Nasty business in the SFWA

For a long time, I aspired to join the SFWA.  If I were Wreck-It Ralph, SFWA membership would be the medal I sought for most of the film.  Recently I became eligible for associate membership (and if a certain pro-paying venue ever officially turns pro all the way, I’d be qualified for full membership), and I’d been contemplating the right time to fill out my application.   I don’t think I’ll be doing that any time soon, in light of the issues below.  Get ready for a lot of reading material:

http://ecatherine.com/dear-sfwa/#comment-85

http://jesshaines.com/blog/2013/06/01/sfwa-sexism-misogyny-and-a-call-for-change/

http://elflands2ndcousin.com/2013/05/31/the-sfwa-bulletin-censorship-anonymity-and-representation/

http://www.betsydornbusch.com/2013/04/another-sfwa-sexist-gaffe.html

fozmeadows.wordpress.com/2013/06/02/old-men-yelling-at-clouds-sfwa-lunacy/

I said a lot, didn’t I?  Scary thing is, there are people defending the offenders:

http://www.morningstormbooks.com/2013/06/sexism-and-sfwa.html

Scarier, a member shaming those who were offended enough to leave:

http://suricattus.livejournal.com/1655847.html

I actually chimed in a bit in that last thread, though being a non-member with only a view from threads like these and what I see on the Codex forums, I probably didn’t do a very good job.   Still, there seem to be no shortage of more qualified people to fight these battles who are actually fighting them, so there’s hope yet.