#metoo #ustoo Change Starts Now: Stand Against Harassment in the YA/Kidlit Community
Earlier this week brilliant, award-winning author Anne Ursu published an essay about the responses and conclusions from a survey on sexual harassment in the kidlit and YA field she recently conducted, spurred by the #metoo movement. If you haven’t read it yet, go do so immediately. I’ll wait.
Like many, I was not so much surprised by the findings that our community is no different than any other. And, like many, I’ve felt frustrated and angry and helpless. I don’t have all the answers, but last night I found myself asking where our Scalzi is on twitter — referencing my friend John Scalzi’s convention harassment policy pledge *five years ago* when similar issues were being highlighted in the science fiction and fantasy community. As Scalzi pointed out right away:
I’ll note here that when I did my harassment policy pledge I was acting because a) I knew too many women who had to deal with shit, b) I was staking a position based on work that women in my field had already done. I stood on ground they cleared.
— John Scalzi (@scalzi) February 9, 2018
And then this morning, I realized that I’m not comfortable waiting for someone else to take point. I firmly believe that we need male authors and illustrators and publishing professionals to sign on to any effort to combat sexual harassment in our community, and that perhaps it would be taken more seriously if one of them led the charge. I hope they’ll show up, but to wait for that is unacceptable to me. Many people are asking “what can we do without names?” A lot it turns out. We can send a message and we can apply pressure to advocate for change.
No one should have to feel unsafe at an event in the children’s lit world. No one should feel like they can’t speak up or have someone to go to if they are harassed at an event. And no one should be able to get away with harassment, no matter how much of a big deal they’re considered to be.
First, I invite all of us to adopt the same pledge that Scalzi set out several years ago, which I’m stealing whole cloth here and encourage you to post about on your own sites.
1. That the convention has a harassment policy, and that the harassment policy is clear on what is unacceptable behavior, as well as to whom those who feel harassed, or see others engaging in harassing behavior, can go for help and action.
2. That the convention make this policy obvious by at least one and preferably more than one of the following: posting the policy on their Website, placing it in their written and electronic programs, putting up flyers in the common areas, discussing the policy at opening ceremonies or at other well-attended common events.
3. In cases when I am invited as a Guest of Honor, personal affirmation from the convention chair that a harassment policy exists, that it will be adequately publicized to conventiongoers, and that all harassment complaints will be dealt with promptly and fairly, with no excuses or rationalizations for delaying action when such becomes necessary.
I’d also like to send the letter below to YA and kidlit specific festivals and organizations and to the heads of publishing houses with as many names attached to it as possible. If you would like to sign on, please post your name in the comments below (which I must approve so there might be a slight delay). Here’s the letter, which I know is not perfect, but hopefully it’s a starting point.
Dear conference or festival organizer or publisher,
You may be aware that larger discussions of sexism and sexual harassment have now—finally—turned to the children’s and YA literary community. Recently author Anne Ursu conducted a survey that received ninety responses detailing the unacceptable behavior that far too many women in our sphere have been subjected to over the years. We know that the problem is far wider, and it’s one we all have a responsibility to act to end.
If you have a sexual harassment policy, we would encourage you to make sure it’s strong enough and well publicized enough at your events or work functions to be effective. If you do not have a sexual harassment policy, we encourage you to develop one immediately or you may find many authors will no longer attend your events. This policy should, to borrow from author John Scalzi’s pledge wording, spell out “what is unacceptable behavior, as well as to whom those who feel harassed, or see others engaging in harassing behavior, can go for help and action.” In keeping with that pledge, we also ask that you promote and publicize this policy as widely as possible: on your website, in your programs and conference materials, through flyers in the event space, and by talking about it at the beginning of conference events.
You may feel this isn’t necessary or will somehow “send the wrong message” about your event. But, in fact, the lack of these things does just that. The lack of a clear harassment policy tells predators they can get away with bad behavior and it tells women and other community members that they will have no one to go to if they experience harassment, they will just have to remain quiet and accept it. Publicizing a message that harassment will receive zero tolerance tells everyone, including our young readership, what behavior they should expect in a professional environment. You can find resources to assist with your policy development and wording at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America website.
If you are a publisher, we encourage you to revisit your own harassment policies and to ensure they are observed at public events that you host. We would also ask that publishers communicate to their authors, illustrators, and staff that if harassment by them is reported in a professional setting it may lead to consequences related to employment or invitations to represent the publisher at events or on tour. Again, it may seem unnecessary or ineffective to take this step. But sending a message about what behavior will be tolerated and what will not is the only way change will come.
And this change must come. Time is up.
Sincerely,
Gwenda Bond
and hopefully many, many of you
Edited to add: Thank you THANK YOU all for supporting this effort. If your comment signing doesn’t show up immediately and you don’t get an error message, don’t fret. I just have to approve it and your name will be added. If you do get an error message, just contact me via the contact page or any other format and I’ll note your name and add it manually when I compile the final letter. THANK YOU.
Edited to add again: Comments are open, though the letter is closed for sending.
1,459 Responses to “#metoo #ustoo Change Starts Now: Stand Against Harassment in the YA/Kidlit Community”
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Christopher Rowe
Signed.
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Natasha Diaz
signed !
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Cat Rambo
Signed, and thank you.
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Jeanne Birdsall
Signed. Thank you, Gwen! hugs
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Lish McBride
Signed. Signed times a billion.
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Matthew C Winner
Signed.
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Angele McQuade
Signed, with many thanks to Gwenda. xoxo
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Kara LaReau
Signed!
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Kelly Barnhill
Signed.
Can I call you Oh Captain my Captain from now on? I’ll take that as a yes.
*salutes*
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Benjamin Kissell
Consider me signed, Gwenda!
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Jasmine Stairs
I’m just a fan, not a writer, but absolutely signing this.
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Madelyn Rosenberg
Charge.
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Rachel Caine
Love it.
This is what I wrote down last night:
I believe that as an author, I should be held to a high standard of professional behavior at sponsored events, just as I would at any place of conventional employment. When I appear at schools, libraries, conferences, conventions, festivals, or other literary events or functions, I am in my workplace and will conduct myself accordingly.
I pledge that I will conduct myself in a manner that reflects positively upon my publisher(s) and my professional reputation. I pledge to be careful not to make any person (attendee, employee, or guest) feel uncomfortable in my presence or with my behavior, and if I violate this pledge, even inadvertently, I will take immediate, unqualified responsibility.
When I observe others attending such events behaving in a manner that violates non-harassment policy, I will assist the event staff in any way possible to protect the victim of harassment.
I will review and abide by every event’s non-harassment policies and procedures.
I will refuse to attend events that (a) fail to provide an adequately robust non-harassment policy with detailed reporting procedures, or (b) has a history of failing to enforce such policies.
Gwenda, what do you think?
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Gwenda
I like this a lot.
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Adam Rex
Signed
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Heidi R. Kling
Signed.
And THANK YOU!
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J. C. Davis
Signed. Thank you for doing this.
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Cathren Page
Signed! And way to go for the people speaking up about Daniel Handler. That kind of discriminatory micro-aggression happens all day long to women everywhere and makes us feel small. It’s one of many things that keeps women down in our society. It’s quite silencing. That took guts, Kate, to be the first one to call it out.
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Kit Rosewater
Signed.
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John Scalzi
I’m contracted to write three YA novels in the near future. I fully intend to apply the same standard for harassment policies to kidlit as I do to science fiction/fantasy. So: Co-signed (or re-signed, in my case).
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Becca Patterson
Please sign my name to the letter.
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Karen Romano Young
Sign me up!
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Ann Aguirre
Signed–for both Gwenda and Rachel’s pledges.
I also promise to be a safe space for any attendee who needs someone at their back. I will gladly listen, hand-hold, perform escort duty, or whatever may be needed in a time of crisis or discomfort.
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Cat Winters
Signed.
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M.J. Rocissono
Big thanks to Gwenda Bond & John Scalzi for working together on this incredibly important issue. I take this pledge with honor.
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Kate Milford
Sign me up.
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Claire Bartlett
Signed!s
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Julie Hedlund
Signed!
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Sara Ryan
Thank you. Signed.
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tanita
Signed.
It’s not a surprise that we’re just like everyone else, but I know that I don’t venture out of my cave enough to know anything about this… so while I’m horrified-not-surprised, I’m also baffled… how on earth have we put up with this quietly for so long?
Here’s to SHOUTING now.-
Gwenda
Fist-bump on that!
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Debbi MIchiko Florence
Signed!
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Sarah Momo Romero
Signed
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Jo Knowles
Signed! Thank you for doing this.
