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

[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).

[ginny-t.livejournal.com]

I was thinking more retaliate in kind, with groping. I like your approach a lot.

[maradydd.livejournal.com]

Gropers don't seem to realise that groping is assault, but pretty much everyone realises that a punch in the face is a suitable response to assault. And when everyone around says "well, that jerk got what they deserved," then assuming Pavlov is right, eventually the jerk will figure out that groping == punch and cut it out.

[leahbobet.livejournal.com]

Clearly we need "Meredith Teaches Us Kung Fu" on every convention schedule until asshattery ceases.

[maradydd.livejournal.com]

Heh. It's not so much kung fu as improvised-weapon fu and the Strength of Righteous Indignation. (I would have laughed mightily to see Connie garotte him with a microphone cord, or knock the podium over onto him.) But really, everyone should know how to throw a good right cross, and sure, I'd be happy to teach that fine art. :)

[leahbobet.livejournal.com]

Now, because I am a nerd, I want the Armor of Righteous Indignation +5.

[cassildra.livejournal.com]

I think all women need the Armor of Righteous Indignation +5. Sadly.