What I usually mean by that realm is "mature content, but not explicit". Like a story that has a sex scene in it, without actual detailed descriptions of the sex act.
I don't really like rating systems in general because they're arbitrary and maintain the pretense of being more objective than they really are. I don't think Hollywood knows what's appropriate for your thirteen year-old daughter. Families are different, and children are unique. It's really up to individuals to make those decisions for themselves, even if they would prefer the rest of us to go to the trouble of screening their input for them.
However, this is the culture we live in, and people need to be at least moderately comfortable with an environment that they go to for recreation. Furry cons are pretty crazy places, compared to the outside world of the States, but most attendees are comfortable with the microculture. Our goal at OMC is to see that there is a place for mature material and discussions, but to keep that place separated from the rest of the convention. This may include panels or workshops where people can speak their mind on sexual issues without worrying about minors being present. And again, none of this is revolutionary. I've attended a showing of "Meet the Feebles" at a furry convention before, and that's far more graphic than anything we would allow in a mature panel.
On the other paw, some discussions of things many people deem "mature" are arguably important for minors to engage in. For example, issues involving the awakening of one's sexual orientation, and the social problems one faces when dealing with this. Having worked with gay youth, I feel that younger teenagers should be privileged to such discussions. I plan to host a panel on gender issues in the fandom, and it will be an all-audiences panel even though gender is considered by some to be a "mature" topic.
What I usually mean by that realm is "mature content, but not explicit". Like a story that has a sex scene in it, without actual detailed descriptions of the sex act.
I don't really like rating systems in general because they're arbitrary and maintain the pretense of being more objective than they really are. I don't think Hollywood knows what's appropriate for your thirteen year-old daughter. Families are different, and children are unique. It's really up to individuals to make those decisions for themselves, even if they would prefer the rest of us to go to the trouble of screening their input for them.
However, this is the culture we live in, and people need to be at least moderately comfortable with an environment that they go to for recreation. Furry cons are pretty crazy places, compared to the outside world of the States, but most attendees are comfortable with the microculture. Our goal at OMC is to see that there is a place for mature material and discussions, but to keep that place separated from the rest of the convention. This may include panels or workshops where people can speak their mind on sexual issues without worrying about minors being present. And again, none of this is revolutionary. I've attended a showing of "Meet the Feebles" at a furry convention before, and that's far more graphic than anything we would allow in a mature panel.
On the other paw, some discussions of things many people deem "mature" are arguably important for minors to engage in. For example, issues involving the awakening of one's sexual orientation, and the social problems one faces when dealing with this. Having worked with gay youth, I feel that younger teenagers should be privileged to such discussions. I plan to host a panel on gender issues in the fandom, and it will be an all-audiences panel even though gender is considered by some to be a "mature" topic.
Trickster