In addition to the letter above, I think this sort of policy should be part of any contract presenters are asked to sign ahead of time as part of an agreement to speak at conferences. When you sign the contract, you agree to follow the sexual harassment policy and if you violate it, the organizers can take back your pay and cancel any remaining speaking sessions you’re signed up to do at the event. I don’t know if I’m articulating this properly but hopefully it makes some sense.-
Gwenda
This is an excellent suggestion.
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Melinda
Seconded, thirded, and quadrupleded.
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Rose Green
Yes! That should definitely be part of any contract signed when appearing at or participating in such an event.
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Tristan Dorrell
Signed
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Matt Forbeck
Signed!
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Sarah Darer Littman
Signed. And I agree with Jo Knowles there should be consequences for not abiding by the contract. How long did SCBWI cover up for David Diaz? Conference organizers have a responsibility to both other presenters and attendees – who in SCBWI’s case, are paying no small sum to attend the conferences.
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Gwenda
I can’t help but suspect that SCBWI is hosting the conferences most often referenced in the survey. It’s where so many of the new writers go and the perfect place for predators — I know they have a policy, but it could be much, much stronger and more prominently discussed at the events. :-/
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Linda Sue Park
Sara, I’m on the SCBWI board. The facts out there at present are INCOMPLETE, and the statement that SCBWI ‘didn’t act’ is completely untrue. SCBWI acted *immediately* on learning of the complaints but did not go public out of respect for the wishes of some of the *victims*. I’m hoping that a statement will be issued soon to correct and clarify.
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Sarah Darer Littman
Linda-David Diaz was on the board until recently. I know they banned one bestselling author who had previously been a conference favorite, but why keep a known serial harasser on the board for so long? Also it’s Sarah, not Sara.
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Linda Sue
Aargh, I’m usually so careful about name spellings, sincere apologies, Sarah. And re Diaz, again there’s more to the story, and more info out now. I’m truly hopeful that the new SCBWI policies and procedures will help in this fight for societal change. Thanks for discussing, and all best always.
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Kate Elliott
Signed!
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Gaia Cornwall
SIGNED.
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Lance Rubin
Signed!
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Susan Adrian
Signed. And I love that this is female-led. Why shouldn’t it be?
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Darshana Khiani
Signed
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Mike Jung
Signed, and thank you, Gwenda.
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Brianna Zamborsky
Signed.
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Erik Williamson
I’m not a published author, but as someone who attends classes and conferences, etc. this is something I want to be behind 100%. Thank you for spearheading this, Gwenda!
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Deborah Kovacs
Signed, with thanks.
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Anne Marie Pace
Signed.
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Laura J. Burns & Melinda Metz
Signed as a team! (That’s how we roll.)
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Anne Ursu
*fist bump*
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sarahdarerlittman
THANK YOU ANNE!! xoxo
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Gwenda
None of this would be happening without you, my hero.
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Heidi Schulz
Signed.
Thank you for this, Gwenda. -
David Arnold
Signed!
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Maxine Kaplan
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Adi Alsaid
Signed
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Dan Gemeinhart
Signed. Thank you!
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Rebecca Savill
Signed. Thank you.
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Alex London
Signed.
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Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Signed. Thank you!
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Rachel Caine
SIGNED!
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Luisa Perkins
SIGNED.
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Lizzy Mason
Signed. And thank you.
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Melissa Manlove
Signed
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Tom Angleberger
I’m ready to start asking these questions and expecting good answers before signing up for events. And I realize that’s just a start.
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Renee LaTulippe
Signed! Thank you!
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Greg van Eekhout
Signed.
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Jenn Bishop
Thank you, Gwenda. Signed.
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Brendan Kiely
Thank you for this, Gwenda. Yes! I sign as well. I also appreciate Jo Knowles’s suggestions above. I’m thinking a lot right now about the roles men have to play in this cultural conversation, how to step up and when, how to amplify the stories women are sharing, how to listen better, and when to take action and organize. I’d love to bounce some ideas by you, if you have time to chat, because while I really do want to act, I don’t want to do so stupidly or blindly, I want to do so thoughtfully and effectively. I do a lot of public speaking and I try to incorporate the discussion of harassment and misogyny in all my public talks, and in fact, I’m trying to organize a tour of locker rooms to speak directly and specifically with young men about the environments and behaviors we encourage (even with our silence) that are harmful and dangerous and that perpetuate misogyny, harassment, and assault. Thanks, again, for this. Eager to sign and support.
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Sarah Darer Littman
Brendan, I love that you are doing the “locker room talks.” I have some examples and ideas for you if you want. I actually gave up political writing because it got so toxic being a woman expressing a political opinion online in the last few years. I got tired of talking to the police and being blown off. I’ve had to take things into my own hands on more than one occasion – thankfully my husband is a computer guy, so with his help I could do what the police were unwilling to bother with. We have to redefine what it means to be a “real man” and just as we are trying to model being strong women who fight for our rights so our daughters don’t have to put up with we did, we need men like yourself to model how to be a man of character and ethics.
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Brendan Kiely
Sarah, I’m with you, absolutely. I’d love to talk. Want to reach out to me an twitter, and then we can switch to email? I’m @KielyBrendan on twitter. Thanks, and I look forward to speaking!
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Laurie Halse Anderson
Very happy to add my name to this. Thank you!!
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Caroline Carlson
Signed. Thank you!
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Rebecca Hahn
Sign me up!
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Adam Silvera
Signed. Thanks, Gwenda.
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Megan Frazer Blakemore
Signed
Thank you so much, Gwenda.
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J. Anderson Coats
Signed.
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Shannon Hale
Sign me up!
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Jason Black
Signed.
I mean, I’m nobody (yet!) but that shouldn’t stop me from advocating for what’s right.
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Maria Gianferrari
Thanks, Gwenda. Signed with a <3
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Varian Johnson
Signed.
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Michelle Falkoff
Signed. Thanks so much for doing this.
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Michelle Falkoff
Signed, and sorry if this comes up a whole bunch of times…internet is being a little cranky. Thanks so much for doing this.
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Gwenda
I fixed it!
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Jeff Zentner
Signed.
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Ashley Blake
SIGNED. Thanks for doing this!
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Bev Katz
Signed! Thank you for doing this!
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Elana K. Arnold
Signed.
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Brooks Benjamin
Consider me signed!
And if there’s a place to physically sign then I’ll sign that, too. I’m ready to help fix this. -
Megan Maynor
Signed.
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Laurie Wallmark
Signed.
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Kami Garcia
I don’t know what to sign, but I’m in.
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Deborah Freedman
Signed. Thank you!
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Rebecca Donnelly
Signed!
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Katey Howes
Signed with my heartfelt thanks.
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Debra Driza
Signed!
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Laurel R Snyder
SIgn me up!
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Cecil Castellucci
Signed
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Garth Nix
Signed. I already informally adopted this policy with SF/F conventions after Scalzi’s post but much better of course to apply it more widely and to be public about it. Thank you, Gwenda, Anne and everyone.
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Sarah Aronson
Signed!
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Kate Messner
Hi, Daniel – I’m glad you’re here and I appreciate that you’ve signed this pledge. It’s so important, for all of us. What I’m about to write is a lot less comfortable, but because this kind of pledge usually means people care if they’ve crossed lines, I feel like you’d want to know about how your behavior made me uncomfortable at a book festival several years ago.
It was the Rhode Island Children’s Book Festival – one of the first times I’d been invited to something as a featured author. I was nervous for a pile of reasons. I was a relatively new author. There weren’t many women on the lineup at all. And the other names were all big ones –people whose work I’d admired for a long time. I was also nervous because you’d recently reviewed my first picture book in the New York Times. It wasn’t a positive review – that was fine (my daughter had put it all in perspective by saying “But Mom! This means Lemony Snicket actually READ your book!) – but I was still worried that you’d make a joke about it in front of everyone at this festival.
You didn’t end up joking about that. But on the festival bus that transported the authors, you made another joke that shut me up for the rest of the morning. I was talking with another author who was sitting in the seat in front of me. He asked where I lived and said he’d thought I was from the Midwest. “It’s probably the cardigan,” I joked. “Are you a virgin, too?!” you shouted from several seats away. It was the first thing you’d spoken to me all weekend. I didn’t know how to respond, so I didn’t say anything. But I felt smaller and like maybe I shouldn’t be talking with any of these big-name authors at all.
Later that night, a large group of authors & a few spouses were waiting in the lobby to go to dinner. Many of us were just being introduced to one another when you made another joke. “These children’s book events always turn into orgies!” It probably didn’t occur to that you some of the women in that lobby were likely survivors of sexual assault. A few people laughed awkwardly. I just stood there. And hoped that I wouldn’t be seated near you at dinner.
