In the early 2000s, the internet was still a wild west of dial-up tones and GeoCities pages. Before the polished algorithms of Instagram and the curated anonymity of OnlyFans, there was a different kind of gathering for the alternative romance and erotica community: ErotiCon .
Then there was the panel, led by a burlesque dancer who had to shout over the thumping bass from the DJ in the next room. It was unpolished, messy, and utterly authentic. The "Internet Lounge" Perhaps the most bizarre artifact of 2002 was the "Internet Lounge." A bank of 15 desktop computers running Windows 98 sat in the hallway. For $2 for 10 minutes, attendees could log into AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) to check if their online lover was actually going to show up to the meet-and-greet. eroticon 2002
In 2024, we watch influencers unbox sex toys in perfectly lit studios. In 2002, we watched a guy in a chainmail vest try to explain the difference between a flogger and a cat-o-nine-tails while a speaker blew a fuse. In the early 2000s, the internet was still
The chat rooms of 2002 were a core part of the ErotiCon identity. Screen names like "DarkKnight_69" and "Velvet_Tears" were written on sticky name tags. Meeting someone "IRL" (In Real Life) was still a novelty. Looking back, ErotiCon 2002 was not "cool." It was awkward, sweaty, and often poorly organized. The fire marshal almost shut down the "Midnight Masquerade" because the fog machine set off the sprinklers. It was unpolished, messy, and utterly authentic
But that is exactly why it matters.
Stay tuned for next week: "The Rise and Fall of the Velvet Rope: Where are the ErotiCon organizers now?"
We lost some of the grit. But we also lost some of the heart.