Lemony Snicket Amid #MeToo

[lludwig]

HOW WILL PUBLISHING DEAL WITH LEMONY SNICKET AMID #METOO?
Numerous authors and librarians allege a pattern of sexually humiliating comments at public events from one of YA literature's biggest stars.

In 2013, children's book author Kate Messner found herself on a bus with Daniel Handler, better known as the author Lemony Snicket. They were both guests at the Rhode Island Children's Festival of Books and Authors, riding the bus provided by the organizers to transport authors to the site. In other words, this was a working space filled with professionals. Handler, according to a post written by Messner, overheard her talking to a fellow author about being from the Midwest, and shouted, "Are you a virgin, too?!" In the lobby of a hotel, later, as authors and spouses were being introduced to each other before dinner, Handler joked, "These children's book events always turn into orgies!"

Over the past few weeks, a number of women who work in children's literature have described encounters in which Handler made inappropriate sexual comments in front of and about them. They are all quick to distinguish his behavior from more overtly predatory conduct, but still talk about being made to feel "small." The combination of Handler's power and fame and his habitual "joking" about sex reveals consistent conduct that has had a harmful impact on multiple female children's writers and children's librarians. What's more, in an industry where most creators are functionally freelancers who rely on networking and gatekeepers, Handler's behavior should be understood as workplace sexual harassment.

This is not the first time Handler has been accused of using derogatory humor in inappropriate ways. In 2014, he infamously made a racist joke at the expense of author Jacqueline Woodson, the first African-American woman to win a National Book Award for Young People's Literature. He apologized, but the new allegations suggest a pattern. Meanwhile, Wesleyan University has just announced that Handler (an alumnus) will be their commencement speaker and receive an honorary degree. Among other recipients this year: anti-workplace-harassment advocate Anita Hill.

SOURCE & Entire article:
https://psmag.com/social-justice/how-will-publishing-deal-with-lemony-snicket-amid-metoo

[taylor_memorial]

If charges are brought against him, it might well get ugly for him as an author. But fiction, especially fantasy fiction for young adults is a world apart from the rowdy after-convention parties this article refers to--at least in the portion you pasted in here.

Not to belittle the issue of sexual harassment, but it is a far cry from Weinstein's oppressive director's couch morphing into his producer's bedroom. Or sex dungeon.

However the reason I clicked in here is that I was checking out LJ Smith's page to see if she'd done anything more with Night World (she hasn't) and there is a growing issue in the blogosphere about the portrayal of young women in young adult fiction.

For example her latest blog is about 50 words that are used for women. Reserved for women. And some of them are not, as she says, pleasant.

Well I didn't read that entire article, either; but it's pertinent to this discussion.

In part because the worlds created by Smith and Meyers are night worlds, just like those of Kim Harrison and Charlaine Harris. But in the young adult world, young women are often as not the willing submissive to the vampire domme. As opposed to the Vampire Hunters in Harrison's and Jackson's work.

And at that point it all rolls into the same ball of wax and I'm left wondering how do women who concern themselves with women's role in the culture create women in fiction who do that stuff.

I'll just leave this here--I don't really have a point, just an observation.