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Woke SciFi Group Eating Their Own
Mercedes Lackey
To whit, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) this past week turned on one of the most reliably liberal and accepting members, who had just received the prestigious award of Grand Master status at their Nebulas convention, and kicked her, and her husband who wasn’t even present, out of the convention.
Her crime, according to the SWFA was her use of a “racial slur” during a panel discussion. More on that in a minute.
When she was announced as the next Grand Master in 2021, the SWFA had to wring an apology out of her about her advice to aspiring writers that copy-editors are going to force you to choose a set of pronouns for your trans character and force you to stick with it and thus if you truly want to write a fluid character it is better to refer it them by name or title.
From SWFA in 2021:
After we announced Mercedes Lackey as SFWA’s next Grand Master on 11/4, stances that Ms. Lackey had taken on writing trans characters resurfaced online. One was from a reader Q&A conducted in 2003, and another was from a 2017 Quora response on her feelings towards using chosen pronouns at the time.
We recognize that these comments have caused harm to the trans community. Last year, we said, “We have a responsibility to admit our failings and to continually commit to dismantling [..] oppressive and harmful systems, both within this organization and ourselves.”
SFWA cannot apologize on Ms. Lackey’s behalf, but we can acknowledge our contribution to this hurtful situation and stand with those in the trans and nonbinary communities. With that in mind, we asked Ms. Lackey if she would make clear her current feelings on these issues.
and Ms. Lackey’s response:
Before all else: trans women are women, and trans men are men. This is something I fiercely believe, and will always support.
I have made awkward statements that have caused pain or distress. My desire is, and has always been, to support the trans community and be the best ally I can. I regret that I communicated poorly and fell short of the mark.
I’m affirming here that I do, and always will, support trans rights and trans people. An individual’s pronouns are every bit as valid — and far more important — than the dictates of copy-editors in the commercial publishing industry. I wish I’d listened to you and fought for those pronouns when copy editors changed them.
I have never felt that I had the ability to write trans point-of-view characters well, and I expressed that badly in the past. Trans characters in fiction are more than just their gender, and their stories should show the richness of their whole lives in full. I am grateful for the many authors who are doing that well today. They are inspiring.
I will do everything in my power to continue to grow and learn, as I feel we all should. I have learned a lot from patient friends and fans. I apologize for hurting people.
Samuel R Delaney
I mean this apology has it all. She abases herself before the mob. She admits that she caused distress and could have done better. That she was ignorant of the proper way of dealing with the topic, even though that “proper” way wasn’t around when she made some of the statements. She even admits that in attempting to write trans characters she was causing pain to trans people because she can never truly understand them. Mao would have been proud of this struggle session.
One would think that after abasing oneself before the work mob that one would be fine…but one would be wrong. Fast Forward to the Nebulas and Ms. Lackey is on a panel called “Romancing Sci-Fi & Fantasy”. They are discussing the work of Samuel R Delany,
During this conversation about Mr. Delaney’s books, full disclosure I have never read any of them so I cannot say anything about their content or quality (though I am assured it is high), Ms. Lackey referred to him as a “colored person” while praising his body of work. The SWFA has graciously removed the video of the panel from their website so great is the shame of this racial slur.
This was absolutely terrifying to another author on the panel. Jen Brown, who has to her writing credits: a novelette; short story; two podcast episodes; and two “flash” (not sure what that is), but she is Black and Queer and she/her are her pronouns so she is obviously an authority that should be listened to. She didn’t say anything during the panel, because…well, you can read her Twitter thread.
So. The "Romancing Sci-Fi & Fantasy" panel wrapped. Instead of celebrating, I'm here–holding grief & frustration–over what happens when language is misused (regardless of intent).
— Jen Brown 👀✨🌈 (@jeninthelib) May 22, 2022
The “silence might be suffocating”, by which she means that she didn’t say anything about the racial slur of calling a Black man “colored”.
As to why the SWFA immediately kicked out Larry Dixon (spouse of Mercedes Lackey) who was not at the panel, nor did he say anything on the subject…well, you could ask them, but I doubt they will respond. Guilt by association one supposes because they don’t even mention that in their statement:
Dear Nebula Conference Participants and SFWA Members,
We learned yesterday that while participating in the “Romancing Sci-Fi & Fantasy” panel, Mercedes Lackey used a racial slur. First, we apologize to our attendees and the other panelists who were subjected to that slur. We’ve disabled access to the panel to avoid any additional harm being caused.
