Dear Mr Moylan

[erastes]

Just  in case Gawker decide not to approve my comment, I’ll post it here.

Dear Mr Moylan,

Oh dear – where to start?  It's a bit of a joke that lazy journalists don't bother to check any of their facts, but what's not new is that they really, really don't.  I don't know how you could have got more facts wrong unless you made it all up. Oh, yes. I see!

1. M/M isn't new. It didn't start with Kirk and Spock either.

2. And it's not "erotic novels" either. If you had bothered to look at any site that dealt with it, there are all levels of romance—just as there are for heterosexual romance.  Are you saying that heterosexual romances, which these days nearly all have sex scenes much more explicit than I remember from when I used to read 'em, are straight porn. Granted, my first two novels do have sex in them, quite a lot of it, but that's the PUBLISHER'S insistence. Some publishers want a sex scene in every chapter.

3. Dirty Stories? So gay sex is dirty?  That's a nice attitude you have there, Mr Moylan. Considering that you consider your own penis to be dirty, I think I understand where you are coming from.

4. "they aren't doing it for the boys who like boys."  No, we aren't. Neither are we writing for women. That's entirely false. The press release for the Running Press line originally said "written by straight women FOR straight women." Considering that none of the four flagship authors (Alex, myself, Lee Rowan, Donald Hardy) are straight women, we squashed that at birth.  I don't write for anyone but me, the fact that straight, bi, lesbian women and gay and bi men like my work is bunce.

5. The stereotyping of suburban women reading romance is so offensive I'm amazed you are kept on the site. These people probably do exist, but they are exactly the type that DON'T read gay romances. The Romance Writers of America for example are making sure that gay novels don't get accepted by their organisation. At one point they amended their definition of Romance to read that it had to be between a man and a woman. As you can imagine there was a shit storm about that and they had to recant.

6. As to our "secretly wanting to be gay men" – there's nothing secret about it. Have you never heard of intersex? Transex? If I could have the surgery, believe me, I would. It's not that unusual, but no – you choose instead to make fun of something you have no way of comprehending.  http://www.dearcupid.org/question/i-feel-like-im-a-gay-man-in.html

7. I don't know where you live, Mr Moylan, but newsflash. Gay sex isn't "forbidden" in the UK, and most? of the USA, (as far as I know). I find your farcical pseudo-psychobabble hilarious as you pathetically attempt to understand why – if I was a man – I'd be a Top. I love men, actually—and have no aspirations to stick it to any of them. Never owned nor used a strap on either, no interest in doing that. I'm a top in female relationships too. Not that it's anyone's business.

8. *still giggling at the term "vanquisher" * I must go and buy me one of those metal pointy bras.

- - - -

Comments

Holy shitstorm, Batman

[spindriftdancer.livejournal.com]

Yet another erudite response:

http://www.lambdaliterary.org/features/oped/08/19/the-fetishizing-of-queer-sexuality-a-response/


Since we haven't heard from Alex I hope she's doing okay.

This makes me so angry I could spit.

Re: Holy shitstorm, Batman

[jl_merrow]

Oh, bloody hell. I shall have to go back and finish reading the article you linked later - I'm afraid I'm only halfway through and I've already exceeded my drivel quota for today.

I feel a sudden urge to scream...

Re: Holy shitstorm, Batman

[erastes.livejournal.com]

she's on holiday, thank goodness and off the net!!

Re: Holy shitstorm, Batman

[spindriftdancer.livejournal.com]

Yes, thank goodness. Hopefully some of this will have died down by the time she comes back.

Good planning on her part ;p

Re: Holy shitstorm, Batman

[aishabintjamil.livejournal.com]

That article offends me on so many levels I've lost count. However, having read the comments there, which largely consist of ad hominem attacks on each other, I'm not going to bother to leave any.

My published work so far has been M/M or M/M/F, but that doesn't mean I'm going to paint myself into that corner and stay there. I've got work in progress that isn't even romance.

