Harlan Ellison and his little personal space problem

[leahbobet]

(ETA: Followup post here.)


So, when I got in this afternoon I was shocked to discover that Harlan Ellison groped Connie Willis during the Hugo presentations on Saturday. On the same page in my friendslist, up comes Rachel Manija Brown's own account of her Harlan encounter this weekend.

And y'know, I'm tired of this inappropriate bullshit. Really, really tired. So this can only be resolved in one fashion:

Fatwa.

We will now address common objections to the Fatwa in our Fatwa on Asshats Questions section (FAQ):

But Leah, Connie Willis is reported to have said she can handle him and he's done worse? Why are we involved?

Because I sincerely doubt otherwise honest persons wake up one morning and say you know what? I would like to grope Connie Willis and then one other woman I don't know and then I will retire from my asshat ways and take up meditation in the mountains. Because there are already a few people I know who are referred to as "thinking they're Harlan Ellison" and you know what? If he gets away with it, they feel they can too. They think it's cute to be an asshat. I don't think it's cute to be an asshat.

Because things that are just plain wrong deserve to get called on the carpet.

commodorified adds: "Because the fact that Connie Willis chose not to make a loud public scene in the middle of a Hugo ceremony and had the presence of mind to pass it off quietly does not mean she wasn't gravely insulted, and she doesn't deserve to be repaid for that with indifference?"

But Leah, why must we go to war? Why not just a little skirmish?

Fandom prides itself on conventions being "safe space" for all comers: it doesn't matter if you're gay, straight, poly, black, Asian, Middle Eastern, white, Wiccan, Pagan, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, hard of hearing, vision-impaired, mobility-impaired, a goth or dressed as an anime character or any of these things.

But apparently it matters if you have tits.

That is bullshit.

But Leah, it is not worth declaring Fatwa on Harlan Ellison. He is old and will die soon.

Old men will be old men is just another variation on boys will be boys, and they damn well will be boys until you tell them it's not appropriate. If the behaviour makes you uncomfortable, annoyed, angry, outraged -- if you think about it being applied to you and you are any of the above, it is worthwhile to state that it is inappropriate, illegal, and should not be swept under the rug.

But Leah, Harlan Ellison is just one man!

Yup. And the guy who, when I was twenty, told me at a convention that I could have a beer when my top came off was just one man. And the individual who groped divalea at Comicon was just one, too. And the guy who was making creepy leers at katallen in Boston two years back was just one too.

Y'know, eventually this shit adds up to a lot. Eventually it adds up to a systemic issue.


ETA:Okay, apparently you can't close polls anymore, and I don't want to make this entry private, so...

So:

[Poll #808886]

Vote early, vote often.

...and forward yourself to the tricky bit of the program.


ETA: Link roundup thus far. Gwenda Bond -- Catherine Morrison (and her part two) -- Gavin Grant -- Graham Sleight -- Edward Champion -- Alan DeNiro -- Elizabeth Bear -- Jim C. Hines -- Steve Nagy -- Lea Hernandez -- Meredith L. Patterson -- Kate (juliansinger) -- Lis Riba part one part two part three --

Comments

Possible addition to FAQ

[commodorified.livejournal.com]

...Because the fact that Connie Willis chose not to make a loud public scene in the middle of a Hugo ceremony and had the presence of mind to pass it off quietly does not mean she wasn't gravely insulted, and she doesn't deserve to be repaid for that with indifference?

Re: Possible addition to FAQ

[leahbobet.livejournal.com]

That is a good addition. It will be added.

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

I'm--not entirely sure how comfortable I'd really be with a Grand Master revocation, if only because--the award is for a body of work, yes? And while it's not like I've never been turned off a writer's work because he personally was a twit...I'm just not sure I like that precedent.

Of course, I may be misunderstanding what's meant by "a lifetime's achievement in science fiction and/or fantasy." But...conflation of the writer and the work, y'know? Not entirely down with that.

That said, I don't think an official condemnation would be at all out of line--including phrasing like, "conduct unbecoming a Grand Master." So.

[secritcrush.livejournal.com]

Except you know, there is the alleged member code of conduct (toothless as it is.) Do you really deserve laurels if you violate such a thing?

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

The only reason I did not vote for the SFWA-related option is that I have deliberately chosen not to join SFWA for any of the years since I became eligible, and therefore I have no business telling them how to run their show. I would, however, pat them on the back and say, "Well done, SFWA!" if they did. And possibly reconsider joining.

[leahbobet.livejournal.com]

Yes. I have not joined SFWA because I am a student, and do not have the money to pay for more slapfights every year.

If they did something that stood up for their constituency, like now, I would consider giving them my money despite the budget.

[malamyn.livejournal.com]

We will now address common objections

Because it's f****ing illegal (http://www.rainn.org/types-of-assault/sexual-assault.html).

