Yeah, you may have noticed, I had a tantrum yesterday and the whole world tuned in to watch.
I’m not ashamed of the tantrum per se– sort of wishing it was better edited, and that I’d invited some beta readers into my venting quite honestly– but I stand by what I said yesterday: Dismissing romance literature is a convenient way of dismissing women’s literature, and, in fact, dismissing all of the ways in which women interact with the world. We’re not equals until things that are feminine are not equated with things that are weak, stupid, or inconsequential. The fact that the fine writing in romance literature has been written off by people who enjoy sticking cattle prods up their asses just to feel the clench is a way of making romance readers and writers feel small. We owe it to ourselves not to put up with that shit– no matter what the romance sub genre– because that’s dismissing the values and priorities of over half the human race.
It is, in fact, a rather subversive way of allowing the ancient puckered white men to rule us with derision as well as with their draconian misogynistic politics. If we buy into the idea that romance is bad because it’s a woman’s priority, we also buy into the idea that women’s minds are weaker because they can’t write decent literature, and thus they can’t make their own decisions, and hey, hello, attacks on Planned Parenthood and women’s health are already acrid in the political climate.
Misogyny is in a casual sneer, in the desire to make women hide the things they love, secreting them under dust covers like a dead canary in a tin box.
So, uh, no. Not ashamed of my tantrum–but sort of exhausted like a hiccupy baby and ready to get back to writing.
I’d like to thank you all– everybody– who responded in a positive way. I mean, romance writers and readers are incredibly strong people, and I’m not surprised, but your support and kudos were overwhelming.
Thank you.
Wear your covers proudly, folks– the literature you love is worthy.
And now, back to a SMOKIN’ sex scene between two guys who can barely figure out which tab goes into which slot. I love them so.
Honey, we ADORE it when your Inner Lioness comes out for a good RAWR!!! No worries, no shame, and I hear ginger ale is good for hiccups, too. Gentle Hugs, and good luck sorting those fellas out!
Amy, I was thinking of you today as I was writing to various people trying to drum up support for lupus research, which is seriously underfunded. Lupus disproportionately strikes young women in the prime of life (90% of lupus sufferers are women). I can't help but feel that the research is not well funded not only because lupus is less common than the Big 3 (heart disease, diabetes and cancer), but because it's a "woman's disease". (Puckered old men: "I mean, women outlive men, right? So why support research into women's diseases? So they'll outlive us even more?") This pervasive attitude of giving less importance to what women do impacts all aspects of life, from the ability to get an education, to respect for work, to equal pay and even to to health, life and death. I agree wholeheartedly with you that the issue of respect for what we are and what we do is an issue we can and must stand up for, as so many important things follow from it. And now, I will stop MY rant. And may I say that I love your work, re-read it constantly and have finally personally come out of the m/m romance closet… to the complete and utter indifference of my friends, thank the goddess.
Way to go! I can't express my feelings in writing like you do – you speak for many many inarticulate people like myself, so don't ever second guess yourself, and never never stop!