Sure, there's lots of badly written M/M romance out there. There's lots of badly written *anything* out there. Sturgeon's Law applies to more than just SF. Labeling an entire genre as badly written because some of it is is just as bigoted as making blanket statements about ethnic groups or sexual orientations. (Wait, I think she did that last one too - never mind.)

I'm a happily married (to another woman, just for the record) lesbian, publishing my romances under an obviously female name (not my own because that's already being used by another writer). But looking at this article, and some of the others, I'm starting to think some of these journalists and academics have a serious bias against heterosexual women. What's up with that?

Re: Holy shitstorm, Batman

[spindriftdancer.livejournal.com]

What's up with that?

Do unto others before they do unto you ;p


Yeah, don't bother posting. It's a quagmire. Stay far, far away.

Re: Holy shitstorm, Batman

[erastes.livejournal.com]

It's nothing short of embarrassing that some authors will be so unprofessional in public--and the prejudice they display about others, because they don't match up to some pre-defined label they want to be able to stick on them is staggering. Naively, I always thought that the GLBT writing community would be MORE inclusive, more accepting of other people but there is a core there that isn't. Luckily there ARE loads of open minded, generous, accepting writers and other people in the business, but it's these bitter few that ruin the party for many.

Yes - totally agree regarding "there's bad in every genre". I've said it before, and I'll say it again and again and again until I'm blue in the face. We should ALL be pushing for "quality gay fiction" - NOT "you have to be gay to write it." It's the books that matter, not personalities. It's a shame that The Bitter Few don't realise that.

[spindriftdancer.livejournal.com]

Don't worry. I called the 'author' of this 'article' a few politely unsavoury terms. You can add some extra bile later if you like (:

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Trouble is, he's obviously the sort of man who loves that kind of thing!

[scottynola.livejournal.com]

Did you even read it? If so, both of you need to work on your reading comprehension skills.

Victoria Brownworth is a WOMAN. A Lesbian, and says so very clearly at the start of her piece.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I think you are talking about a different article, Greg. The article I'm referring to is by a man. Brian Moylan

ETA; WRONG link...

http://gawker.com/5615899/why-are-straight-women-so-obsessed-with-gay-sex

[scottynola.livejournal.com]

THAT piece was offensive. Carry on.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Greg - What did I do to piss you off? We've even worked together in the past, so if you had a beef with me, I would have liked to have known about it before you started accusing me of being a paedophile in public.

The age of consent is SIXTEEN in the UK - and there has been talk of lowering it to 14 like some European states. The fact that young people DO have sex under the age of 18 does not make me a paedophile. I have not written any books where this occurs.

I would appreciate an apology, as that was wholly uncalled for.

[scottynola.livejournal.com]

I will apologize. That was uncalled for; misdirected anger.

[scottynola.livejournal.com]

And will on the site.

[scottynola.livejournal.com]

And have.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Thank you - I was entirely side-swiped by it. Much appreciated.

[scottynola.livejournal.com]

My bad. I am emailing you.

[spindriftdancer.livejournal.com]

I never said she was a man...

This is so stupid beyond belief.

I'm ditching both of these accounts and starting fresh.

[scottynola.livejournal.com]

Sigh. No need. I thought you were commenting on the Lambda piece, not the Gawker piece. My bad. See above.

[spindriftdancer.livejournal.com]

That's ok.

*hands you a cup of tea*

I'm not really a bitch, either. I just saw that and all I could think of was how destroyed Alex would be if she saw it...

[scottynola.livejournal.com]

That piece was nasty.

And thanks for the tea!

I think we all get angry when we see friends being attacked;but if it's any consolation to Alex (which it might not be--I don't know her so can't say), maybe it will sell some books for her. I know being lambasted by the religious right sold a shitload of books for me.

[spindriftdancer.livejournal.com]

Who was it that said that any press is good, even negative press? ;p

[scottynola.livejournal.com]

While it doesn't make it hurt any less, it is true, sadly.

Sorry things got so heated, Jennifer. Victoria is a friend of mine--so you were sticking up for your friend, I was sticking up for mine.

