Got up this morning to see there’s yet another SFWA explosion. How many are we up to now, then?
There’s a petition going around, it seems. A petition protesting that the SFWA Bulletin is instituting procedures to try to avoid things like what happened this past summer, during the LAST round of SFWA explosions. Apparently, some people out there are still upset that people might, just might, be justifiably cranky about sexism in the genre.
I first spotted the news when James Nicoll posted about a Twitter thread on it, here. Then I went out to run some morning errands, and when I came back, Dara reported that the petition alluded to in that post had in fact surfaced. James talks about it here, linking in turn to Radish Reviews’ in-depth post.
Radish Reviews has reported that there are in fact two versions of this thing floating around, and addresses both of them here. I read them. And I knew I was in for some hurting the instant I saw the phrase “politically correct” bandied about right out of the gate. In the petition TITLE, even, as well the first paragraph.
Oh, and it gets more fun from there. I particularly like how scare quotes are thrown around “sexism” and “offensive”. And by like, I actually mean, if I facepalm any harder I’ll give myself a concussion.
I’d rant further on this if I could think of anything to say that I haven’t posted about a dozen times already–about how, if the first words out of your mouth are to cry “political correctness!”, that chances are very, very high that you are in fact part of the problem. But then, people who are inclined to cry “political correctness!” aren’t going to put much credence in what I have to say anyway.
So I’m going to simply stick with noting that yeah, I’m still feeling pretty much at peace with my having decided that I’d just as soon stay out of any organization that continues to be this toxic.
Further commentary on the matter:
- C.C. Finlay points out that editing in a private organization’s bulletin is NOT censorship
- Sunny Moraine further clarifies what is and is not censorship
- ETA: Dara is appalled not only by the petition, but by the general lack of actual ability to punctuate
- ETA: Cora Buhlert is, like the rest of us, pretty much boggling
- ETA: And just in case C.C. and Sunny didn’t make it clear enough, Elizabeth Barrette also makes the difference between editing and censorship very, very clear
- ETA: As per usual, Mr. Scalzi’s commentary on the matter is pithy and succinct
Comments
17 responses to “SFWA Explodes IV: The Revenge of SFWA”
It’s all in the name of ‘free speech’. *two middle fingers up*
I’d say I’m surprised by how many people don’t seem to realize that the right to free speech doesn’t mean you can say anything you like and not get called out if you’re being sexist, racist, or just generally an asshole. Or that you can’t get told to be an asshole elsewhere.
Except, well, y’know, I’m not surprised at all.
I would say that the OWM want to feel like their opinions are The Standard By Which Everyone Should Be Judged. After all, they used to be the ‘leading edge’; now they are relegated to ‘dinosaur’ status.
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Eva Caye liked this on Facebook.
Terri Barger liked this on Facebook.
“I’m still feeling pretty much at peace with my having decided that I’d just as soon stay out of any organization that continues to be this toxic.”
I completely respect this decision, since I quit SFWA for about 7 years for the same reason. I would just point out here that the petition here is NOT representative of SFWA — the guy who started it isn’t even a member. The only reason I’m back in the organization is because of leaders and members who are determined to get rid of this crap (and have done a pretty good job of it actually).
Thanks for pointing that out–’cause yeah, as I said to someone else on Google+, the powers that be currently in charge of SFWA are trying to do the right thing, I acknowledge that.
Still, though, that there are those in the organization that see fit to keep standing in the way of that really disheartens me.
(Not like it’s anything I can do anything about anyway, though–I’m not even eligible to join, since my current publisher is not a SFWA-qualifying market. But still.)
“… if the first words out of your mouth are to cry “political correctness!”, that chances are very, very high that you are in fact part of the problem.”
I love that! May I borrow it to throw at the dinosaurs?
You certainly may!
Thanks muchly! I shall put it to good use 🙂
Ellen Eades liked this on Facebook.
VERY disappointed by the signature list. 🙁
A few of those are making me sad, yeah. :/
Sue Truman liked this on Facebook.
[…] they really have no place on the cover of the official magazine of a professional organisation. Angela Highland and Sunny Moraine weigh in as […]