This week in sf fandom

[nwhyte]

Jeepers, if you're going to apologise, you should make it look like a real apology!

(And claiming that the silence of the offended party exonerates you? Not a real good argument.)

Comments

[hfnuala]

I went to a panel at Eastercon about how women can be treated in fandom. This whole incident is like everything we discussed write large.

[matgb]

The whole thing is nuts. Although, having said that, only vaguely in touch me can't recall hearing of him before this, so maybe there is no such thing as bad publicity?

[nwhyte]

I'm afraid he is actually rather well known, both for his good writing in the 1960s and his bad behaviour since then.

[tanngrisnir]

He is actually A Very Big Name, which I think is part of the problem. I think he still sees himself as the enfant terrible of the New Wave.

[matgb]

It's been bothering me why it was vaguely familiar but I couldn't recall it. I now know, TV credits, both Outer Limits and B5. And a quick look at the Wikipedia page says I've read some of his stuff.

Terrible memory for author names me, although this one will stick for a bit I suspect.

[xipuloxx]

Sorry, what's this about?

[matgb]

Harlan Ellison was co-presenting awards at WorldCon, and groped his co-presenters breast.

He later apologised, in a "well, I'm sorta sorry but she hasn't complained so it's not that serious" manner.

[xipuloxx]

Good Lord! Yes, that's ridiculous. To be fair, though, if she herself hasn't complained, maybe she doesn't think it is that serious.

Any links so I can follow the story?

[nwhyte]

Just googling "Harlan Ellison" and "Connie Willis" will get you more than enough. (Especially if you try searching blogs rather than web pages.)

But I have to jump on you on the "she hasn't complained" line. Is that really the test of whether or not it is OK to touch a woman's breasts in public? Does she have to make a public complaint afterwards for it to be unacceptable? I don't think so and I hope you don't either.

[annafdd]

It's worse than that. He's now actually blaming Connie Willis for not letting him off the hook.

[sammywol]

He is a lout! and I don't think anyone has yet said it better than pnh. Anyone who is surprised by his behaviour has not been watching lately.

What annoys me almost more than Ellison's own actions is the attitude of several - all male - bloggers I have come across who seem to feel that because they respect his work in the field and his creative talents that it is somehow inappropriate for them to condemn any of his less savoury actions. If he was going round grabbing male SF luminaries by their testicles "all in good fun" they might feel differently I guess.