RaceFail 09

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: 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 and Emma Bull invalidating criticism because it isn't academic enough and also because some readers aren't as smart as the writers the criticize.

(some other stuff here) (including pnh and others commenting on chopchica'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

• Rydra Wong's list of over two hundred posts constituting RaceFail '09

Dramatis personae

• Avalon's Willow / Seeking Avalon
• Elizabeth Bear aka Sarah Bear Elizabeth Wishnevsky (matociquala on LJ), a science fiction writer
• K. Tempest Bradford (ktempest on LJ), a science fiction writer
• Emma Bull aka coffeem
• chopchica
• ciderpress
• deepad aka "Deepa D."
• Mary Dell (marydell on LJ)
• delux_vivens
• Luke Jackson (participated pseudonymously as darkerblogistan and igorsanchez; unmasked by kynn)
• Roz Kaveney, (RozK on LJ), transwoman journalist and publisher's adviser.
• kynn aka Kynn Bartlett* oyceter
• Jay Lake (jaylake on LJ), a science fiction writer
• David Levine (davidlevine on LJ)
• mac_stone (identified as MacAllister Stone above)
• medievalist ( Lisa L. Spangenberg)
• Sarah Monette aka truepenny, a science fiction writer
• kate_nepveu (Kate Nepveu)
• Teresa Nielsen Hayden (tnh on LJ), a science fiction editor & BoingBoing's comment section moderator
• Patrick Nielsen Hayden (formerly pnh on LJ; deleted account), a science fiction editor
• nojojojo aka Nora Jemison who writes as N. K. Jemisin
• rydra_wong ,: compiled lists of links to posts on the subject, sometimes more than daily.
• Will Shetterly (willshetterly on LJ), a science fiction writer
• sparkymonster
• spiralsheep
• Micole Sudberg (coffeeandink aka "Micole" on LJ)
• vito_excalibur
• yeloson
• yonmei
• zvi_likes_tv aka zvi, a writer of fan fiction

Terminology

• orcing or orking
• white women's tears
• privilege
• flock (read as F-lock), locking a post to be friends-only
• friending and defriending - terms in social media
• fail
• trolling

See Also

• Cultural Appropriation (WisCon 30 Panel)‎
• Cultural Appropriation Revisited (WisCon 31 panel)‎
• cultural appropriation