This is, of course, minor stuff in the grand scheme of things and pales in comparison to many of the truly horrific reports we’re hearing from the children’s book world right now. We’ve heard stories of serial predators, and I have never heard anyone suggest that you are among them. But as someone who’s signed on to this pledge, you should know that this stuff matters, too. It all matters.
This festival was an amazing event, organized by fantastic people, and there were wonderful moments throughout that weekend. But when I think back to that event, what I remember most is how small I felt that day, how on-edge about what you might say next.
Later, when you made the watermelon joke at the National Book Awards, I hated myself for not having said something to you about your comments at the time. If I had, I wondered, might you have thought twice about making that joke? I realize what ridiculous thinking that is, but it bothered me for a long time. I talked with a group of women friends about it, and learned that two other ladies had similar uncomfortable memories of feeling humiliated by your “jokes” at children’s book events. We’ve had conversations about it. Is it possible that he has no idea the impact these loud uncomfortable jokes have on women? I’ve thought about writing to you since then, but worried too much about what the fallout might be.
But here you are today, signing Gwenda’s pledge. To me, this says, “I care about this. I want to be part of the solution.” So I’m taking a deep breath and taking you at your word. I’m glad you’re here. And I’m writing to request that your commitment involve not just signing this and making public statements in support of #metoo, but also rethinking some of your jokes. I understand that being edgy in this way has long been a part of your public persona. But you are talented and funny in so many other ways. You can still be big without making others feel small, and I’d love to know that your commitment includes a pledge to leave behind this sort of humor.
Best,
~Kate-
Gwenda
Thank you for this comment, Kate.
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E. Kristin Anderson
Thank you for sharing this, Kate. I know it wasn’t easy.
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R.M.Rivera a.k.a. Roberta M. Rivera
Thank you, Kate! Thank you for sharing you account and holding Daniel Handler accountable. I agree with you, there is nothing funny about those jokes. I think, Mr. Daniel Handler owes you a public apology. If he is going to sign this, with, “Yes,” and wants to be part of the solution, then it starts with an apology.
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Stephanie Ruble
Thank you so much for saying this, Kate. These types of jokes are a problem too.
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Ishta Mercurio
Thank you for sharing this, Kate.
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Cheryl Blackford
Thank you for sharing this Kate – a brave act.
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Allie Jane Bruce
Kate, what you’ve said here rings true, all of it.
Daniel, a few years ago when you visited my school, a child in the audience asked “why do you write under the pen name Lemony Snicket?”
You answered, “Lemony Snicket is not a pen name, he is a person. My pen has a name. See? Uniball. It’s named after an obscure medical condition.”
This was to a room full of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders. I was onstage with you, and had no idea what to do in that moment. I ended the event as quickly as possible.
A few minutes later you were out of the building, leaving me to clean up.
It wasn’t sexual harassment, but it was way over the line, and made me feel smaller. You paid no mind to the labor I’d done to facilitate your visit, or the extra labor this joke of yours would cause me. Of course I was there to serve you and your way-too-cool image. Why else would I be there?
Like Kate, after the NBAs, I went into a spiral of “what if I’d said something?” I wondered if the incomparable Jackie Woodson might have been spared a lot of pain. I talked with other women, who told similar stories of jokes from you that should have been out of bounds. Kate, thank you for sharing–I am breathing a little easier knowing I wasn’t the only one.
A few years after that, I felt sick when I read your essay in the Times about how what teenage boys really need is more books with “filthy” and “juicy” sexual content. You congratulated yourself on being a “better feminist” for having read so widely, while claiming that the “guardians of young people’s literature get so easily riled up about sex.” I am here to call bullshit on all of that. I hope my reasons are obvious. Let me know if they are not.
Daniel, I read–and loved–WHY WE BROKE UP. It told me that on some level, you get it. If you meant that “yes”, which you signed above, acknowledge what Kate and I have said, and please, apologize for what you did to us, and for that Times piece.
If you don’t, you will stand firm as someone who collects the benefits of publicly declaring yourself an ally, while privately reinforcing the culture that empowers men at the expense of women. In other words, you will continue to capitalize on our pain.
Sincerely,
Allie-
Gwenda
Thank you for sharing this, Allie.
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Kate Messner
Thank you, Allie. I’m so sorry you had to deal with this on a day that should have been about kids and celebrating reading.
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Tracey Baptiste
Thank you Kate and Allie Jane.
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Martha Brockenbrough
I admire this courage. Thank you, friends.
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Becky Levine
Thank you, Kate and Allie.
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Matthew C Winner
Allie,
Thank you for sharing this. It is appalling and disgusting that Handler would joke this way, and in front of children no less. I am personally grateful for this comment thread and others on the SLJ post and social media recently. There are a number of would-be podcast guests that will not be supported by my platform and I will make sure that friends and colleagues consider this information before considering these men for theirs as well.
_Matthew-
Gwenda
Thank you, Matthew. You’re such an important voice in our community — thank you.
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Kate Messner
Thank you, Matthew – I really appreciate your comment & your voice. Men have so much more power to stop this behavior in other men than women so but are often silent when it happens as well as when people speak up.
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Kimberly Sabatini
Kate–it took a lot of courage to say that and a bottomless amount of class to still hold the door open. Thank you for always being so brave and kind. It’s an incredible combination.
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Jo Knowles
Dear Kate and Allie,
Thank you for sharing these stories. I hope they are widely read, if not responded to by Mr. Handler. These are examples of how powerful words are. These kinds of jokes wound and weaken us, and when they come from people of power, they risk inspiring others to join in. We authors and teachers are role models. People, and especially kids, are watching and listening and learning from us. Nothing should entitle us to a pass when it comes to being decent, thoughtful and kind. This responsibility comes with the job we’ve been extremely fortunate to acquire. And it’s a hell of a lot more rewarding than a cheap laugh.-
Gwenda
Well said.
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Allie Jane Bruce
Thank you so much, everyone, for the support here and on twitter. I so, so appreciate it.
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Kimberly Sabatini
Thank you, Allie <3
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Gwenda
Oof. I just want everyone to know that I emailed Daniel Handler over the weekend, because I thought if he was signing this he’d want to know about the few stories I had of him making women uncomfortable or small (including one of my own) and knock off that type of humor. He responded graciously to me, but it now seems I may have been too charitable. Because for every comment here I’ve received many similar private stories.
ETA on Thursday, Feb. 15: I have emailed links to these comments to him and encouraged him to respond, but I am just so grateful and proud to all of you speaking up here and telling your stories. This is UNACCEPTABLE. It must end or there is NO allyship. I’ve let Daniel know that I’ll have no choice but to remove his name from the final letter if he can’t make a public apology and commit to doing better in the future. Comments like these would certainly violate any decent harassment policy.
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Allie Jane Bruce
Thank you, Lisa, and thank you again (and again and again), Gwenda.
I agree–unacceptable.
And yes, I think we can agree at this point, that Daniel has decided to bury his head in the sand rather than take responsibility for his actions. He stands firm as someone who wants to collect the benefits of publicly declaring himself an ally, while privately reinforcing the culture that empowers men at the expense of women.
I wish I were surprised or disappointed. Nope–just angry.
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Cheryl Blackford
Thank you for speaking out Lisa.
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Lynn Plourde
Part of what is so concerning about all this is the SO UPSET/COULDN’T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT versus NO BIG DEAL/TOUGHEN UP, BUTTERCUP. Thank you to Kate and Allie for coming forward with their specific details and concerns about their experiences with Daniel Handler.
Sexual assault is wrong, sexual harassment is wrong, sexual/suggestive talk in a professional setting is wrong. Different degrees, but all wrong.
Those of us with #METOO experiences whether in the kidlit field or elsewhere have for years questioned ourselves–What did I do wrong? Did I trigger this? How could I have avoided this? How can I avoid this in the future? What can I say? What can I do? Who can I tell? Who will believe me (I’m not powerful)? We have played what happened over and over in our minds and even more of a replay with our emotions. We remember every sleazy, dirty detail. It made us sick to our stomachs then. It still makes us sick to our stomachs years later.
My guess is that the “locker room” talk type may actually blow this off as “no big deal.” It’s funny to them. Other guys laugh. It couldn’t be such a big deal since they don’t remember it the same way, all those details. “Don’t be so sensitive.” “No harm meant.”
Harm DEALT. Harm DEALT BIG TIME! Women have suffered silently for years. Have resigned ourselves to “It’s part of being a woman.” “There’s nothing we can do about it.”
