RaceFail 09: Difference between revisions

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* [[Avalon's Willow]] <ref>[http://seeking-avalon.blogspot.com/2006/08/about-seeking-avalon.html Seeking Avalon: About Seeking Avalon]</ref> / [http://seeking-avalon.blogspot.com/ Seeking Avalon]  
* [[Avalon's Willow]] <ref>[http://seeking-avalon.blogspot.com/2006/08/about-seeking-avalon.html Seeking Avalon: About Seeking Avalon]</ref> / [http://seeking-avalon.blogspot.com/ Seeking Avalon]  
* [[Elizabeth Bear]] aka [[Sarah Bear Elizabeth Wishnevsky]]<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Bear Wlizabeth Bear Wikipedia entry]</ref> ([[matociquala]]<ref>[http://matociquala.livejournal.com/profile matociquala LJ User Profile]</ref> on LJ), a science fiction writer
* [[Elizabeth Bear]] aka [[Sarah Bear Elizabeth Wishnevsky]]<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Bear Wlizabeth Bear Wikipedia entry]</ref> ([[matociquala]]<ref>[http://matociquala.livejournal.com/profile matociquala LJ User Profile]</ref> on LJ), a science fiction writer
* [[K. Tempest Bradford]] ([[ktempest]] on LJ<ref>[http://ktempest.livejournal.com/profile ktempest] on LJ</ref>), a science fiction writer<ref>[http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?K._Tempest_Bradford K. Tempest Bradford at the ISFDB]</ref>
* [[K. Tempest Bradford]] ([[ktempest]] on LJ<ref>[http://ktempest.livejournal.com/profile ktempest] on LJ</ref>), a science fiction & fantasy writer<ref>[http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?K._Tempest_Bradford K. Tempest Bradford at the ISFDB]</ref>
* [[Emma Bull]] aka [[coffeem]]<ref>[http://coffeeem.livejournal.com/profile coffeeem LJ User Profile]</ref>, a science fiction & fantasy writer
* [[Emma Bull]] aka [[coffeem]]<ref>[http://coffeeem.livejournal.com/profile coffeeem LJ User Profile]</ref>, a science fiction & fantasy writer
* [[chopchica]] <ref>[http://chopchica.livejournal.com/profile chopchica LJ User Profile]</ref>
* [[chopchica]] <ref>[http://chopchica.livejournal.com/profile chopchica LJ User Profile]</ref>

Revision as of 22:40, 6 February 2009

RaceFail 09 is a term used to refer to an extended discussion of race and racism in science fiction books, culture, fandom, and criticism that began in January 2009. It has been called by many other names, including the Great Cultural Appropriation Debate of Doom 3 (or 2), and RaceFail 9000.

(Ed. note: A more positive name could highlight the community strength and backup shown... but so far it's mostly been described as "fail".)

Timeline

(There is a good outline of one on avalon's willow's blog -- also see discussion tab for notes on formatting and linking0)

January 8, 2009: Another shot at thinking about the Other by Jay Lake on LJ

This post came a few days before the main source of discussion in Elizabeth Bear's journal, and through it is not stated, may have contributed to her musings. Inspired by a discussion on The Edge of the American West about "speaking from cultural authority and presumed expertise." Lake expressed disdain for the idea that white writers don't have "standing" to use Aboriginal or First Nations material in their fiction. The comment thread, 78 responses long, was filled with fail. A lot of 101-level thinking.

January 12, 2009: whatever you're doing, you're probably wrong. by Elizabeth Bear on LJ

The main source of fail. Bear explains how to write The Other.

January 13, 2009: I Didn't Dream of Dragons by deepad on LJ

Not a direct response to Bear's post, but triggered by it. "...this is more my commentary on the Western, White novels and blogs I have been reading recently, and my experience as an Indian reader."

January 13, 2009: Open Letter: To Elizabeth Bear by Avalon's Willow on Seeking Avalon

A response to a thread in whatever you're doing, you're probably wrong.
I'm not calling you a monster. I'm not calling you a racist. But I am calling you clueless and ill worded and more than a touch thoughtless. Your ability to think about things, sometimes, does not erase my pain or lack.