Second, we are immediately removing Mercedes Lackey from the conference and the additional panels she was scheduled for, in accordance with SFWA’s Moderation Policy. The use of a racial slur violates the instruction to “Respect all cultures and communities. Do not make derogatory or offensive statements even as a joke.” That applies to everyone in a SFWA space, at all levels of their career
The NAACP could not be reached for comment, though sources say that Mr. Delaney did not take offense.
Published in Entertainment
Because it is all about power. The left likes to bully everybody else and push them around when it comes to language (and everything else), and that is all the change from “colored people” to “persons of color” is. Bullying.
I don’t have any of her work. Not my style. And she’s been woke enough for long enough to keep me away.
This couldn’t happen to a more deserving person. I have zero sympathy.
Should I tell Rowena?
Progressives as latter day Pelagians?
That’s a thing to ponder a while. I like it.
I did read the Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu and it was very interesting, mostly for its direct portrayal of the Cultural Revolution in a negative light.
Jim Butcher has been nominated for a Hugo and his Dresden series is fabulous.
The Dragons were fairly good for the first couple fo years, but the woke are working to ruin even them.
Well, or read Baen
I’ll admit I first saw it on MHI and then when Larry wrote his (restrained so he doesn’t get banned again) essay on FB.
I’d say that is its purpose. The entire concept of cancel culture is to empower the “weak” at the expense of the “strong” and the bigger and more popular the better so that “speaking truth to power” is become keeping the trees all equal with hatchet, axe, and saw.
Her most popular works are set in a fantasy setting commonly referred to as The Heralds of Valdemar. The main characters are psionically gifted young adults to adults who bond with a horse (called a companion), that is actually a powerful spirit with access to magic. They serve their kingdom against enemies foreign and domestic and tend to die young and alone (well, except for their companion) saving their people from evil. Its not necessarily deep writing, but she is one of the best emotional writers that I have read making you truly care about her characters and the choices that they make. She also was one of the first authors to write a series around a gay main character (and you honestly its one of the least important aspects of his character).
If you do decides to read something of hers, I recommend Arrows of the Queen (this is the Omnibus) which I tend to re-read every few years.
This is reminiscent of the kerfuffle over Elizabeth Moon (Author of the Deed of Paksenarrion, the Herris Sernao, and the Vatta series) when long ago (LiveJournal days) she made a post about her experiences with Mulsims when she was stations overseas (she was a Marine). Now, Ms. Moon is a reliable lefty but it was no defense for her in the stockade of left wing opprobrium. It drove her off of LiveJournal which was a shame. I may not have agreed with her politics, but we had met a few times at cons and I found her to be a pleasure to visit with.
I am not an international traveler myself, but I understand that pretty much the whole rest of the world still uses the word “oriental” and it is not considered controversial at all.
Why did he call the meteor the CAT? That’s always kinda bothered me… (in my best Peter Falk voice).
The coming Economic depression can’t get here soon enough, to teach these idiots what real “Harm” is like.
Well, it is “fiction” after all.
It’s been said that if you want to know who has power in a society, look at who you’re not allowed to make fun of.
Frankly, she should be tossed out of polite society for writing that cringe-inducing pre-apology.
1985. It’s right in the text of the first panel.
The date when I looked it up must have been a reprint – Bloom County actually stopped in 1989(!) but I remember some papers kept running it on Sundays. Maybe even under a different name. It’s all the more meaningful for being 37 years old.
Anything people use widely the left will try and squelch. Look at what they’re trying to do to “man” and “woman” . . .
No one really needs to attend SFWA events, ever.
I see 1988.
By the way, in terms of Modern Times, I’d recommend “The End Of The Dream” by Philip Wylie, from I believe 1972, published shortly after his death.
I remember some relevance too from “Ecotopia,” by Ernest Callenbach. From about the same time.
It sounds like the author has been on the woke path herself, just not fast enough to suit the new woke. Supporting her now may not be the best idea.
Why is my comment quoted twice, with nothing added?
It was just that good.
I’ll buy that!