Well, Hell

July 3, 2024 4:49 PM

Neil Gaiman accused of sexual assault. There is a podcast linked from the article, if you are so inclined.
posted by GenjiandProust (13 comments total)

These allegations are extremely serious. As a rule, I believe in trusting survivors.

I also feel compelled to point out that the allegations linked here are behind a paywalled podcast, one that has taken a strong "gender-critical" stance, also known as Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminism, or TERF.

In other words, this is both an incredibly serious allegation that has to be looked into, and also a fairly naked cash-grab by an anti-trans publication that has taken JK Rowling's side on trans-related topics where Gaiman has been a prominent opponent of her position.

Personally, I'm waiting for a meaningful review of this by literally any other news source before I make any conclusions.
posted by Tomorrowful at 4:53 PM on July 3 [14 favorites]

Shit.
posted by Faintdreams at 4:58 PM on July 3 [3 favorites]

Based on the nature of the accusations from the article summaries it made me wonder if Gaiman had ever been interviewed by Jian Ghomeshi on CBC radio. The answer is yes but I am pretty sure I don't want to listen to it: https://web.archive.org/web/20121107073627/http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/qpodcast_20090205_11709.mp3
posted by 3j0hn at 5:00 PM on July 3 [1 favorite]

Who knows if it’s true but that thing about how Republicans that hate the gays are often gay, also holds true for the alternative lefties that are super feminist being secretly manipulative
posted by thedaniel at 5:00 PM on July 3 [1 favorite]

Even if Gaiman's version of events is true and it was entirely consensual, hooking up with you kid's nanny who is 40 years your junior is gross. The other accuser had a 20 year age gap and met him when she was a 18 year old fan and he was already a well established author. Both involve massive power imbalances. Similar situations have resulted in authors being cancelled even without any allegations of SA.


Also, fuck TERFs and yes I wish anyone else was reporting this.
posted by thecjm at 5:01 PM on July 3 [8 favorites]

This has the potential to get so Very Ugly and I hope the women involved have some form of protection and people on whom they can trust, I also hope they don't get doxxed.
posted by Faintdreams at 5:03 PM on July 3

I did a little scouting of the source before posting this, but I did not turn up that. For a couple of reasons, I hope someone can post something debunking this, but it seems pretty awful, even in the best light.
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:05 PM on July 3 [1 favorite]

Disappointed doesn't even begin to cover it, but I do hope for something else besides a TERF friendly publication about this.
posted by Kitteh at 5:05 PM on July 3 [1 favorite]

If people feel the source is not reliable, I am willing to request a deletion.
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:09 PM on July 3 [1 favorite]

GenjiandProust, it's more that it feels weird given how vocal Gaiman and other celebs associated with him have been with She Who Must Be Smacked With Sticks Repeatedly about her shitty shitty regressive views.
posted by Kitteh at 5:12 PM on July 3 [3 favorites]

Kitteh, I hear you. If this is some kind of hit piece, it should be deleted. Fuck TERFs.
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:15 PM on July 3 [1 favorite]

Mod note: Deleting at user's request .
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 5:17 PM on July 3

There is no such thing as consensual sex with your employees. He admitted he hired one of the victims as a nanny to watch his kids. He admitted to having sex with the victim. Nothing else matters. He raped his nanny and now he’s been caught.
posted by interogative mood at 5:17 PM on July 3 [1 favorite]