Time’s up! Times have changed. There’s lots we can do and we’ve only just begun. We won’t be passive anymore. We will call out sexual harassers and sexual talkers. The excuses of “I didn’t know.” “No harm meant.” won’t cut it anymore. You’ve been warned. It’s your choice, harassers. Change your behavior. Respect is a two-way street. It’s your career–if you want to blow up your career with bad behavior, YOU are making that choice. We aren’t. We’re standing up for ourselves, for each other, for what’s right. We choose to live in a world that’s harassment-free and bully-free. Join us or get out of the way!
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Rosanne Parry
Kate and Allie Jane, thank you for speaking up. I had a similar experience with Mr. Handler.
Years ago we were both guests of Oregon Literary Arts, and you made a crass and belittling joke to me. Before I could even respond to you a 16 year old girl stepped between us, gave you a hard stare and said–Dude, you have to stop talking to women like that. And in response you said something crass to a child, someone half your size and not old enough to vote. This teenager again said–Dude, I have a blackbelt and I’m telling you, you, have to stop talking like that to women. At which point you sauntered off without acknowledgement or apology.
I don’t think you’re a monster, Mr. Handler. I think you’re a person who is socially ill at ease who has chosen to cope by using the belittling humor and sarcasm that serves you well on the page but poorly in life. The time for that humor is up. I’m not equating this experience with sexual predation, but I do believe that tolerating crass and belittling behavior creates a climate where more egregious predation is possible.Gwenda, I am very happy to see the final paragraph in your remarks above addressed to publishers. They are in the best position to take action with authors who are predators and also with the ones who are socially clueless. In addition to writing books, I am a bookseller at an indie bookshop. When we have trouble with an author’s behavior at an event, we contact the publicist. It happens very rarely. 99% of our authors, including the men, are lovely and gracious people. But the few who aren’t do real harm. Like Kate I can’t help thinking that if I and many others had spoken to Mr. Handler’s publisher about the inappropriate remarks he’d been making for years, they would have chosen someone else to represent children’s literature at the National Book Awards.
Thank you for pulling these resources together. Sign me up as one who is already working on clearer policies at my local SCBWI and other writer’s organizations in town.
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Gwenda
Thank you for sharing your story. I am still hoping that Daniel will show up here and apologize to everyone who’s been caused hurt by thoughtless and inappropriate comments (which I’ve communicated to him). It IS time for this not-funny humor to end.
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Debbi Florence
Dear Kate and Allie,
Thank you for sharing, for being brave, for speaking up in a kind, respectful, but honest way. I hope the response is just as respectful. HUGS! xoxo
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Cynthia Lord
Just want to tell you how much I love and admire you, Kate. Thank you for sharing this.
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Gwenda
Another thought on this that just hit me and I don’t know why I didn’t think of it this way before and maybe this makes clearer what’s so problematic about this in terms of “why wouldn’t I behave this way?” (I mean, lots of reasons, but) — when you make sexualized jokes with women (and girls, for that matter) you don’t know or just met, you have NO IDEA whether they are assault or abuse or rape survivors and it’s a fair bet at least some of them are. No matter what setting it’s in.
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Angie Manfredi
Mr. Handler: at the 2011 ALA Conference in NOLA at the Printz reception I was with a group of fellow librarians who were all too intimidated to talk to you. After all, you’re Lemony Snicket. I wasn’t intimidated. When I approached you, I opened with this: “My friends were too afraid to come talk to you, but I’m not afraid.” You were surrounded by fellow publishing big names, I was a solo female librarian, a nobody and a stranger to you. You looked right at me and said, “If you’re not afraid, go knock on the door of (some random room number) and make out with whoever answers.”
I have NEVER EVER forgotten this. It was clear you thought this was quite the clever riposte – but I was a stranger to you, a woman, and someone with ostensibly much less power than you. I was, it was obvious, a fan. And, in front of a large group of ALL of our peers (they’re just as much my peers as yours) you decided to open with a sexual implication about what I should do with my body. (with a total stranger. And those are the kind of decisions I like to make on my own, thanks.) It wasn’t funny. And it didn’t intimidate or belittle or humiliate me, though it felt like that was your goal. It just made me so sad for all the time I’d spent admiring your wit and your style. And it made me angry for the other women of all ages I knew you’d reduce and try to belittle.
You can keep ignoring these comments, but they won’t go away. Think on that.
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Allie Jane Bruce
Thank you for sharing this story, Angie, and for naming that “never forget” quality. Daniel, every time a kid asks me for help finding your books, my chest tightens a bit. Every time I see an ad on Netflix for your series, my gut clenches. I will never, ever forget.
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Gwenda
Angie, thank you for posting this. I can also add that for every comment here, I’ve had at least two come in privately (or more). This behavior has to stop.
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Kate Messner
Angie, thank you for posting this. Like Gwenda, in addition to what’s posted here, I’ve gotten private notes with similar stories from people who didn’t want to speak up publicly. It needs to stop.
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Veronica Bartles
Thank you Kate & Allie & Angie & Gwenda … everyone who is courageously stepping forward. I admire your bravery. *hugs*
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Paula Willey
Yep. Yep yep yep. I will never forget the Guys Read panel at ALA in Anaheim during which Daniel decided it was appropriate to read a lengthy – lengthy- explicit makeout passage from Oscar Hijuelos’ Mambo Kings, at the culmination of which the male character had his whole fist in.
And then Daniel closed the book and said “Oh I’m sorry, I thought we were talking about what boys want to read.”
Not respectful to the (majority female) audience and not respectful to boys either.
And then afterwards, when my husband was introduced to him, he made an icky comment implying/denying a physical relationship between us. I do sincerely believe that these “jokes” are a symptom of a vast social discomfort especially with women, but it’s been years now. Do some work. Fix that.
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Dana Reinhardt
I’ve hesitated before responding to this thread about Daniel Handler because I am aware of how it might be received, but then not speaking up out of fear of retribution feels both wrong and ironic.
So here goes. I do hope a reasonable discussion can follow. Or at least a fair hearing of what I’m trying to say.
I am a lifelong feminist who has watched the recent turning of tides with pride and exhilaration, however, as many other smarter women have written, there are dangers and pitfalls to this powerful movement and I fear that what I’m seeing happen on this thread to Daniel Handler is a perfect example. To be clear: I am not discounting or undercutting anyone’s truth. I am willing to take every single story told here at face value. In other words: I believe the women who have come forward. But in all these cases, at least the stories I’ve read here, the ones made public, Handler is telling a joke that the listener did not think was funny. Or maybe thought was inappropriate. This is not sexual assault and it is not sexual harassment and to equate the stories here with assault and harassment both undercuts the seriousness of these problems and unfairly tarnishes a decent human being who happens to be a famous man. In none of these cases was Handler someone’s boss. In none of these instances did he inappropriately touch anyone. He made a joke (or in one accusation, he read aloud a scene from a Pulitzer prize winning novel) and sure, maybe you didn’t think the jokes were funny, or maybe they even offended you, but does it really seem just to excoriate him like this in a public forum and then shame him for not wading in to defend himself and/or apologize? Because it doesn’t seem right to me.-
Gwenda
That would perhaps be true if these were private conversations — but they occurred in professional settings and *that* is sexual harassment. You don’t find it all unusual that the stories — going all the way back to the watermelon joke — manage to belittle women or put women in an awkward position? I believe Daniel can be funny without making women the butt of his jokes IN THEIR WORKPLACE.
And obviously there will be no ‘retribution.’ Everyone is welcome to their opinion. That said, I’m curious… if this were any workplace besides a creative one, would you think these types of jokes were appropriate? If it was a meeting in a school principal’s office and the principal made these jokes to a teacher would that be just bad jokes? Or would it create a hostile work environment? I know you say he’s no one’s boss and that’s true — but he is at the top of the power hierarchy. I’m just asking to consider it from that POV.
I contacted Daniel privately because I was willing to have that conversation with him in private, but not everyone can do that. The first time I met Daniel at a conference reception he referred to me in front of other people as a “hot blonde.” This is necessarily an uncomfortable conversation but it’s an essential one. Sexual harassment exists on a scale. I firmly believe this is on it.
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Kate Messner
Hi, Dana – Thanks for sharing your thoughts. As I noted quite clearly in my comment, we’re talking about a whole spectrum of behaviors, all of which contribute to the bigger problem. As I also noted above, I’ve never heard anyone suggest that Daniel Handler is some kind of sexual predator. But his patterns of behavior would indeed violate many companies’ policies on sexual harassment.
It is difficult for me to imagine anyone reading the comment I wrote above and using the word “excorciate” to describe it. I think it’s important to remember that individual people have the right to share their stories in situations like this. When there are many such stories (the ones shared publicly here are a fraction of what Gwenda and I have received in our inboxes) the effect of people speaking up can feel like a pile-on. I get that. But just because someone has exhibited a behavior with a large number of women doesn’t mean those women are required to be silent about it to avoid that effect.