[leahbobet.livejournal.com]

It's amazing how that gets...overlooked. Like this is a socially awkward act, not something that's disallowed under the law.

[amberdine.livejournal.com]

I voted taser. Really, it's for the protection of the poor dumb asshats. 'Cause the taser is way more gentle than the large angry husband will be...

[leahbobet.livejournal.com]

I'd rather not have to keep any large angry husbands to piss territorial circles around me when I'm making professional appearances, is the thing. We shouldn't have to, although they are nice to have.

Would a large angry wife and/or police individual do? *g*

[divalea.livejournal.com]

You. Rock. Hearts.

I am contacting the San Diego police this week to file charges.
The person who groped me didn't show up at CCI this year, apparently.

[leahbobet.livejournal.com]

Thankyew. :)

And I'm glad you are. The degree of stress these acts cause people should not go unanswered.

[retrobabble.livejournal.com]

Eh, no worries, Leah. Go get nominated for a Hugo and then when you go up onstage, take Harlan out with a good crouch-elbow-back stunt and call it quits.

So easy... :)

[leahbobet.livejournal.com]

Heee.

I am, in fact, polishing up both my fiction and my ninjitsu as we speak.

[kriz1818.livejournal.com]

Er, I clicked all of them, but I didn't actually have an "other" in mind, sorry!

[leahbobet.livejournal.com]

The Fatwa Administrators note that ballots cannot be spoiled here in the Fatwa. *g*

[maradydd.livejournal.com]

I have this rule whereby if someone makes physical contact with me and I did not invite it, I reserve the right to punch them in the face.

I mean, yes, people brush past each other in hallways or crowded rooms, or get tangled up in hot tubs, or stumble and flail for support and the nearest thing happens to be another person's arm, or whatever. I'm not going to deck somebody for something that's clearly an accident. But I've run into enough mouthbreathers who think that my tattoos and sleeveless shirts constitute an invitation for them to get all touchy-feely, and I am sick of it. Uninvited touch is legally defined as assault, and perhaps a couple of dislodged teeth or a broken cheekbone will suffice to remind people of this.

[leahbobet.livejournal.com]

That is a good rule.

What I'm hoping for is that we can stop saying we have an environment where that rule isn't needed, and actually have it for once.

[jodi-davis.livejournal.com]

None of the punishments should invade his personal space - or else - the pervs win.

[maradydd.livejournal.com]

Why do you say that?

[ginny-t.livejournal.com]

*snarl* Shit like this really pisses me off. And it really sucks that we can't retaliate in kind. 'Cause guys just shrug it off. *grumble*

I voted for everything, and if that doesn't work, then the last option is to put him (and all offenders in kind) in zoo exhibits, where little girls and their mothers will be able to go and point and laugh and mock and ridicule. Unfortunately, I can't even pretend that the exhibits would ever not be necessary for lack of such asshattery.

[maradydd.livejournal.com]

I have yet to meet the guy who "shrugs off" being punched in the trachea, or knocked ass over teakettle with the driver's side door of a car traveling at 5MPH (which was how I once got someone to stop following me after I told them to leave me alone).

[hawkwing-lb.livejournal.com]

I will stand over here and quietly cheer every sentiment expressed in this post, not least the tag.

[doodlesthegreat.livejournal.com]

Other: a quick dump of Liquid Heet in the moron's junk.

[leahbobet.livejournal.com]

Wow. Ow.

Hello, and I shall never offend you. :)

[divalea.livejournal.com]

I have, by the way, linked to you and PNH is this here post.

I have declared today to be the beginning of I WILL FUCK YOUR SHIT UP. (http://divalea.livejournal.com/372710.html)

[leahbobet.livejournal.com]

Woo! Today is a good day to Stop Taking Shit. Period. Full stop.

[haruhiko.livejournal.com]

I would say that you could always grope Harlan Ellison's boobs as retaliation, but it would only be retaliation if you attached live piranhas to the nipples.

[sarcasm-hime.livejournal.com]

LOL and AMEN.

[sesquipedeviant.livejournal.com]

"So Harlan, why do you think it's okay to grab women's boobs?" is now the only question I want to ask him at panels.

[avirr.livejournal.com]

In defense of Harlan I feel madly in love with him when I was a teenager in LA in the early 70s, and kinda fangirled outside his house and at cons. And he was really sweet to me and my friends and didn't take advantage in any way.

OTOH, Robert Silverberg spent an entire ten minutes talking to my bosom. Granted, it was a fairly revealing dress, but still!

[leahbobet.livejournal.com]

Hi there. :)

I should probably make clear that I am not one of those people who think one or two or five bad deeds makes someone EVILE!!!11 and so forth. It doesn't taint the good things they do. People are complex systems. The man has done some deeply admirable things too, and some things that don't look like much but mean a lot to someone, as it sounds like the above did to you.

