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	the_seventh_l 2012-02-05 04:25 am UTC (link)
	Yeah, my mom just told me about this. Good lord, when will people learn this stuff isn't cool (to say the least)? (Reply to this)

	spacelogic 2012-02-05 04:37 am UTC (link)
	Huh. Raging homophobia disguised as sensitivity must be going around these days. ~~"Same-sex entries"? The same sex as what? How can an entry have a sex? </irrelevant pet peeve>~~ (Reply to this)

	risha 2012-02-05 05:06 am UTC (link)
	While I was having my taxes done today, the woman doing them apologized for having to ask me if I was in a domestic partnership. Apparently the question offends some of her clients. I was offended by the apology. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	mmanurere 2012-02-08 05:25 pm UTC (link)
	I would probably have responded (or, rather, would like to think that I would have responded) with a broad, frosty, "go to hell" smile and a very polite thanks that she was upset that she had to ask the question in terms of "domestic partnership" rather than calling it marriage. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

risha
2012-02-08 05:50 pm UTC (link)

Alas, I am better at that sort of thing in retrospect. Especially when she was in the middle of doing something financial for me that could potentially cost me money if she's suddenly feeling vindictive. But I suspect that my reaction of "disapproving but kind of stunned stare" wouldn't have changed. I'm terrible on a crisis; remember not to team up with me during the inevitable zombie apocolypse.

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harumph
2012-02-05 06:32 am UTC (link)

My first instinct was to check if the Smart Bitches had anything to say, and of course they do: here. In response to some of the comments in that entry, SB Sarah also started a separate entry for people to rec lesbian romance, which makes me very happy. So at least some small good has come out of this whole mess, at least tangentially?

Otherwise, yeah, this is just makes me sick. Or "uncomfortable," I guess.

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	platedlizard 2012-02-05 07:52 am UTC (link)
	Thanks for the link. And rec list. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	white_tean 2012-02-05 12:55 pm UTC (link)
	Thanks for posting that! My bookshelf has felt so bereft without lesbian romances. :) (Reply to this)(Parent)

keri
2012-02-05 08:16 pm UTC (link)

:D

I was SO HAPPY that Sarah saw my plea and started the GS vs STA thread! I'm going to sit down later this evening to go through the comments.

Sadly, you know, it was on Fandom_Lounge that I'd asked for lesbian romance in the past (I think it was - may have been in a subthread instead) and got hardly any response except things like Emma Donoghue or Sarah Waters or "My Name is Annie" or whatever those titles from the '80s were. I've never been connected enough to book blogs or lesbian blogs (partly because I'm mostly asexual and have been mostly content to not bother, except for when it gets to be a bugbear and then I give up when I don't know where to look or only find shit for porn fantasies), so i really had no idea about Best Strokes Books or Bella Books or anything. And now I do! :)

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	jat_sapphire 2012-02-05 09:19 pm UTC (link)
	I recced over there like a crazed reccing thing, btw. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	sorchar 2012-02-05 07:10 am UTC (link)
	"What? We've been running a contest with modern, fair rules? Quick, back to the 50s!" (Reply to this)(Thread)

	rosehiptea 2012-02-06 06:27 am UTC (link)
	This. Depressing. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	cat_mcdougall 2012-02-05 12:54 pm UTC (link)
	Katey Hawthorne weighed in too. (Reply to this)

	ellensmithee 2012-02-05 09:48 pm UTC (link)
	People have been trying to get the RWA to be more open to and recognize LGBT romances for at least the past 10 years so this is a very conscious and deliberate inaction on their part. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	franzen 2012-02-06 02:42 am UTC (link)
	All I can think of is Groundskeeper Willie going "Shhh! You wanna get sued?!" Seriously, though, how did this chapter think this would end well for them? (Reply to this)(Parent)

	octavia 2012-02-06 11:04 am UTC (link)
	Yeah. Is there a RITA Award yet? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	octavia 2012-02-06 11:08 am UTC (link)
	Ah, forget I said anything. I hadn't read the first post and I see now that F/F and M/M entries are eligible for a RITA. Good. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	phosfate 2012-02-06 04:14 am UTC (link)
	Carrying a girl off on your horse and ~~raping~~ ravishing her is still okay though, right? (Reply to this)(Thread)

	eljuno 2012-02-06 04:59 am UTC (link)
	Of course! Just as long as it's none of that icky gay stuff. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	ekaterinv 2012-02-06 09:59 am UTC (link)
	Well yeah, of course. Every woman needs a man to control her sexuality. That's why gay marriage is bad. Yes, I have seen religious right wingnuts use that exact argument. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	cmdr_zoom 2012-02-06 07:00 pm UTC (link)
	what (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

ekaterinv
2012-02-06 07:56 pm UTC (link)

http://aagblog.com/2010/08/11/christian-science-monitor-proposition-8-ruling-wrong/