I don’t wish Mr. Handler harm. My wish is still exactly what I asked for in my original comment that he’s ignored for nearly a week now – that he’ll read these stories, reflect, and change so that other women aren’t made to feel this way when they’re trying to do their jobs.
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Paula
Agreed, Lisa. If nobody else had noted their discomfort I would put it down to a personal response (and that of my husband, who is not a participant in our industry and whose response was not colored by any “rockstar” preconceptions). It just seems to be a pattern of emphasizing difference: the watermelon thing, you have boobs so that’s what I’m going to talk about, pointing out height, hair color, hotness … and that emphasis, regardless of intent, reduces its object.
Similarly, picking out ‘the dirty part’ from an acclaimed novel as the part that boys would be most interested in reduces them.
I wish this didn’t have to all get worked out in a public forum, but it’s only in the aggregate that this behavior appears notable. And I think it’s worth it for all of us, not just men, to see what a pattern looks like. God knows I am one of the rudest people I know, and this conversation has prompted a lot of reflection.-
Gwenda
Some great points here, Paula. I don’t think anyone here wants to shame Daniel Handler — I think we are all engaging from a place of honestly hoping he wants to not go around carelessly hurting people with comments like these. And, for my own part, now that this conversation IS happening in public (and had to, for people to be heard and see what others have experienced) I hope it can also be something that causes other people to reflect about what type of humor is okay when and where and it sounds like that’s already the case.
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Sabrina fedel
Kate,
Your comments did not excoriate, and the incidents that you and others have brought up were all in professional settings. Before I was an author, I was an attorney, and the persistent culture of men in that field toward me where I was belittled-sometimes openly and sometimes veiled in a joke-was something I thought I just had to accept. Because people are speaking out, we no longer have to accept these persistent, targeted microagrressions. Thank you for speaking out because it is in the aggregate that these kinds of microagrrssions matter and do harm to women and other marginalized groups. Individually, these microaggressions seem small, but their aggregate impact is to lessen, demean, and sometimes ultimately silence those targeted. Anyone can make a badly judged joke. But when there is a pattern of behavior-over time and across events-and we all remain silent because we don’t know what has been done to others and we feel that our experience is (again) “too little” to “make a federal case” out of it, then we are demeaned and lessened and silenced. And these men who are constantly operating in this way are validated that their behavior is somehow okay, when it is anything but okay. So thank you, because it takes, in my opinion, authors (or celebreries in any industry) who have name recognition and sucess to have the power to call out these men and not to be dismissed as unequal women seeking attention. Thank you for risking the possible (and now effective) backlash to speak up for others who have felt powerless, and thank you to everyone who has exposed this pattern of microaggression. Only when we stand together can these changes be made. I don’t want my daughter to have to “deal with it.” I want her to wonder that it ever happened to the women before her at all.
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Cheryl Blackford
Dana, nothing is “happening to” Daniel Handler on this thread. Comments he made are being discussed. If your elementary-age child was in the room where he referred to Uniball as a male medical condition, would you laugh about his little “joke”? If your child was attending a Children’s literature festival and heard him yell “Are you a virgin too?” Would you think it was funny? These are absolutely examples of sexual harassment and they are not isolated incidents – he has made many women uncomfortable with his crude remarks. His position of power within the publishing industry means that women are reluctant to speak out when he does this. For authors book festivals, school visits and conferences are their workplaces. This unacceptable behavior equates to sexual harassment at work. Daniel Handler is responsible for his own actions and his silence on this speaks volumes.
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Becky Scharnhorst
Signed!
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Court Stevens
Signed!
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Brendan Reichs
Signed. We must advocate for clear, strict, and non-negotiable zero tolerance sexual harassment policies at all kid-lit events.
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Elisa Zied
Thank you so much for doing this. The kidlit community is truly incredible and it pains me to think it’s been at all tainted by such wrong, inappropriate, unacceptable and harmful behavior. Hopefully, this conversation will lead to changes that will result in everyone in the community feeling and being safe and respected. Kudos to you for being a vital part of the change, and for helping all of us participate in that effort.
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Kate Hart
+1
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Stephanie Kuehn
Signed. Thank you.
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Kaitlin Ward
Signed. Thank you for doing this, Gwenda!
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Elisa Zied
Signed. Thank you so much for doing this. The kidlit community is truly incredible and it pains me to think it’s been at all tainted by such wrong, inappropriate, unacceptable and harmful behavior. Hopefully, this conversation will lead to changes that will result in everyone in the community feeling and being safe and respected. Kudos to you for being a vital part of the change, and for helping all of us participate in that effort.
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Courtney Summers
Signed.
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Phoebe N North
Signed!
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Kody Keplinger
Signed.
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Joseph Taylor
Happy to sign. Thank you for helping us to take this important step.
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Jilanne Hoffmann
signed
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Fran Manushkin
I would sign, but I don’t see a link for it.
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Fran Manushkin
Signed!
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Becky Albertalli
Signed. Thank you for this. <3
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Anne Sibley O’Brien
Signed
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Julie Rowan-Zoch
Signed
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Brent Hartinger
Signed (and then some!)
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Jennifer DuBose
Signed!
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S.E. Sinkhorn
Signed.
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Erin Dionne
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda!
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Shauna Granger
Signed!
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Molly Beth Griffin
Signed. Thank you!
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Larissa Hardesty
Signed. And thank you.
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Miriam Busch
Signed.
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Veronica Roth
Signed!
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Somaiya Daud
Signed.
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Donalyn Miller
Signed. Thank you.
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Matty Daley
Signed.
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Kathleen Glasgow
Signed
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Kathleen Glasgow
Signed!
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Robin Herrera
Signed.
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Margo Kelly
Yes. Signed. Thank you.
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Cathy Camper
Signed. Thanks for creating language to make it happen!
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Joni Nemeth
Thank you.
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Carol Brendler
Signing on.
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Carol Brendler
Returning to this post again to read all the new comments and thinking about how Gwenda is just the right person to spearhead this project—informed, energetic, and immensely well spoken. Just sayin’ thanks, Gwenda.
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Gwenda
I missed this, lady. Thank you. Means the world coming from you. <3
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Stephanie Olivieri
Yes to this. Consider me signed as well. THANK YOU!
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Emily Wayne
Consider me signed.
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Jocelyn Rish
Thank you for leading the charge. Signed.
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Anne Sibley O’Brien
Signed. (Tried earlier multiple times but it didn’t “take.”)
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Maria Selke
I’m not an author – but I’m signing as a reader, as a teacher, as a fan of kidlit. I see the names listed here, and I thank you all.
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Joan Raphael
Yes, Maria has a great point. I am a reader who buys books and a retired librarian. If I still worked, I would be reluctant to recommend David Diaz’s work. Of course, if specifically asked, I would immediately find it for the person. I would be interested in knowing that my dollars are not going to men and women who do not respect other’s humanity. Apparently David Diaz (my system has a bench painted by him which I’ll never sit on again!) was known in the industry. We readers deserve to know such things as well. Please reach out to readers and let us be aware of what sort of person we are supporting with our money.
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Erica Secor
Signed ❤️
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Tracey Baptiste
Signed. Thanks Gwenda!
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Bethany Olson
Signing as a teacher, a reader, and mother of an aspiring author…that when she joins your ranks, none of this issue will remain.
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Kristy Acevedo
Signed. Thank you for this.
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Elizabeth Dulemba
Add my name! Thank you! e
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Elisa Nader
All of this! Yes! Signed.
And thank you, Gwenda.
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Robert Hardy
Signed.
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Alexia Andoni
Signed. Thank you!
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Barb Collie
Signed!
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Kat Howard
Signed.
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Marla Frazee
SIGNED!
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Gail Nall
Signed!
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Jennifer Naughton
Signed
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Traci Sorell
Signed. Thanks!
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Carrie Jones
Thank you, Gwenda.
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Carrie Jones
And please add me as signed if that wasn’t obvious in my thank you! My brain is so broken.
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Gwenda
I got you!
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Gina Perry
Signed. And thank you, Gwenda.
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Hannah Schultz
Signed. As someone who hopes to join this community after my MFA, I’m thankful for all the authors fighting for transparency for this issue and hopeful that change will happen soon!
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Minh Le
Signed (and thank you)
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Brian lies
Please add me as signed! Thanks for putting this together. It’s essential.
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Sheela Chari
Signed. Thank you for putting this together.
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Rebecca Petruck
Signed. With great hope and love.
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Bianca Schulze
Signed!
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Hannah Holt
Signed.
