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We are sad that we find it necessary to warn you that fantasy authors @_alexrowland, @freyamarske & @englishmace, hosts of @serpentcast (Be The Serpent) are not safe allies for POC.
We are members of the former official fan discord for the podcast, and this is our story.
We are members of the former official fan discord for the podcast, and this is our story.
The details + receipts are in the doc below (summarized in ), but the bottom line is:
They give lip service to racial diversity in public, while harming POC in private.
Out of fragility, they defend themselves + their white privilege above all. http://shorturl.at/fptDJ
), but the bottom line is: They give lip service to racial diversity in public, while harming POC in private.
Out of fragility, they defend themselves + their white privilege above all. http://shorturl.at/fptDJ
We have tried, for *literally* months, to call them in & come to a resolution privately.
They refuse to respond to any of our emails or attempts at conversation.
This public call out is our last resort at holding them accountable for their repeated doubling down on racism.
They refuse to respond to any of our emails or attempts at conversation.
This public call out is our last resort at holding them accountable for their repeated doubling down on racism.
At first we believed they just made a small, honest mistake that could be easily fixed.
But there came a point at which our desire to believe the Serpents cared about racism and the POC they harmed broke on the rock of their indifference & repeated lack of response.
But there came a point at which our desire to believe the Serpents cared about racism and the POC they harmed broke on the rock of their indifference & repeated lack of response.
Obviously, there are different levels of racism:
fascist, overthrow-the-government racist vs. Nice White Liberal Racist.
In 2021 we need to fight *both*.
And _fandom_ especially needs to take a long, hard look in the mirror and fight the latter. https://twitter.com/stichomancery/status/1347271791165767684
fascist, overthrow-the-government racist vs. Nice White Liberal Racist.
In 2021 we need to fight *both*.
And _fandom_ especially needs to take a long, hard look in the mirror and fight the latter. https://twitter.com/stichomancery/status/1347271791165767684
Our story starts Oct 7 2020. @serpentcast released Ep #71 w/ special guest Naomi Novik to discuss her new book A Deadly Education (ADE).
Later that day, @newamsterdame posted a Twitter thread + review on Goodreads critiquing ADE for its racist content. https://twitter.com/newamsterdame/status/1313684795788935168
Later that day, @newamsterdame posted a Twitter thread + review on Goodreads critiquing ADE for its racist content. https://twitter.com/newamsterdame/status/1313684795788935168
Members of the (former, no longer affiliated as of Dec 18 2020) @serpentcast fan Discord community -- a fan-created space started in 2018 both for fandom discussions and to enable the podcast transcribers (scribes) to coordinate -- immediately began discussing the controversy.
Note: the Serpents had long been Discord community members with special privileges (which they typically used to make podcast announcements, to ask for questions for Q&A eps, and to promote their books).
But they rarely engaged in discussions.
But they rarely engaged in discussions.
Due to the unusually glowing endorsements of Novik’s work, both in Ep #71 & in multiple previous eps, we recommended that the Serpents address the racist content in the podcast by adding an apology, explanation, & warning.
Fans offered to pay for an expert to support the work.
Fans offered to pay for an expert to support the work.
We had no doubt that the situation would be rectified and trusted the Serpents to do so.
They have a long history of discussing and vocally promoting diversity and inclusivity, and had declared support for anti-racism movements.
This trust turned out to be misplaced.
They have a long history of discussing and vocally promoting diversity and inclusivity, and had declared support for anti-racism movements.
This trust turned out to be misplaced.
The Serpents responded by telling us that “we are making the podcast that we are making” and then stopped participating in the conversation entirely.
We hoped that the next episode would at least acknowledge the issues and start to heal the rift with POC fans they had harmed.
We hoped that the next episode would at least acknowledge the issues and start to heal the rift with POC fans they had harmed.
The next episode (#72, released Oct 21 2020) included a brief segment (2 min 26 secs long) that failed to clearly state that ADE contained racist content or describe what that content was besides one passing reference to “microaggressions”.
Transcript: http://shorturl.at/uHJSW
Transcript: http://shorturl.at/uHJSW
It didn’t explain why ADE was racist or acknowledge/ apologize for the fact that they promoted a racist book.
They didn’t add content warnings or context to the audio files or show notes for Ep #71 or to social media posts.
There was only the glowing endorsements of ADE.
They didn’t add content warnings or context to the audio files or show notes for Ep #71 or to social media posts.
There was only the glowing endorsements of ADE.
In late Nov 2020, the mods began drafting a letter to share with the Serpents privately in an attempt to help them understand why their behavior was racist, work towards mitigating the harm they had caused and were still causing, and make amends to their listeners of color.
An announcement re: the draft was published on the Discord server asking for feedback from members.
19 minutes later host @_alexrowland posted that the Serpents were leaving the server.
The mods/scribes, who had worked closely w/ them for 2+ yrs, received no prior warning.
19 minutes later host @_alexrowland posted that the Serpents were leaving the server.
The mods/scribes, who had worked closely w/ them for 2+ yrs, received no prior warning.
Even worse, the podcast’s transcription team -- who used the Discord server to coordinate their work with the Serpents -- were neither informed ahead of time nor provided a replacement space to communicate.
On Jan 3 2021, fifteen days after the Serpents left the server, the moderators emailed an updated version of the letter to them.
A week later, we sent a follow-up email to inquire if the Serpents had seen it.
They never responded.
A week later, we sent a follow-up email to inquire if the Serpents had seen it.
They never responded.
Their decision to disconnect the fan Discord server from the podcast within 20 minutes of finding out about the open letter, plus their silence from the start and in response to the letters we sent, indicates an unwillingness to engage with the issue of their racist actions.
