make a convention." And we did.  

Why Mermaids?

As three non-binary organisers ourselves, and with a large portion of the fanbase being part of the LGBTQIA+ community, it felt important to us to choose an organisation that would promote inclusivity. Therefore, Mermaids was the natural choice.

Mermaids is a UK-based charity working with transgender, non-binary and gender diverse children and young people, as well as their families and professionals involved in their care. You can find out more about the work being done by Mermaids at https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/.

As organisers, we are not taking a penny for ourselves. The entire event is volunteer led and all surplus money for the event is being donated to Mermaids to continue their essential work.

As a member of our crew, if you can spare some change to support their work, then fantastic! But if not, then know that just by attending this event you are already helping change the lives of gender-diverse young people and for that we are forever thankful.

The Serious Bit

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.