I just think this particular bad thing is really bad for the attitudes it seems to come out of -- and more importantly, I think it reflects a Really Bad Systemic Thing that goes on in SF. For the sake of the Really Bad Systemic Thing, I think this shouldn't be let go quietly but addressed in a lasting, serious way.

And I hope you told him that you were up a little higher, thanks. *g*

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Too obvious to mention / only a variant on things that have already been said, but:

it helps if the person concerned actually says "Harlan, don't do that." (No, I know, easy to say - but all the same...)

[leahbobet.livejournal.com]

Yes -- as none of us were there, we don't know if that was said, backstage or later or something. So...hesitant to touch that one. :)

[foreverdirt.livejournal.com]

Googlebomb? To, say, pnh's article? Or here?

[leahbobet.livejournal.com]

Okay, and this says something weird about me, but I find myself uncomfortable with googlebombing where public shame is acceptable.

Go figure.

I'd rather it be Patrick if you want to anyway, just because he's a lot more fair and reasoned about things than I was when I posted this, pacing my kitchen, trying not to have my 90% water boil from the pure pissed-off...

[lowellboyslash.livejournal.com]

Hi. Linked here from foreverdirt.

I like the t-shirt idea a lot. Ellison is especially unpleasant about copyright.

*sigh*

[gvwilson.livejournal.com]

Eleven years ago, I sat silent in a meeting while my (lying, bullying, misogynist) boss chewed out one of my (quiet, female, Asian) colleagues for daring to say aloud in a meeting what everyone in the group had been saying sotto voce in the corridors for weeks. I am still ashamed that I didn't stand up for her and/or resign on the spot. In all honesty, I think that if I'd been in the audience when Ellison groped Willis, I'd be sitting here right now, ashamed that (like everyone else there, apparently) I didn't stand up at the time. I don't know why we all suppress our outrage; I think the world might work a little better if we didn't.

[kendwoods.livejournal.com]

How about pressing charges? Battery is quite illegal.

[leahbobet.livejournal.com]

I think that's something that she herself would have to do, and, well...thus a personal choice.

Heckling, however, is for everyone.

[shezan.livejournal.com]

Word. Am linking to your poll in my LJ.

[cheshyre]

If you're conducting a link roundup, I've now posted on the matter thrice on riba_rambles:

1. R-E-S-P-E-C-T,
2. No one expects the fannish admonition, and
3. Demon With a Crass Hand

[leahbobet.livejournal.com]

Beautiful -- thank you. :) I knew I wasn't getting them all.

Adding 'em now.

[cheshyre]

Just had a crazy idea while reading dsnight thread.

Right now, there's a lot of angry negative energy going around the web with regards to this.

In reality, nothing will likely happen to Harlan unless Willis speaks out. And, though she did complain, she's not likely to press charges. Somebody (I forget where) said she didn't want this ugly incident to overshadow the awardwinners' joy.

How about turning this into a positive?

Maybe channel it into raising the status of women in fandom? A collection of essays, a fan fund to bring more girls to cons or to host parties that will be safe spaces for women?
Whatever it is, name it in honor of Connie Willis, so she can be remembered more for the good this does than anything inflicted upon her...

[leahbobet.livejournal.com]

I would very much like to get something positive at the end of this. In some ways I think the general anger is itself something happening to Harlan -- the statement has been made that this is not acceptable and it won't get acceptable. That's important stuff that's needed saying for a while.

I think, however, it would require some unconventional methods.

As a bookseller, I've noticed the issue with benefit anthologies or collections is the timeliness problem. Whether we like it or not, this'll likely just be another internet fight in three months' time. Publishing just doesn't move that fast, and inevitably, by the time things like Katrina benefits or tsunami benefits or such finally see print, the public attention has passed from that framing incident.

I think raising the status of women in fandom -- and professional SF -- is a tricky business. It pretty much involves changing attitudes. We're past the stage where exposure -- getting more women visible -- is going to make any changes: there's already lots of women at each and every con, enough that the subculture supports Wiscon. Now the point that needs to be addressed is that women are full and equal participating members of the society, and command respect, proper treatment, etc. We don't need safe spaces, we need the whole damn convention to be a safe space and a comfortable one.

I cannot say I'm sure how to make that point constructively. I think this is the Big Question (tm) of all rights movements: how to make the point without pounding so many heads that your hands get sore from pounding. How to make the point in a way that combines positive reinforcement and sharp applications of "NO." and not just the latter.

Either way, I'm leery of putting Connie Willis's name on a project -- or even taking step one on that sort of idea -- without explicit consent, and it's not a consent I would be personally comfortable asking for. I know I'd want to be remembered for my novel career, not that a guy groped me once at the Hugo Awards.

I will think on the constructive thing, though. Very hard.