While their initial mistake was understandable and forgivable, their failure to properly address it and engage with criticism reflects increasingly poorly on them.
We urged them to mitigate the harm they had done and were continuing to do, especially to their POC fans.
We urged them to mitigate the harm they had done and were continuing to do, especially to their POC fans.
We do not believe that the Serpents have conscious malice toward people of color.
However, they have now ignored multiple attempts by fans to engage with them in a spirit of compassionate, supportive, and understanding desire to see them live up to their own stated ethics.
However, they have now ignored multiple attempts by fans to engage with them in a spirit of compassionate, supportive, and understanding desire to see them live up to their own stated ethics.
The many choices that they’ve made to ignore the issue and continue harming people of color are clear examples of white privilege and white fragility.
It doesn't matter that it wasn’t their intent to be racist.
Intent is not magic.
It doesn't matter that it wasn’t their intent to be racist.
Intent is not magic.
We realize that talking about racism as white people is hard and scary.
Many (former) fans of BtS on the server are also white.
We recognise that the Serpents are worried about messing up again.
However, the effect of their silence is that they perpetuated racism.
Many (former) fans of BtS on the server are also white.
We recognise that the Serpents are worried about messing up again.
However, the effect of their silence is that they perpetuated racism.
In publicly committing a racist act (even unintentionally), they have an obligation to both educate themselves about racism appropriately and to address their actions in public.
Without that, the podcast no longer feels like a safe space for fans of color & white allies.
Without that, the podcast no longer feels like a safe space for fans of color & white allies.
Additionally, they are *still* *actively* hurting POC by leaving Ep #71 up as glowing review for A Deadly Education, without a content warning for racism in the book.
Prior to this controversy, we were huge fans of the podcast and of their work.
This controversy has been very distressing for many of us, not only because we are hurt by their racism, but because it is now impossible to enjoy a podcast that previously brought us so much joy.
This controversy has been very distressing for many of us, not only because we are hurt by their racism, but because it is now impossible to enjoy a podcast that previously brought us so much joy.
We are sharing this information because:
1) We want POC to know and be able to keep themselves safe.
2) If you are a patron, you should know what you’re supporting.
3) We have been hurt by the Serpents, and we don’t owe them our silence about it.
1) We want POC to know and be able to keep themselves safe.
2) If you are a patron, you should know what you’re supporting.
3) We have been hurt by the Serpents, and we don’t owe them our silence about it.
What should you do?
1. What we're encouraging the Serpents to do: listen to
+ believe POC about racism in fandom. @stichomancery is a great resource.
2. Boost this thread.
3. Read works by POC creators.
4. DO NOT harass the Serpents. That is neither kind nor useful.
1. What we're encouraging the Serpents to do: listen to
+ believe POC about racism in fandom. @stichomancery is a great resource.
2. Boost this thread.
3. Read works by POC creators.
4. DO NOT harass the Serpents. That is neither kind nor useful.
We realize that other @serpentcast fans may be angry at us for being “antis” or participating in “cancel culture.”
But “cancel culture” is just a phrase used by people trying to avoid accountability. https://twitter.com/BerniceKing/status/1347588322340843523?s=19
But “cancel culture” is just a phrase used by people trying to avoid accountability. https://twitter.com/BerniceKing/status/1347588322340843523?s=19
Our goal -- still and always -- is not to cancel @_alexrowland, @freyamarske and @englishmace, but to help them become better white allies to POC and actually live up to their own stated ideals of promoting a diverse and inclusive community in SFF and fandom.
We would love to come to a resolution with them on this matter.
But that requires some serious self-reflection and effort on their part.
Like so many people these days, they want to skip right to the end without doing the work. https://twitter.com/thatpaulmoffett/status/1348348830815834113
But that requires some serious self-reflection and effort on their part.
Like so many people these days, they want to skip right to the end without doing the work. https://twitter.com/thatpaulmoffett/status/1348348830815834113
In Ep #72 the Serpents encouraged their listeners to “continue to listen to and to respect the voices of people of color.”
They should lead by example and start by trying to follow their own advice.
~ Fin ~
They should lead by example and start by trying to follow their own advice.
~ Fin ~
Addendum:
We meant to link earlier to this excellent article on the controversy re: racism in A Deadly Education by Larissa Irankunda. https://www.themarysue.com/racism-vs-representation-the-missteps-of-naomi-noviks-a-deadly-education/
We meant to link earlier to this excellent article on the controversy re: racism in A Deadly Education by Larissa Irankunda. https://www.themarysue.com/racism-vs-representation-the-missteps-of-naomi-noviks-a-deadly-education/
Addendum #2:
If you want an *excellent* example of how to deal w/ accidental racism in a podcast, check out James D'Amato @OneShotRPG Ep #83 of Campaign Skyjacks @campaignpod.
Addressed it explicitly + brought in a cultural consultant for expertise. http://oneshotpodcast.com/campaign/skyjacks/skyjacks-episode-83/
If you want an *excellent* example of how to deal w/ accidental racism in a podcast, check out James D'Amato @OneShotRPG Ep #83 of Campaign Skyjacks @campaignpod.
Addressed it explicitly + brought in a cultural consultant for expertise. http://oneshotpodcast.com/campaign/skyjacks/skyjacks-episode-83/
Addendum #3:
If you want to take a crash course on problems with racism in fandom, we *highly* recommend the 2-part @fansplaining episodes from Sept 2020. https://twitter.com/fansplaining/status/1311321144709046273
If you want to take a crash course on problems with racism in fandom, we *highly* recommend the 2-part @fansplaining episodes from Sept 2020. https://twitter.com/fansplaining/status/1311321144709046273
And here's the tweet for Part 2! https://twitter.com/fansplaining/status/1312046647560540162
