Monday, June 3, 2013

I've slept on it and I still want her to name names

I read Ann Aguirre's This Week in SF with my jaw dropping bit by bit until it just couldn't go any farther.  I'm not unaware of sexism (and racism) in fandom...it's why it took so long to finally go to my first con and why I spend so much of my time interacting with people outside (or at least on the fringes) of my genre.  I grew up surrounded by fellow sci-fi and gamer geeks and I know how awesome the guys can be as individuals and how badly they can suck in groups or behind anonymity of a keyboard.  My shock was due to the behavior of Aguirre's fellow professionals.

Maybe there's no good reason to expect them to behave better, but I do.  I wanted her to name names.  I wanted to know whose careers not to support...which is fairly pointless since my readings in the genre have tapered down to the point that when my husband saw me reading Grimspace years ago, despite my being the one who introduced him to Julian May, he asked, "Since when do you read sci-fi?"   My continuing to not buy their books would do little.

But still....

I will continue to buy Ann Aquirre and Jaye Wells (number 55 in comments) books, which I enjoy greatly.  I will find someone who does zombies to gift Rhiannon Frater (#92) books.  I will start reading David Brin and   John Abromowitz (#67) because our supporters should be supported.

...I get SF fans not liking SF Romance.  Nothing bugs me more than getting paranormal romance all over my urban fantasy.  In the past, I bought just enough of the latter--with the romantic relationship too important to the story and worldbuilding consisting of "alpha werewolves/vampires/Scottish immortals are hot"--to be cautious. There's a market for that, and more power to them, but I'm not in it.  In fact, I borrowed Grimspace from the library (before buying the rest) just to be safe.

The answer to that, dear sexist male fans, is don't fucking buy it.   You'll miss out on good stuff along with the bad, but that's your loss.  You can not read it and yet still not act like fucking assholes.  Not mutually exclusive.  Sexist male SF writers, thinking you can behave this way toward fellow writers and fans...Aguirre didn't name names, but others will and we will happily treat you as you deserve.  Or you can grow up and enter this century.