That's a link to the blog of someone I like, quoting one instance of this. The big anti-gay marriage people, like NoM (Ladies Against Women, as Fred at slacktivist calls them), say stuff like this all the time when they think they're just talking to each other.

There was also the right-wing man who said same-sex marriage had to be illegal because otherwise all men would marry each other and the human race would die out. Because who in their right mind would want to live with an icky woman? He didn't use the word "icky", but that was his argument.

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	the__ivorytower 2012-02-06 09:46 pm UTC (link)
	We in Canada have been crushingly disappointed that legalized same-sex marriage has not led to gay orgies in our streets. Though perhaps it's because it's cold* here. *Even though right now we're in the positives (in Celsius) and it's February. What the fuck, the weather? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

keri
2012-02-06 10:17 pm UTC (link)

What the fuck, the weather?

El Niña.

But seriously, it's driving me crazy, too. There are very few opportunities to wear actual winter clothes in Florida, and so far we've had like 3 non-consecutive weeks of Cold Weather, which means I haven't been able to wear any of my awesome cold weather clothes, because as soon as I realize "yay, it's cold!" it's already too warm, again. Not that I have many of those kinds of clothes, at least not compared to actual temperate or cold climates, but every year I look forward to getting to wear the clothes that I had to buy specifically for one-time trips made in the winter to colder climates. :P

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ekaterinv
2012-02-06 10:37 pm UTC (link)

No no, see, it's not that same-sex marriage will lead to gay orgies. It's that same-sex marriage will lead to women being raped constantly by roving gangs of bad men and forced into concubinage. Because marriage is a shield against sexual abuse and married women are never, ever raped. Anyone who claims a woman is far more likely to be sexually abused by a husband than a stranger is talking utter nonsense. Husbands can't sexually abuse their wives, because husbands are allowed to do whatever they like to their wives (well, maybe not kill them) and the idea that the wives might have an opinion about the matter is laughable.

Therefore, romance novels in which the "hero" rapes the heroine: peachy keen, so long as they get married so he can control -- er, protect her! Romance novels in which two heroines have loving, consensual sex with each other: anti-woman and encouraging rape.

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	cmdr_zoom 2012-02-07 12:29 am UTC (link)
	It's true. Just the other day, I was going to have my way with a woman (the unattached ones being community property, of course) when I suddenly noticed a man had put his mark on her! Well, that was the end of that. I'm not going to offend another man by being free with what's legally and rightfully his. (Reply to this)(Parent)

mmanurere
2012-02-08 05:34 pm UTC (link)

There was also the right-wing man who said same-sex marriage had to be illegal because otherwise all men would marry each other and the human race would die out. Because who in their right mind would want to live with an icky woman? He didn't use the word "icky", but that was his argument.

There are many such men. Orson Scott Card is probably tops in sheer WTFery when that's his argument-of-the-moment. (See also: "Heterosexuality is an honorable sacrifice of the chance at greater pleasure for the sake of continuing the species." Which I'm fairly sure isn't something that actual heterosexual men think -- none of the ones I've consulted feels their heterosexuality to be a "sacrifice".)

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	ekaterinv 2012-02-08 09:14 pm UTC (link)
	Yeah, that's... definitely not something men who are actually attracted to women think. It's kind of funny that those closeted gay misogynists who say those things don't seem to realize they might as well be screaming, "I NEED COCK" at the top of their lungs. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	mirhanda 2012-02-06 07:25 pm UTC (link)
	Ö (Reply to this)(Parent)

Bit of an update: MTM cancelled

taktuk
2012-02-06 07:18 am UTC (link)

http://rwimagiccontests.wordpress.com/

RWI Magic Contests

After much consideration, RWI regretfully announces the MTM Published Author Contest has been cancelled. All monies received from entrants will be returned as soon as possible. We have heard and understood the issues raised, and will take those concerns into consideration should the chapter elect to hold contests in the future. Please note: our contest coordinator, Jackie, is a chapter member who graciously volunteered to collect entries and sort by category. It is unfortunate that she has become the object of personal ridicule and abuse. We recognize the decision to disallow same-sex entries is highly charged. We also opted not to accept YA entries. We do not condone discrimination against individuals of any sort.