Peace? ;)

[spindriftdancer.livejournal.com]

Of course (:

[scottynola.livejournal.com]

Yay!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

It's very true - I checked False Colors and it's shot up. When Mrs Giggles ripped Standish a new one, I sold more copies that week than the rest of the year.

Thank you both for being grown ups.

[scottynola.livejournal.com]

It's a constant struggle but I do try.

[scottynola.livejournal.com]

Mrs. Giggles?

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Very popular reviewer.

http://www.mrsgiggles.com/

[spindriftdancer.livejournal.com]

Adults are just children with more hangups ;p

Maybe this will bring you untold riches to make up for the irritation in the posterior portions...

[spindriftdancer.livejournal.com]

Um, but I was commenting on *one* of the Lambda pieces. The one where you called Erastes a pedophile in the comments. This is Jennifer Thorne.

I'll be dumping both of these pseudonyms and starting fresh. I don't need that sort of crud following me around.

[scottynola.livejournal.com]

I also apologized for that here and there.

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

Might as well stand your ground. The people who disagree with you will never change their minds, you won't change yours... False Colors hit #1 in Amazon during this latest rash, so obviously there are many readers who prefer to read and judge individual books instead of making sweeping assumptions.

[stevie-carroll.livejournal.com]

Have any of these article scribblers actually read around the genre? Last time I looked historical fiction was only a percentage of what's out there. The 1970s and 1980s plot ideas I have are technically historical, but I don't think that's what they mean.

Sometimes I read het romance. I know at least one gay bloke that reads chick lit. Oh, no, we're exploiting and fetishising the straights now!

Sorry if I'm being slightly random today: to misquote Pulp, I seem to have left an important part of my brain somewhere near a racing circuit in Gloucestershire.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

They've probably read SOME, I could be wrong, but they've probably read a couple and based their opinion on those. That would be like reading two Potterfics and basing your opinion on slash on that. There never seems to be a post by someone who's been immersed in the genre for years--whether writing or reading it. This is why I prefer the posts on Jessewave's blog, to be honest - they may not be professors and media types, but they know of what they speak.

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

Just popping in on a lighter, more bawdy note, possibly TMI: do not discount the fun to be had with a strap-on! If the bloke enjoys that sort of thing, creating that sort of reaction is AWFULLY gratifying.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I've never had the opportunity! Perhaps one day, when I'm thinner, I'll try it out! Thank you!

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

"How long does getting thin take?" asked Pooh.

"About a week, I should think," said Rabbit.

You don't need to be thinner -- take a quick google at "Feeldoe." The important bit would be finding someone to play with!

[m-barnette.livejournal.com]

*sigh*

What a frigging boondoggle.

Frankly I'm getting really sick and tired of seeing people lambasted for their writing genre preference. I mean really, this crap does not go on in the mainstream writing community. People write the characters that suit their book-and the ideas they want to convey-and no one gets into a snit over men writing women or whatever.

It's purely absurd that the GLBTQ community thinks that your physical hardware is a definition of who you are and what you should be permitted to write, specially when one of the battles this very community is fighting is to assure the rights of the TRANSGENDERED! Hello? Shouldn't transgendered people be allowed to write stories based on their own gender identity?

Talk about not being able to see the forest for the trees... *shakes head*

/irritated rant

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

I just want to know when Lambda Lit was appointed Chief Inquisitor on GLBTQetc Writing and given the sacred trust of making certain that only books that met their standards would be allowed to see print. I must've slept through the Imperial Edict, and I haven't heard about any desert shrubbery flambe...

[m-barnette.livejournal.com]

Don't get me started on that crap. On one hand they're screaming for 'gay rights' while on the other hand they're trying to control who gets to talk about gay rights or write about their own gender identities in a positive light.

I have several transgendered friends and I can assure you that they don't just want to read about transgendered people, they also want to read stories about people whose gender they identify with, and, incidentally, about people in general. Hey, they even read stuff about *gasp* people who aren't GLBTQ.

Pigeon holing people based on their plumbing is, and I repeat, absurd!

It thoroughly disgusts me.