From 2023, the Weight Stigma Conference will be hybrid with both in-person and remote attendance available. All sessions will be recorded and videos will be available for one month after the event.
Ticket Types
For the first time, WSC 2023 will be offering remote attendance as well as in-person.
- Online
- Standard registration: Early bird rate (until 31st May, 2023) is $150. From 1st June, standard rate will be $175.
- Student/low income: Early bird rate (until 31st May, 2023) is $120. From 1st June, student/low income rate will be $145.
- In-person
- Standard registration: Early bird rate (until 31st May, 2023) is $205. From 1st June, standard rate will be $235.
- Student/low income: Early bird rate (until 31st May, 2023) is $175. From 1st June, student/low income rate will be $200.
As a reminder, and across all rates, further reductions or hardship requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please use the Bursary Application form on our website and/or email us at stigmaconf@gmail.com. Standard bursary applications will be accepted until the date of the conference, with awards depending on availability of funding. A single Dr Cat Pausé Travel Bursary will be awarded. The deadline for applications is 31st May 2023. Application is via the same form.
Bursary Fund – Supporting Accessibility
The Weight Stigma Conference is a not-for-profit event. Although we try and keep prices down, we realise that the conference will nevertheless be beyond some people’s means. Rather than raising the cost of tickets, we will make every effort to raise additional funding through donations and sponsorship to allow us to give bursaries to individuals who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend. A Donation option is available for both delegates and non-attendees who are in a position to contribute a little extra to help us provide financial assistance where needed. Donations can also be made through our Go Fund Me page – please share this page with your networks. Last year, individual donations allowed us to provide twelve full bursaries and we hope to at least match that again this year. Thank you so much for your generosity. If you are interested in formal sponsorship of the event, please email us: stigmaconf@gmail.com.
Accessibility Accommodations
The chairs used in the conference venue have no arms and a weight capacity of 350 pounds. Online, we will provide automatic closed captioning via Zoom. For other accessibility requirements, please indicate on your registration questionnaire. If we are not able to accommodate your needs, we will reach out to discuss options with you.
Conference Venue
Embassy Suites by Hilton,
Denver Downtown (Convention Center),
1420 Stout Street
Denver, CO 80202USA
Accommodation
We have negotiated a discounted accommodation rate at the Embassy Suites. Note, this is a suite hotel. All rooms are two room suites, with a bedroom and a separate living area. Bedrooms provide either one King bed (single room) or two Queen beds (double room). Additionally, the sofa in the separate living area converts to another Queen bed. In other words, up to three people can share one suite (more if you don’t mind sharing a bed!). All suites also include free high-speed Wi-Fi, a refrigerator, microwave, and coffee maker. Hotel amenities include a gym, pool, and business center. UDPATE: The hotel does NOT provide an airport shuttle.
The delegate rate is $199/night for both singles and doubles, plus applicable taxes (total $230.34/nt inclusive). This rate includes a complimentary hot buffet breakfast and complimentary evening reception. The rate is valid up to 3 days before and 3 days after the conference (depending on availability). Triple/quad occupancy (i.e., more than 2 people, comes with an additional $15 charge per person.
If you are travelling alone and don’t mind sharing, and are in a position to do so, we also gratefully receive ‘donations’ of a spare bed to help with financial costs for people who may struggle to attend the conference otherwise. Please indicate your interest when you register for the conference and we will be in touch to discuss. Note – this is separate to the hotel booking form.
To make your accommodation booking, please use the WSC Hotel Booking Link. NOTE: Reservations must be made by June 2nd to secure the conference rate.
For other hotels, guesthouses, apartments etc., try Trip Advisor or trivago. For cheaper accommodation, try HostelWorld or AirBnB.
Flight advice for higher-weight individuals
There is a Facebook group called Flying While Fat, started by activist Stacy Bias. You may be able to get some tips and ideas here. Also, the website Seat Guru allows you to find out details of seats, widths, leg room, access and other issues by airline and plane type. For flights within the US, Southwest Airlines has a Customer of Size Policy, that allows you to book a second adjacent seat in advance and be reimbursed after travel. Alternatively, you can ask at the gate for a second seat and one will be provided, if available, free of charge. Alaska Airlines has also introduced a Customer of Size Policy. Note, this is not as good as SW, and you are only guaranteed reimbursement on the second seat if the flight is not full.
Influencer Jae’Lynn Chaney has started a petition to the Federal Aviation Administration demanding change in the U.S. airline industry to protect customers of size across all airlines. You can sign here: https://www.change.org/p/demand-for-the-faa-to-protect-plus-size-travelers
Accessibility
The conference venue is accessible to disabled users, and the rooms we have booked have free-standing arm-less chairs and tables. Please contact us if you have any concerns or requests. There is also space on the registration form to provide further information that may help us make the conference more accessible for you. For information about accessible travel and tourism in Denver, please visit Denver Accessibility Services.
Getting to/around Denver
UPDATE: There is no airport shuttle to the conference hotel and venue. Uber/Lyft is the easiest option for getting from the airport to the hotel and should cost about $50-65 each way. There is also the option of taking the train from Denver International Airport to Union Station and only costs about $12. It is a bit slower, but is most cost effective. Union Station is at the heart of downtown and less than a mile from the hotel. There is a free mall ride shuttle that travels down 16th street, but due to construction, it has been diverted slightly and would still require walking about 3 blocks from where the mall shuttle would drop off.
For great deals on airfares, try cheapoair.com. For information on travel to and around Denver, visit https://www.denver.org/about-denver/transportation/. For additional information about the city and all of its attractions, visit the Visit Denver website.
Room and Ride Share
We have created a FB group to help delegates find others to share rooms and airport transport. Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1875678856146438
The 2023 WSC is delighted to follow the 2023 Annual Conference of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI). SPSSI is an amazing organisation with a strong focus on social justice and creating change. If you’re not familiar with SPSSI, do check out their website. For more information: SPSSI conference webpage