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Pam Warren
Signed. Thank you.
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Clo Carey
Add me too, please! And thanks for doing this.
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Shae McDaniel
Signed!
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Andrea Wang
Signed! Thank you!
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Nathan Lyon
Signed.
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Diane Magras
Thank you so much for doing this. Signed, with pride.
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Jen Cervantes
Signed
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Dawn Metcalf
Signed. And underlined. Thank you!
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Cynthia Leitich Smith
Signed.
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beth phelan
Signed, and thank you.
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Grace lin
Signed
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Louise Hawes
Signed,
with thanks! -
Tamara Ireland Stone
Thank you, Gwenda. Signed.
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Tom Birdseye
Signed. Thank you for spearheading this!
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David Gill
Signed.
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David Macinnis Gill
Signed.
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William Alexander
Signed.
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Joey Paul
Signed thank you
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Melinda
Gwenda, I love this. Hell yes they need to sign on with this, and add in Jo’s addendum as well. Cosigned with a signature you can see from freaking space.
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Marissa Doyle
Signed!
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Liz Garton Scanlon
Signed and also thank you.
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Stephanie Burgis
Signed.
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Liz Garton Scanlon
Signed and thank you
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Melanie Conklin
Thanks for organizing this, Gwenda. I’m happy to sign.
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Michael Northrop
Signed!
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Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
signed
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Kelly Ramsdell
Signed. And thank you.
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Patrick Nielsen Hayden
Signed.
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Tracy Abell
Signed.
I’m a former conference organizer for my local SCBWI chapter and am sickened to think women may have felt unsafe at those conferences. Thank you for this, Gwenda. -
Patrick Samphire
Signed!
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Holly Westlund
Signed
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Rae Carson
Signed
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A.S. King
Signed and thank you.
I would like to thank you extra for stressing that having a policy listing resources to contact if one is harassed at a conference/festival is a good idea. I had a world-shattering situation a few years ago and we could not report it. And the woman at my publishing house who was in charge of my being at that event did nothing about it. Every organization who runs professional conferences or festivals should have a contact in place–someone who is NOT in charge, but who is there to field complaints.-
Gwenda
I am so very sorry that happened to you. And yes, yes they should.
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Anne Broyles
I’m so sorry this happened to you. I’m hoping things are about to change so other women won’t have to have their lives shattered.
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Samantha Mabry
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Darby Karchut
Signed! And thank you!
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Kelly Jones
Signed. Thank you.
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Sarah Albee
Signed!
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Hannah Barnaby
Signed! Emphatically!
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Amy Sundberg
Signed, and thank you.
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Heather Tomlinson
Signed! Thank you for drafting this.
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Carter Higgins
Signed.
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Laurie L Young
Signed. Thank you for stepping up.
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Anne Broyles
I’m with you. Signed.
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Angela Matteson
Signed. And thank you.
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Heather W. Petty
Signed! Thank you so much, Gwenda! This is brilliant.
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Stephanie Scott
Signed
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Sharon Levin
Absolutely add my name! Thank you for doing this
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Bill Cameron
Count me in.
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Nanci Tirner Steveson
Signed and thank you. It’s time. N.
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Ronni Davis
Signed.
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Erin Murphy
Can those of us in the industry who aren’t writers sign? If so, please add me.
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Gwenda
Absolutely!
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Patti Brown
Signed & shared. Thanks, Gwenda.
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Emily Martin
Signed.
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Emma Trevayne
Signed.
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Jeff Dougan
I am neither author nor illustrator, but I’m a parent, a high school science teacher, and a devoted fan of several people who have already signed this.
I tend to frequent SFF/gaming conventions, and aside from one commitment I don’t feel I can ethically break (folks counting on me to help teach a couple games to tweens), I promise to actively pay attention to the existence and content of harassment policies. So consider me signed, with the added promise to be an available third party for anybody who needs an ear, a shoulder, a rock.
Could I suggest that you & Mr Scalzi maintain, or find someone to maintain, a list of SFF/kidlit/gaming conventions whose policies meet the tests above?
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Leslie Hawkins
Author Alexandra Duncan and some others have been putting together just such a list, if you’d like to check it out and/or add to it: http://bit.ly/2su3VN2.
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Gwenda
Duh! I knew this and have tweeted it but haven’t had a chance to look! I will add it to the follow-up post when I compile and post the final letter with everyone’s names. THANK YOU!
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Kate Messner
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Emma D. Dryden
Please add my name as a signer. Thanks!
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Heather Bouwman
Signed. Thank you.
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Marietta B. Zacker
Thank you, and yes, please add my name.
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Robin Galbraith
Signed. Thank you for doing this.
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Laura Sebastian
Signed!
Thank you so much for putting this together, Gwenda. As a new author, reading Anne’s article was eye-opening and scary, but I truly believe there are more good people in this industry than bad ones, and this letter is an excellent way to make it harder for the bad ones to thrive.
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Jan Gangsei
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Caleb Zane Huett
Signed!!
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Daniel José Older
Signed and thank you
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Alison Cherry
Signed! Thank you, Gwenda.
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Daniel Mauleon
Signed
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Aaron Starmer
Signed. Many thanks, Gwenda.
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Ally Condie
Signed. Let’s do this.
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Janet Fox
So important. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Janet Fox
Signed. Thank you.
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Crystal Perkins
Signed.
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Erica Chapman
Signed. Thank you!
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Nancy Werlin
Signed.
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Rebecca Behrens
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda
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Dana Mele
Signed
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Eric Smith
Signed. Thank you for doing this work.
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Stephanie Ruble
Signed!
Hopefully it will show up this time. Thank you for this, Gwenda!
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Kim Cohen
Signed and *in solidarity. I also think that it is crucial that organizations and conferences do some work to collect data themselves. In K-12 schools, there are climate surveys to gauge how safe and inclusive students, staff, teachers, parents, etc. feel schools are and how responsive they are when dealing with issues. This is what we need. I’m grateful that @AnneUrsu took it upon herself to collect research, but this should be a new and formal commitment to collect post-conference anonymous data.
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Mira Reisberg
This is an excellent idea! It’s sad that we need some kind of accountability, but clearly we do.
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Jaime questell
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda!
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Jennifer Laughran
Signed! Thanks, Gwenda.
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Susan Tan
Signed! Many many thanks!
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Brittany Cavallaro
Signed.
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Kell Andrews
Signed .
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Catherine Rose
Signed
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Martha Brockenbrough
Signed with gratitude.
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Diane Zahler
Signed.
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Diana Gill
Signed. Thank you Gwenda.
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Karen Rivers
Signed.
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Tatum Layne
Signed.
I don’t know who it happened to and I don’t know who was the abuser, but that doesn’t matter in the slightest. It shouldn’t happen in any line of work.
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Jennifer
Signed.
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Michelle Schusterman
Signed, and thank you.
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Janet Sumner Johnson
Signed. Thank you for doing this, Gwenda!
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Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
signed.
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Jamie Forgacs
Signed, and thank you to all.
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Nova Ren Suma
Signed.
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Lindsay Ribar
Signed!
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Linda Sue Park
Signed, with thanks.
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Lisa Schroeder
Signed and adding my thanks to the chorus.
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Melanie Crowder
signed
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J.C. Lillis
Please add me as signed. Thank you, Gwenda!
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Shaun David Hutchinson
Signed! And thank you.
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Kara Thomas
Signed.
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Leslie Connor
Signed!
Heartfelt thanks, Gwenda. -
Rachel Lynn Solomon
Signed. Thank you.
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Steven Schend
Signed in solidarity
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Katie L. Carroll
Signed
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Laurie Devore
Signed.
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E. Kristin Anderson
Signed. As I said on Twitter in a jillion-word thread, we need to end this “you’ll never eat lunch in this town again!” culture where even having a dissenting opinion on a bestselling novel can land you in social pariah jail. It’s not okay, it keeps women/nonbinary people silent, and it keeps abusers in power. Thank you for doing this, Gwenda.
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Lauren Thoman
Signed.
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Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Happy to sign this. Thank you, Gwenda!
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Sarah Prineas
Signed in support of the women who have spoken up–and in support of those who can’t.
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Shenwei Chang
Signed.
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A. L. LeGore
Signed. As someone coordinating school visits for a new and growing book festival, your linked resources helped me draft our first Code of Conduct and it will be going to our board for approval and use in our 2018 festival. Thank you.
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Shae Carys
Signed, and thank you. Having been put into too many uncomfortable positions by trusted “friends” in my life, I never thought the day would come where this conversation would be happening on such a broad scale. I’m beyond happy that it’s happening, and, again, thank you for your part in it, Gwenda.
