Could you explain this? I really had no idea.
You'd have to have known someone who regularly goes to sci-fi conventions to be aware of it, or have worked one of their conventions. The same is true at so-called Plushie Conventions, where attendees dress up as teddy bears and other stuffed plush toys. CSI even did an episode on it.
The people who attend sci-fi conventions are real die-hards, going to as many conventions as possible. There is a strong hook-up mentality amongst them, and I'm not sure how it got started. The attendees roughly separate into two camps - those who dress up and those who don't. By dress up, I mean wear either StarTrek or alien costumes. Among the dressers, there is the anonymity provided by the costume, and with that comes the shedding of inhibitions (and other things). But there's just as much sex among the non-dressers, too.
Any Freepers hanging around who've been to sci-fi conventions wanna add some personal experiences?
Michael