RT rejects M/M discussion panel
Sadly, I just received word from RT that they have rejected the proposal to hold a M/M discussion panel this next year.
It was to be hosted by Kate Douglas, Joey Hill, Emily Veinglory and myself.
Here is their reasoning:
Unfortunately we are not ready to have a panel on this quite yet. Perhaps next year.
We already have a lot of erotica at our convention and we have to be sensitive to the attendees who will view this type of workshop as a departure for us.
My reply was thus:
With all due respect, actually, I do understand. I understand that you are woefully behind the times. This reasoning is inadequate to mask prejudice. Attendees who don't wish to hear about M/M erotic romance have the option not to attend the panel discussion. No one is forced to attend or to listen to anything at RT they don't want to. I'm a straight, married, Christian woman with children, in my 50's and I can't believe RT continues to deny a popular, respected and growing market. I'm disappointed in RT and so will my readers be.
To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. But possibly next year RT will be less... restrictive.
Laura
It was to be hosted by Kate Douglas, Joey Hill, Emily Veinglory and myself.
Here is their reasoning:
Unfortunately we are not ready to have a panel on this quite yet. Perhaps next year.
We already have a lot of erotica at our convention and we have to be sensitive to the attendees who will view this type of workshop as a departure for us.
My reply was thus:
With all due respect, actually, I do understand. I understand that you are woefully behind the times. This reasoning is inadequate to mask prejudice. Attendees who don't wish to hear about M/M erotic romance have the option not to attend the panel discussion. No one is forced to attend or to listen to anything at RT they don't want to. I'm a straight, married, Christian woman with children, in my 50's and I can't believe RT continues to deny a popular, respected and growing market. I'm disappointed in RT and so will my readers be.
To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. But possibly next year RT will be less... restrictive.
Laura
posted by Unknown at 11:19 AM
1 Comments:
Wow, I cannot believe no one's commented on this yet. I share your outrage, and at the same time I'm thrilled at how far we HAVE come, does that make sense? Twenty years ago... hoo boy! Suffice it to say that although there SHOULD be a panel THIS year, I have no doubt whatever that there WILL be a panel eventually, and soon, too -- awareness and acceptance will, by everything I've seen, only continue to grow, so long as writers like yourself and Kate and Emily and Joey, and readers who acknowledge romance in ALL its forms, whether or not they personally choose to read it, keep the pressure on and the profile high.
-- Sierra
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