Performative SF/F

Yesterday I shared Brian Keene's article on Perfomative Patrick.

Today I'm highlighting how Performative Patrick is a symptom and a product of a corrupt, despotic culture-cult.

The SFF community and the larger publishing industry has an ugly problem: performative wokism. Gatekeeping to keep out “undesirables", individuals who have “wrong" beliefs and “incorrect" opinions. And those who call them on it. All while cosseting a “woke" toddler in their midst.

This is a man who thinks his rape jokes on public forums are excusable. A man who gleefully posted he doesn't care children are dead in a disaster. A man who routinely harasses and talks down to BIPOC, women, and queer people, and who belittles and taunts less-known writers.

Yet this man has been kowtowed to, given some sort of golden pass, despite his vile performances. Platforming him, defending him, covertly giving him money. This is what performative wokism looks like.

Now, unlike Patrick, I'm sure many of these people marched and protested against our current administration, donated money to the woke causes, knitted pussy hats, and wrote their representatives. I'm sure they don't see themselves as performative. But their need to circumscribe participation, to act secretively in what should be transparent, and to clutch at the presumed power they hold as members of SFF leadership demonstrates repeatedly how performative they truly are.

Tomorrow- but who are they?