That's exactly my point. We shouldn't tolerate it. We should object to it. Other anime conventions are wrong for promoting child sexualization as well. If I attended other conventions I would raise a stink there. But I don't, so I'm starting with Fanime.
Once again, the portrayal of animated characters is not the same as real life children. One is a fantasy involving fantasy characters. The other involves real people, with real feelings, that are victims. The two are completely different.
You've already acknowledged that this involves "fantasy" children, and thus that makes the rest of your argument regarding their exploitation as invalid.
It was only a couple years ago where homosexual marriage was illegal in the United States. By your logic, should we have outlawed yuri and yaoi simply because made up characters were engaging in sexual acts with the same gender?
If you don't like the way Fanime runs things, don't go. Just because you've decided to go to this convention and you're clearly upset by the depiction of underage fantasy characters does not mean the rest of us are. And, I'm sorry, but you taking offense at shouta/loli fantasy does not trump the interest in this subject from those that enjoy it.
But we should hold the artists and animation companies accountable. They're the one perpetuating the sexualization of children. If it doesn't stop with them, who does it stop with? Or are you saying if the market demands the product then the product is justified?
No, we should hold the companies that produce revealing clothing for real life children accountable. And we should hold the parents who buy these clothes and allow their children to dress in them accountable. We should hold the media accountable when they air TV shows/commercials featuring a real child dressed inappropriately. They are the ones that are depicting the sexualization of real children.
The artists who are depicting made up characters should not be held accountable because they are using fantasy characters. Big difference. Fantasy characters don't have feelings and can't be exploited. They are not perpetuating anything and, if anything, provide people with a safe release of the sexualization that clothing companies and parents have perpetuated by allowing their children to dress inappropriately.
They can create what they want, but they shouldn't be allowed to bring it to Fanime. It sullies the rest of the genre.
No, it doesn't. Most anime fans practice and preach tolerance. Just because I do not like a particular fetish does not mean that you should not be allowed to enjoy it. And as long as the characters portrayed are fake, I see no reason why anyone should not be allowed to enjoy it.