January 14, 2009: real magic can never be made by offering up someone else's liver. by Elizabeth Bear on LJ

A response to Open Letter: To Elizabeth Bear in which Bear acknowledges that Avalon's Willow's criticism is valid. Comments start out badly ("Over sensitivity to perceived racism tends to result in the nit picking of words and sentence structure.") and go downhill quickly.

January 14, 2009: The Magical Other, in which medievalist posts an explanation of phouka mythology in relation to Blood & Iron on her LJ. Post & discussion later flocked or made private, then unlocked again.

In a comment left on Jan 16 below that entry, medievalist attacks Avalon's Willow, saying among other things that "She's engaging in orcing, performance art and pretty much blog-whoring."

January 14, 2009: Untitled Post about Avalon's Willow's open letter to Bear by Sarah Monette on LJ

Acknowledges that intent and result do not always match up. Comments devolve into failfest, marked particularly by Macallister Stone, medievalist and Emma Bull invalidating criticism because it isn't academic enough and also because some readers aren't as smart as the writers they criticize.

(Some of these comments occur in a post by mac_stone about child abuse in relation to unspecified current discussion, including pnh's "smart" comment)

(some other stuff here) (including pnh and others commenting on copracat's LJ in discussion of mac_stone's statements) (Patrick Nielsen Hayden deletes his pnh LJ)

January 26, 2009: I'm taking this about as well as you'd expect. by Teresa Nielsen Hayden on LJ (original is now friends-locked)

Teresa's response to Patrick's emotional state after been called on his comments. Original post and comments full of fail and including several problematic uses of language.

January 26, 2009: My only statement on the cultural appropriation imbroglio by David Levine on LJ

In response to Levine finding out why Patrick Nielsen Hayden deleted his LJ. With comments disabled, Levine proceeds to chide the "anti-racist" side for scaring him and other white writers off of writing characters of color and ends with "Is this what you wanted?"

January 27, 2009: The last comment that went up before I flocked the previous post. by Teresa Nielsen Hayden on LJ

A post meant to explain why the previous post disappeared for so many readers. Some conversations and fights continued in the comments here and include failure by Teresa to shut down problem comments and language because the people using said language were on her side.

Links and external references

Dramatis personae

Terminology

See Also

References

  1. ↑ Seeking Avalon: About Seeking Avalon
  2. ↑ Wlizabeth Bear Wikipedia entry
  3. ↑ matociquala LJ User Profile
  4. ↑ ktempest on LJ
  5. ↑ K. Tempest Bradford at the ISFDB
  6. ↑ coffeeem LJ User Profile
  7. ↑ chopchica LJ User Profile
  8. ↑ ciderpress LJ User Profile
  9. ↑ coffeeandink LJ User Profile
  10. ↑ deepad LJ User Profile
  11. ↑ marydell on LJ
  12. ↑ delux-vivens LJ User Profile
  13. ↑ darkerblogistan LJ profile
  14. ↑ igorsanchez LJ profile
  15. ↑ Author Asshattery: Luke Jackson by kynn
  16. ↑ kynn.com
  17. ↑ kynn LJ User Profile
  18. ↑ jaylake on LJ
  19. ↑ davidlevine on LJ
  20. ↑ mac_stone LJ User Profile
  21. ↑ Stones in the Field
  22. ↑ medievalist LJ User Profile
  23. ↑ truepenny LJ user profile
  24. ↑ kate_nepveu LJ User Profile
  25. ↑ steelypips.org
  26. ↑ Kate Nepveu Tor.com user profile
  27. ↑ tnh on LJ
  28. ↑ Epiphany 2.0 - Author NK Jemison
  29. ↑ nojojojo LJ User Profile
  30. ↑ oyceter LJ User Profile
  31. ↑ rydra-wong LJ User Profile
  32. ↑ willshetterly on LJ
  33. ↑ sparkymonster LJ User Profile
  34. ↑ spiralsheep LJ User Profile
  35. ↑ vito-excalibur LJ User Profile
  36. ↑ yeloson LJ User Profile
  37. ↑ Yonmei's posts at Feminist SF - the blog
  38. ↑ zvi reflects
  39. ↑ zvi_likes_tv LJ User Profile
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