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Michael M. Jones
Signed as a writer, reviewer, editor, student, and of course as a rational human being. I believe our community should be safe.
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Lisa Freund
Signed.
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Teri Hall
I never attended even a single conference precisely because I heard about how they are and have already been injured enough by #MeToo sorts of things in my life. I wanted to keep my writing safe and separate from those memories. In choosing this, I have isolated myself from a great community, but I just never wanted to take a chance that my writing, which has saved my life, might be muddled with crap. But this is a wonderful, brave, REQUIRED effort, and if signing can help, I sign! Let’s hope it’s beginning to truly change.
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Ellen Wittlinger
This may be the second time I’ve signed–wasn’t sure it went through the first time. Thank you, Gwenda!
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Lorin Oberweger
So important. Signed.
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Andrea Cremer
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Katie Bayerl
Signed
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Tracy Holczer
Signed.
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Robyn Schneider
Signed, with thanks.
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Bethany hegedua
Signed. And we are working on a policy here at The Writing Barn and will add it to our website soon as well as make sure all faculty and attendees have printed copies at events.
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Tina Barbour
Signed as an aspiring kid lit author who wants us all to feel safe and be safe. Thank you.
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Nikki Loftin
Thank you for your leadership, Gwenda. Signed.
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Tina Barbour
I’m sorry if I show up twice. I’m signing as an aspiring kid lit author who wants us all to feel safe and be safe.
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Monica Edinger
Signed.
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Lindsey Leavitt
Signed with gusto
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Christina June
Signed. Thank you. <3
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Jess Capelle
Signed. Thank you Gwenda.
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Sylvia Liu
Yes, thank you.
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DongWon Song
Signed!
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Jess Capelle
Sorry if this shows up twice but signed with thanks.
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Lauren Wengrovitz
Signed! Thank you for doing this.
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Suzanne Lazear
signed.
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Kathi Appelt
Signed baby, signed!
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Sara Lewis Holmes
Signed. Change takes all of us. Thank you.
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Julia Ember
Signed!
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Cheryl Klein
Signed for myself as an author and presenter, and as an editor, I will have a conversation with people in my house about publicizing our policies. Thank you.
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Gwenda
Thank you, Cheryl!
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Heather Bouwman
Tried to sign before, but it looks like it didn’t go through. So–signing again! 🙂 Thank you, Gwenda.
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Gae Polisner
This is a perfect and necessary starting point, and a no-brainer for these entities to have such clear and visible policies in place.
Signed.
Gae Polisner
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Nora Raleigh Baskin
signed
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Casey Lyall
Signed. Thank you.
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Henry Neff
Signed. Thank you for doing this, and for proposing concrete steps to improve the industry and culture. Onward and upward.
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Kati Gardner
Signed
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R.M.Rivera a.k.a. Roberta M. Rivera
Signed. Sealed and delivered. Thank you, Gwenda. I’m unpublished illustrator in the traditional kidlit publishing. I’m a SCBWI member and I support this. Again, thank you, Gwenda!
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Rae Chang
Emphatically signed
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R.J. Anderson
Signed, with thanks to Anne, Gwenda, Kate and others in this thread and elsewhere who have contributed to this important conversation.
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Wendy Shang
Signed – and thank you.
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Brad McLelland
Signed, and THANK YOU.
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Kristin O’Donnell Tubb
Signed with much gratitude, Gwenda.
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Lindsay Beth
Signed.
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Katie Cotugno
Signed!
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Sarah Cannon
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda!
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Stephanie Diaz
Signed!
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Melanie Stanford
Signed.
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Nina LaCour
Signed.
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Christina Diaz Gonzalez
Signed! Thank you Gwenda.
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Saundra Mitchell
Signed.
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Mindy McGinnis
Signed
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Phil Bildner
Please add my name. Signed. Thank you. Thank you for all of this.
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Dean Gloster
Signed.
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Jennifer Mathieu
Signed. Thank you.
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Zach J. Payne
As an aspiring writer who hopes to be part of this community someday, signed.
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Joanne Stapley
I am a book blogger from the UK. If that’s not a problem, then I’ll sign this, too.
Thank you for all you’re doing to raise awareness, and to create change.
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Jenny Moss
Signed.
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Henry Herz
Signed.
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Kir Talmage
I’m wholly in favor of having public, enforced, anti-harassment policies of the Scalzi-style. Thank you.
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Kelly Light
Change please. now. Thanks. Agreed.
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Austin Siegemund-Broka
Signed on behalf of myself and my writing partner, Emily Wibberley. Thank you for this!
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Brook Gideon
Signed. Yes please and thank you.
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Ashley Poston
Signed.
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Brooks Sherman
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Brigid Kemmerer
Signed. Thank you so much for doing this.
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Mark Thurber
Signed.
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julie murphy
Signed!
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Dahlia Adler
Signed. Thanks, Gwenda.
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Jo Whittemore
SIGNED! A couple years ago I spoke at a conference and was emailed by an attendee who wrote the following:
[You were speaking of your early successes and said, “and then I sold a piece, and then I sold a piece, and then I sold a piece.” You are an attractive woman and can only get away with saying that once. After that you lose context and all the men in the audience are reaching for their wallets.]
The conference chairs immediately dealt with him when I told them, but ALL conferences/festivals/conventions should make this plain to attendees. And this should never be acceptable human behavior to begin with. -
Mike Winchell
Signed
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Kate Rudd
Stepping over from the audiobook community to say thank you! Wholeheartedly signed.
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J.A. White
Signed. Thank you!
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Christine Lynn Herman
Signed. Thank you so much, Gwenda.
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Sarah J. Schmitt
Signed because even one moment where any woman feels unsafe is one too many.
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Aliza Weinberger
Signed, as someone who writes about books and runs book events. Thanks for doing this, Gwenda!
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SAMIRA AHMED
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Meredith Ireland
Signed! Thank you
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Veronica Bane
Signed. Thank you.
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Katie Slivensky
Signed. And thank you.
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Dana Alison Levy
Signed and so grateful, Gwenda, that you are taking this on. You’re right…we need to be our own heroes of this story.
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Jennifer Dugan
Signed. Thank you for this.
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Kristin L. Gray
Signed.
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Mary McCoy
Signed, and thank you.
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Sarah LaPolla
Signed. Thank you so much for this, Gwenda and everyone else signing as well. <3
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Patricia Valdez
Signed
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Malinda Lo
Signed. Thank you Gwenda!
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Sam Brody
Signed, and thank you, Gwenda.
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Sarah LaPolla
Signed. (Tech difficulties might make me double-signed but I’m OK with that!) Thank you for this. <3
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Alexandra Duncan
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda!
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Jen Petro-Roy
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Matthew Cody
Signed. Thanks for this, Gwenda.
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Alexander Slater
Signed, with gratitude.
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Jeannine Atkins
Signed, with sincere thanks.
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Katy Manck
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Susan Rankin-Pollard
Please add my name and note that I am the illustrator coordinator for San Francisco South.
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Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic
Thank you, Susan. I am hopeful our chapter — and all chapters — will have directives and procedures hammered out soon, much in the way Florida does. https://florida.scbwi.org/official-scbwi-anti-harassment-policy/
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Samantha Grenier
Signed <3
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Joy Keller
SIGNED! Thank you, Gwenda.
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Jacqueline Garlick
Signed with thanks! Good job Gwenda!
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Anthony Piraino
Signed. Thank you, and Anne, and everyone else leading the way on this issue.
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Lindsey Anderson
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Michelle Hodkin
Signed. And Gwenda–thank you, thank you, thank you.
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Amy Kenney
Signed.
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Jennifer Jacobson
Signed. Thank you!
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Lisa L. Owens
Signed.
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Kate Berube
Signed
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Jess Creaden
Signed!
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Jennifer Azantian
Signed. Thank you so much for standing up, Gwenda.
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Andrew Forrester
I’m not yet published, but I am agented, and this seems like the right way to start my career. Signed!
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Pamela Penza
Signed
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Dow Phumiruk
Signed.
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Jacob Devlin
Signed! Thank you!
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Ishta Mercurio
Signed.
Thank you, Gwenda. -
Jill Diamond
Signed.
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Keely Parrack
Signed. Thank you.
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Sarah Willis
Signed. Thank you.
-
Jenn Bennett
Signed.
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Caleb Roehrig
Signed!
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Janae Marks
Signed. Thank you so much for doing this.
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Jennifer Austin
Signed!!
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Tobias Salem
I’m not a published writer (yet, anyway). But I’m committing to this. Harassment has no place in our society. Lit conventions/conferences need to do what they can to prevent it. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry for all who’ve experienced such behavior. I’ve pledged to have the hard conversations with male friends, coworkers and family.
