I mean that subject literally. What happens at a M4M hypnocon? How many people generally go? What’s the Tist-to-subject ratio? What goes on after-hours? All that kind of stuff. Assume I know nothing, but that I want to be able to write about one and have it not come off as utterly ludicrous. (And yes, I’m writing again a bit…not sure how much or if I’ll be publishing or what. We’ll see.)
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I organized the 2021 San Francisco Hypnocon (with help!), and I’ve been to a few before that.
2021 had a little over 50 people, iirc, and that’s toward the high end. Some years, especially early on, could have fewer than 20. The tist/switch/subject/observer ratio is hard to gauge (we kept records of how many of each color name tag were given out, but… uhm, I can’t find it on my hard drive). I’ll say that I believe everyone who wanted to trance has gotten at least a few opportunities to, at every one I’ve been to. And there are the group games like the round robin and Fractionation Station. There’s a hardcore crew of “old timers” who come every year, a bunch of regulars, and every year brings new faces too - especially locals.
There’s a general template for the days, but each organizer/group makes different decisions. I had the luxury of many volunteer presenters after the void of 2020, and we had a schedule cram packed with demos and presentations (and a stage show, and a couple of play parties at night). Whereas from what I understand, last year’s went in the other direction, with very little formally scheduled. I believe the group decided on things as it went along. Both styles have their fans.
As far as the template goes, Friday is mostly just “registration” (since it’s free, that basically means getting a name tag) and meet-and-greet; in 2021 we had to check everyone’s proof of vaccination, but that’ll no longer apply. Someone (usually FlanelBear) books the largest suite to use as a hospitality suite/social center; others crystallize into informal groups for dinner, or hitting the (usually leather) bars, or of course pair off.
Saturday is the meat of the weekend, with whatever presentations, demos, etc. (we’ve got a student who’s been keeping us up to date about his ongoing academic research into hypnokink, for example). These days it always starts out with a talk about the importance of pre-negotiation and informed, pre-trance consent, followed by a Hypno 101 for the curious locals or new people who’ve come. There’s usually a group dinner Saturday.
Sunday will have more presentations or play, but a little before lunch there’s a group photo and then we spend a while nominating and voting for the location of the next year’s con. There are no formal presentations after lunch, as many people need to catch their flights home. But in 2021, for example, the rest of us spent the afternoon doing those group games.
I could give examples of the presentations and demos, but of course they’re just whatever people volunteer to present that year. Ropeless bondage, puppy play, memory play… I made sure we had a tist bodybuilder to give one on the “jock hypno” scene, muscles, and hypno gym motivation. 
I could go on, but I need to get to sleep. I’ll be happy to answer any other questions.
They’re a lot of fun. The regulars love to introduce new people to the scene, and there has never been a single incident with a tist taking advantage of anyone at one of these. Just a good bunch of guys.
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That’s fantastic—way more than I was expecting—thanks!
I’m glad to hear that there’s talks about pre-negotiated, informed consent, cuz my experience on a certain Discord server says there are at least some in our community who sorely need it. Out of curiosity, what would be likely to happen if someone did try something without consent at a con? Or is that one of those things you’d have to figure out at the time, seeing as it’s never happened before? I’m asking because I’ve actually got a quick scene in my story already where a tist tries to do something without consent but utterly fails, so I’d like to write in a realistic response.
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I can’t imagine anyone even trying that with a conference room (or hospitality suite) full of people watching, so you’re talking about two guys that have hooked up in a hotel room or something like that, “after hours”. There’s s lot of that, of course… most people prefer a one on one, intimate trance for erotic hypnosis.
The folks on the Hypnocon Discord talked about this, and I thought about it; we’d probably just do what the pansexual hypno cons (or “uncons”) do: ban the offender from the public parts of the Con and from future Hypnocons. Spread the details online (including to the straight/pan groups). I don’t think we could force him to leave his hotel room. I’m not sure whether the police would consider it assault/rape, if the victim chose to go that route, and I don’t think I as an organizer would try that. But even though it’s open to anyone, the public part of Hypnocon is a private event that we can choose to deny access to. We do make it very clear in that first class that anyone who is a victim of something like that - or just sees it happening - should speak to the organizer(s).
It just occurred to me… if unwanted sexual activity was involved, that is legally rape. It would be up to the victim whether to pursue that.
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That’s about what I figured, but now that you make me think about it, I didn’t actually place the scene anywhere physically, and I can see how that would make a difference in how things play out. I’ll have to give that some thought. Thanks again!
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