When I started up my blog, I thought I would be keeping it
solely for reviews of the lesbian fiction books I read and want to review.
Today, I’m making an exception to this self imposed rule.
In the last week or so, there has been a lot of dissension
amongst the lesbian community. This is mainly due to a male author posing as a
female. Not only posing as a female for anonymity and writing purposes, but by
publicly stating he is a woman interested in women on Facebook. Thereby duping
lesbians into interacting personally with him.
Some of these women are vulnerable. Some have a fear of men.
Some have been abused, or raped by men. I have one such vulnerable friend I met
online several years ago. I won’t go into the story, it is not mine to tell. But
suffice it to say, I feel guilty on her behalf. I introduced her to RR’s books
and in a knock on effect him. She is in a dark place now and back seeing a
counsellor.
I will only, where possible, read and review books written by
lesbians for lesbians. So, I’ve been duped too. But, this isn’t the issue here.
The issue that some people just can’t seem to get is, that this man has deceived
the lesbian community. That I can’t forgive. But, it appears that some are ready
to forgive and forget, their prerogative, but don’t expect me to.
This person has caused a division in the lesbian community.
What he has done is truly despicable. But, all the time people stand up for him
and others like him, this will keep happening.
The ultimate betrayal was in my inbox the other day. A lesbian
hating man, J. Darroll Hall, was allowed by a fellow lesbian, Henriette, to join
a mainly female online chat group. There are vulnerable women on this chat
group. Women who trust that the group owners and moderators will look after
their best interests. This was not done in this instance. I took the bull by the
horns and contacted one of the other group owners. This person has now been
removed. But, the question I’m now asking myself is, ‘are any of us safe on
these groups’? We trust that our best interests are being looked after. But, how
safe are we?
The person I have to personally thank for bringing all this to
the attention of everyone is the very brave author and my friend, Trin Denise.
She’s been publicly vilified on more than one occasion, but still she battles on
sticking her neck out time and again. She deserves a medal and we should all be
backing her up, not these creatures who prey on women for monetary gain.
I have been unfriended by some so called friends on Facebook
for my part in these sorry states of affairs. I don’t care. In fact good. I
don’t need people in my life who haven’t got my back and the backs of my fellow
lesbians. There will be more unfriending being done, by me, before I’ve
finished.
So, for anyone looking for my reviews of Robin Roseau’s books,
you won’t find them. I’ve deleted them, hopefully from everywhere I posted them.
If you think I’ve done the wrong thing, then please feel free to unfriend me. I
don’t need or want people who condone deception in my life.
Link to read more:-
http://lesbianadvocatesagainstfraud.blogspot.co.uk/
GREAT Blog!!! Keep up the great work! And yes, Trin does deserve a medal! This is despicable!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Terry, for having the courage and the ethics to stand up and speak out about this atrocious behavior and the devastating impact that this fraud has had on our community and the women in it. The damage that has been done is astronomical. What you have done takes courage and I respect you immensely for having showed just what an incredibly wonderful and ethical person you are.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rogena and Trin.
ReplyDeleteThank you Terry and Trin also my mate Lyn Gardner for bring this to my attention. I have blocked two people from Facebook as I don't need this type of crap in my virtual life, real life can be hard enough. Thanks for doing this and beings one of the few who willingly take the backlash for all of us .
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Susan
ReplyDeleteI'll add my thanks for your integrity, as well, Terry. It's been a while since I spoke on the topic of lesbians writing lesbian fiction, but my views haven't changed. I cannot understand why anyone would want to give cover to someone who is using the smaller community of lesbian fiction to make a buck by deliberate deception. And someone had the nerve to suggest that everyone with a pen name is doing the same thing. I take issue with that. The point is not the pseudonym. You're right about the deception causing great emotional harm to some women in our community. That is real and should not be taken lightly. Trying to justify RR's behavior and/or look the other way is condoning the deception and wrong. Why can't we just collectively say so? Rather than owning the responsibility, as you have, why are so many instead attempting to dismiss the transgressions or shoot the messenger? That's the real question for me.
ReplyDeleteThanks again, Terry. I hope I get to see you again if you make another trip stateside.
Cheers,
LM
I only wish everyone thought like you LM. I can't for the life of me understand why others in our community would be condoning this deception. But, unfortunately they are.
ReplyDeleteIt would be great to meet you again. We did come over to Orlando for Thanksgiving last year. But, unfortunately, we didn't get up to Tampa. Patty came down for a visit for lunch though. If we get back again, we'll be sure to book the Greyhound to Tampa again and let you know.
I have no problem with using a pen name and I don’t see a problem with someone writing for an audience from a different group, some authors can crossover very well.
ReplyDeleteBUT that isn’t what this is!
I can’t put it better than you, Terry, but in my mind setting out to deliberately deceive in order to take advantage of the trust of others (some of whom are vulnerable) is very wrong and very frightening. I’m glad that you (and Trin) have brought this incident to our attention, and it’s made me start to think about the things we can do as a community to put people at ease and make being online that much safer.
It feels safe to live behind a mask of anonymity online, but as an author I think I have a responsibility to start showing my face, and encourage other shrinking violets to do the same, so that people who use a mask to take advantage of others will become more obvious against a backdrop of openness.
Thanks Niamh. I'm pleased you get my point.
ReplyDeleteI can quite understand why some authors wouldn't want to put up a photo though. Some people are not 'out' anywhere due to their circumstances.
I agree though, good to be open where possible.
Deception is never pretty, and it takes courage to bring it to light. Much respect to Trin, and all the women who helped to expose these destructive actions, and you for your actions.
ReplyDeleteAdding my thanks to the brave souls that have brought this to our attention. I found it difficult to believe at first and for me the final nail in the coffin was RR failing to deny anything and then deleting FB page. Very worrying the route his books were going down with humiliation and what was in effect rape of women in his books. Very distasteful!
ReplyDeleteKudos and heartfelt thanks to you, Trin, and all the brave lesbians in our community who continue to stand up against scum male predators like Joseph P. Larson and J. Darroll Hall. It saddens me there are 'lesbians' in our community who CHOOSE to defend these predators, rather than stand with their sisters in solidarity.
ReplyDeleteThanks to you all for reading my blog and your support.
ReplyDeleteI have also commented on how this predator calling himself Julia P Lynde duped me early last year, at http://lesbianadvocatesagainstfraud.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteI'm adding the link to my blog. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteDear Ms Baker,
ReplyDeleteStop it. Your one-star reviews, your hate mail, your nasty grams on social media, your attempted boycott. Stop them all. You are not the only one who can write nasty reviews and people are going to get hurt. You could poke someone's eye out with that. It's all fun and games until someone looses and eye.
You are not welcome here Gordon! Oh and do learn to spell! Loses not LOOSES! LOL Idiot!
ReplyDeleteOh and just so as you know Gordon, I rarely give one star reviews as I don't review trash. Check over on Amazon. I don't send out hate mail. So, I think you have the wrong person here. Get your facts right before you post them in future.
ReplyDeleteI am a man who writes lesbian romance. I do not use a pen name and all of my books are about strong women. There is no erotica in my books, only modern love stories.
ReplyDeleteI find it morally repugnant that this man would stoop to such levels. Using a pen name is one thing, but to deceive people and interact with groups pretending to be something you are not is inexcusable. That not only breaks peoples trust but in some cases can cause irreparable damage to some individuals.
I applaud both Terry and Trin.
Thank you Erik.
ReplyDelete