Why We Posed, by Clearly Guilty

"First a quick introduction; We are Kansas City's Premier and ONLY Nerd Band Clearly Guilty.

We've been on this ride for a while,but we really started noticing something this year in particular - something that's really become something of a mission statement to us. We don't just see Doctors (Trek or Who, or etc - take your pick), or Away Teams, or Links, or Stormtroopers, or even giant Mogwais (no, srsly, for real) in our audience (and one really cool Deadpool). We don't just see crossover cosplay, or zombie superheroes, or video game characters.

We get to see THROUGH them. We see folks battling Autism or Asperger's. We see folks fighting an internal struggle. We see folks who feel this is the only place where the can come and actually BE their proper sexual orientation. We see folks recovering from religion, or looking for it.

We see folks escaping from troubles that life has laid on them to just live for a while.

We see cis-gender heterosexual allies who just have a lot of extra love to give. We see people who are looking for ONE place where they can just BE. And BE safely. We saw a need for a "safe place." We saw a need for inclusiveness. Because we have BEEN and ARE those people too.

We use #FellowGuilty and it means something to us. It means YOU. It means US. The "fellow" means "fellowship." The "guilty" is just the pleasure that brought us together. So, when we walk out on that stage, and can't see past the absolute milling throng of smiles and faces and joy, and we're positively vibrating from the sound - the SOUND - of all of you.... we just can't describe it. But we're telling you. THAT is the REASON."