So they're just cancelling the thing rather than dealing with the fallout like mature human beings?

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	Re: Bit of an update: MTM cancelled ellensmithee 2012-02-06 08:06 am UTC (link)
	They're victims of the gay agenda, obvs.! (Reply to this)(Parent)

	Re: Bit of an update: MTM cancelled tehrin 2012-02-06 08:30 am UTC (link)
	How adult. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	Re: Bit of an update: MTM cancelled lied_ohne_worte 2012-02-06 09:53 am UTC (link)
	See, children, we had to take your toys away! And if you don't like that, you can thank those gay people over there, because they misbehaved and made us do it! Lovely. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: Bit of an update: MTM cancelled ekaterinv 2012-02-06 10:00 am UTC (link)
	They would rather no one have toys than have to share them with gay people. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Bitter sarcasm, of course. chikane 2012-02-06 12:11 pm UTC (link)
	Could you please put scare quotes around "people"? I don't think they would like your insinuation that they are considering those evil gays as actual people. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	Re: Bit of an update: MTM cancelled ecchaniz0r 2012-02-07 08:50 pm UTC (link)
	Oh my god, that tactic doesn't even fly in ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (seriously, every supply teacher I ever had who tried to pull that "X was bad so you ALL have detention" foolishness was EATEN ALIVE); if grown-ass adult people actually fall for that, then they're complete doofii. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: Bit of an update: MTM cancelled lied_ohne_worte 2012-02-08 12:18 pm UTC (link)
	Don't know - in my experience, it worked when the climate in a class wasn't good and/or the teacher chose an unpopular "culprit". Which might actually be applicable in this case, too, as I suspect there will be homophobes who do blame the people who complained for losing them the competition. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

Re: Bit of an update: MTM cancelled

ecchaniz0r
2012-02-09 03:54 am UTC (link)

Yah, that's true--it could work then :/ I think in the cases I saw, the antipathy toward the teacher outweighed the antipathy toward the accused--even if it was me, and I was THE social rejectoid.

And you're right about the homophobes too. I'm just like, how the hell do grown-ass adults fall for such transparent blame-shifting. And then I remember that there are grown-ass adults that think you can catch HIV from doorknobs. And I sigh, and want booze.

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	Re: Bit of an update: MTM cancelled ekaterinv 2012-02-06 09:56 am UTC (link)
	We recognize the decision to disallow same-sex entries is highly charged. We also opted not to accept YA entries. I can't believe they actually had the gall to put those next to each other as if they were the same type of decision. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: Bit of an update: MTM cancelled taktuk 2012-02-06 10:32 am UTC (link)
	"Are You Gay, God? It's Me, Margaret," Why else would they ban same-sex YA? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: Bit of an update: MTM cancelled ekaterinv 2012-02-06 03:06 pm UTC (link)
	Did they ban same-sex YA, or all YA? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: Bit of an update: MTM cancelled havocthecat 2012-02-06 05:14 pm UTC (link)
	All YA, period. All same-sex across all genres, period. At least until they decided to ~~take their toys and go home~~ cancel the contest. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: Bit of an update: MTM cancelled ekaterinv 2012-02-06 05:46 pm UTC (link)
	Okay, I was afraid I'd misunderstood and made a really dumbass comment. I don't see anything wrong with not wanting to include any YA in their contest, since it's pretty much a different genre. The fact that they think that belongs in the same paragraph as banning same-sex romance is ludicrous. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: Bit of an update: MTM cancelled havocthecat 2012-02-06 06:09 pm UTC (link)
	No, it's fine. It wasn't clearly worded anyway; I had to go and reread it myself to make sure I could clarify properly. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	Re: Bit of an update: MTM cancelled taktuk 2012-02-06 07:37 pm UTC (link)
	They banned all YA but if I didn't make a joke I'd lose it. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	Re: Bit of an update: MTM cancelled platedlizard 2012-02-07 02:44 am UTC (link)
	Wow. so instead of saying, "hey, we screwed up, we'll keep same-sex entries," they're canceling the contest altogether. How mature. (Reply to this)(Parent)