IFPA Statement Regarding the OBX Flippers Arcade Fall Pinball Bash
IFPA Statement Regarding the OBX Flippers Arcade Fall Pinball Bash
On Friday, November 7th, transgender members of our pinball community were subjected to an act of discrimination while attempting to participate in the OBX Flippers Arcade Fall Pinball Bash.
This incident was brought to the attention of the IFPA within an hour of its occurrence. Tournament Directors (TDs) at the event reached out for guidance; however, due to a failure by IFPA leadership to fully recognize the seriousness and ongoing nature of what had occurred, we did not provide the immediate and decisive support that was necessary to protect the affected players and uphold our values of inclusion and safety.
As a result of this act of discrimination, members of the impacted community, rightfully prioritizing their own safety and well-being, did not participate in the event.
To the transgender players who were harmed and felt unsafe, and to everyone in our community who expected better from us, you deserve better. We will do the work necessary to ensure this never happens again.
We have thoroughly reviewed the events at OBX, and considered various options. The IFPA takes full responsibility for our failure to create the conditions in which every player, and especially our transgender community members, can feel safe, respected, and supported. We deeply regret that our actions did not meet that standard, and we are truly sorry.
Effective immediately, the IFPA is implementing new measures to ensure we can respond rapidly and appropriately to situations that threaten player safety.
We have created a dedicated contact: [email protected].
Messages sent to this address will immediately alert the entire IFPA staff, ensuring that urgent safety concerns receive prompt attention. We encourage players and TDs to use this address whenever an incident involving player safety is actively unfolding. Establishing a dedicated contact is the first step in a larger effort, which will include a dedicated reporting system on our website to make it easier for community members to reach us when it matters most.
Additionally, Flippers Convenience & Arcade is prohibited from hosting IFPA-sanctioned events for a minimum of one year. After that period, we will reassess, on an annual basis, whether meaningful and verifiable steps have been taken to ensure the venue provides a safe, inclusive environment for all players, including compliance with the IFPA Gender Inclusion Policy. If those standards are not met, the prohibition will remain in place.
We are also including a public statement from the TD of the OBX Fall Classic below:
To the pinball community,
The events that took place at the OBX Flippers tournament this past weekend were unacceptable and disheartening. As tournament director, it is expected that I will provide a safe environment for all players, and this weekend, the venue owner and I failed to do so. In years past, the annual event at Flippers has been heavily attended and enjoyed by the entire pinball community, including the transgender community, and I always felt it was a safe place for everyone. The events that took place were horrific and completely blindsided me.
At the end of the day, we didn’t do enough to remove the offender from the pinball area and facility fast enough. Under the stress, I simply had no idea what to do other than keep the tournament going. In hindsight, I think I should have simply delayed the tournament until the offender left the property. I wish I could go back in time and make that happen. I truly regret the decisions that were made and not made to handle the situation in the best interests of the affected players, versus my hyper focused attention on keeping the tournament moving forward. My priorities were backwards, and I apologize to the affected players and community that I didn’t do better.
Sincerely,
Kevin Stone
The IFPA’s mission is to foster a pinball community where EVERYONE, regardless of gender identity, expression, or background, feels welcome, safe, and valued. This past weekend, we fell short of that mission. We are reflecting on our contribution to this harm, and we are committed to rebuilding trust through transparency, accountability, and continued partnership with the communities we failed to protect.
We stand in solidarity with our transgender community members and all players who have ever felt unsafe or unwelcome. The IFPA will continue working to ensure that pinball is a space where everyone belongs.
– The IFPA Team