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Jessica Day George
Signed.
Thank you, Gwenda.
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Margaret Owen
Signed. Thank you for doing this.
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Allie Jane Bruce
Signed.
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Pat Zietlow Miller
Signed. Thank you.
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Sara Crowe
Signed. And thank you!!
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Melissa Sarno
Signed. Thank you.
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Stephanie Haft
Signed!
I’m just a reader and amateur writer, but here to support what’s right.
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Rin Chupeco
Signed, and thank you so much for this, Gwenda.
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Will Taylor
Signed, and thank you!
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Christina Soontornvat
Signed. Thank you so much, Gwenda.
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Sarah Krammen
Signed.
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Melissa Hed
Signed. Thank you for this, Gwenda. It’s so important.
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Hannah Moushabeck
Signed! Thank you.
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Cheryl Blackford
Signed. And thank you for this Gwenda.
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Margaret Dilloway
Signed. Thank you!
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Lyla Lawless
Signed.
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Katie Doyle
Signed
I’m no where near being invited or asked to go to a conference or festival, but I think it’s important to support this and the victims, both anonymous and not, that have come forward.
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Gibran Graham
Signed.
Thank you! -
Justin Colussy-Estes
Signed! Thanks, Gwenda.
As a member of the programming committee of a book festival, I cannot thank you enough for this– I’ve been anticipating this conversation with dread, but now, with the tools and voices here, I’m excited for us to take this up. Thanks to you all, every brave person whose has contributed here.-
Gwenda
Fist-bump, Justin!
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Ailynn Knox-Collins
Signed. Thank you.
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Katie Kennedy
Signed.
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Wendy Mass
Signed! Thank you!
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Whitney Leader-Picone
Signed.
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Jennifer Coryell
Signed! Thank you!
-
Lauren Spieller
Signed.
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Tasslyn Magnusson
Signed. Thank you.
-
Seth Fishman
Signed. That I had to scroll and scroll to be able to was heartening. Thank you Gwenda and everyone for lighting the way.
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Anna Raff
Signed.
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Aubrey Poole
Signed.
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Kelly Gallucci
Signed and thank you <3
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Margo Sorenson
signed
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Roshani Chokshi
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda!
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Janet Geddis
Signed.
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Cyndi Marko
Signed! And thank you.
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Hannah Moskowitz
signed, thank you.
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Alanna Rossi
Signed.
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Robison Wells
SIGNED.
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Kat Yeh
Please add me. And thank you, Gwenda.
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Lyn Miller-Lachmann
Signed. Thank you for doing this, Gwenda!
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Alison Morris
Signed! Thank you so much for doing this.
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Julie Segal Walters
Signed. With much gratitude.
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Robyn Arend
Signed
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matt mikalatos
Signed. Thank you.
-
Pete Knapp
Signed. Thank you for this.
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Carla Mino
Signed.
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Samantha Berger
Signed so hard.
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Megan and Jorge Lacera
Signed. Thank you!
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Coert Voorhees
Signed.
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Nora Ericson
Signed
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Jessica Spotswood
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Tara Dairman
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Mackenzi Lee
Signed. <3 <3 <3
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Mackenzi Lee
Signed <3 <3 <3
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Jeremy West
Signed and seconded. Thank you for this!
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Rotem Moscovich
Signed!
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Lisa Super
Signed. Thank you.
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Kathryn Ault Noble
Signed. Thank you!
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Janel Kolby
Signed
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Cassandra Whetstone
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Mark McNulty
Consider this signed. I wish I was a bigger fish in this pond and could be an even greater influence… make an even greater difference. I definitely need to get writing more. But whether I forever remain on the outside fringe looking in or I become a national bestseller, my pledge will always be with me, close to my heart.
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Lisa Yee
Signed.
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Brandy Colbert
Signed. Thank you.
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Francina Simone
Signed!! Thanks Gwenda!
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Brie Spangler
Signed!
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Shannon Messenger
Been offline for deadlines and just saw this, so I’m a little late but–signed and thank you!
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Greg Pincus
Signed. And thank you for not waiting….
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Sarah Kettles
Signed. Thank you!
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Robin Kirk
Thank you!
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Jessica Petersen
Signed. Thank you!
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Linda Urban
Signed.
Thank you, Gwenda. The pledge is important, as is having this space where people can see how much support there is behind this effort to change things. -
E. Lockhart
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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E. Lockhart
Signed. Thank you.
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Lisa Papademetriou
Signed. And thank you. Forwarding link to NESCBWI organizers.
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Anindita Basu Sempere
Signed. Thanks, G ❤️
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Debbie Reese
Signed.
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K. Callard
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Nancy Stone
Signed! Thank you!!
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Amy Reed
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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John David Anderson
Signed!
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Gabrielle Carolina Nash
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda!
(Do you think this is the time to also advocate for requirements for panels, meaning the ratio of gender is a little more even at these events?)
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Gwenda
Hi there! I believe there is something separate already in the works to address that issue that will be announced soon. But in short yes! It is time.
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Cheryl Keely
Signed. Thank you.
-
Loree Griffin Burns
Signed.
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Adib Khorram
Signed. Thank you!
-
Lucie Witt
Signed.
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Rachel Hawkins
Signed. Thank you for this, Gwenda!
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Anna Langford
Signed. Thank you. You’re a force for good.
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Nia Davenport
Signed.
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Nia Davenport
Signed. Thank you!
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Sarah Jude
Signed. Thank you. Truly.
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Caitie Flum
Signed
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Maggie Hall
Signed.
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Liz Wright
Signed. As a grad student just joining the field—thank you.
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Erin Scott
Signed.
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Jocelyn Hall
Consider me a signer.
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R.C. Lewis
Signed.
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Elora Cook
Signed!
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David Smeaton
Signed. Thank you!
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Patty Blount
Add my name! Definitely signing!
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Jodi Kendall
Signed
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Shannon Schuren
Signed. And thank you.
-
Lola Sharp
Signed. Thank you.
-
Amanda Smith
Signed. Thank you, and thank you to the women speaking up!
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Karen Mahoney
Signed.
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Emery Lord
Signed. Thank you.
-
Mary E. Cronin
Signed.
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Laura Purdie Salas
Signed. I am so inspired by the courage of many commenters! Thank you for leading this charge.
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Andrea Torrey Balsara
As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, writing kidlit has been my way to give a voice to the child who had no voice. If I’d been approached by one of these sexual predators, or even had sexually-loaded comments directed towards me, I’d have crumpled up and fled. To me, sexual predators in the kidlit field are akin to the Boy Scout leader who is a secret pedaphile. It is a double betrayal, because we are supposed to be the caretakers of childhood innocence, the ones who show the rest of the world that childhood, empowerment, innocence, are to be treasured. As women we have taken enough. Our work, our opinions, and our bodies have been taken for granted, and often either exploited or discounted. I, for one, and I know I am not alone, am done. I’m done with being complicit by not calling people out for stupid jokes that are not only not funny, but demeaning. I’m done measuring my success by my book sales, knowing that the system has been rigged. The blinders are off. I will not be silent anymore.
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Amy Ludwig VanDerwater
Signed, with gratitude.
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Penelope Burns
Signed.
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Jonathan Roth
Signed. Thank you!
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Sarah Floyd
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda, and thank you brave contributors who have shared your stories.
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Jessie Sima
Signed.
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Sheena Boekweg
Signed!
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C.L. McCollum
Signed. Thank you!
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Lyndsay Ely
Signed.
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Michael J Wyant Jr
Absolutely signed.
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Natalie Dias Lorenzi
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda!
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Lori Kilkellly
Signed.
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Sophie Bergeron
Signed.
Thank you for this, really<3 -
Alan Gratz
Signed. Thanks for this, Gwenda!
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Isabel Sterling
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda, for putting this together.
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Daphne Kalmar
Signed. Thank you.
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Lily Tschudi-Campbell
Signed. I’m an aspiring author and a children’s bookseller. I’ll be bringing this up with the people in charge, and try to make sure we sell books at conferences that follow these guidelines.
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Kayla Whaley
Signed.
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Rhonda McCormack
Gwenda, thank you for standing up with and for dignity. Signed.
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Bill Konigsberg
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Tanya Seale
Signed.
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Dane Johns
Signed. Thank you.
-
Kara Gebhart Uhl
Signed. And thank you.
-
Jackie Jacobi
SIGNED. Thank you.
-
Kathleen Feeney Chappell
Signed. Thank you!
-
Kelly Calabrese
Signed. Thank you!
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Nicole Osti
Signed!
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Laura Pohl
Signed, and thank you for this.
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Rachel Simon
Signed.
Because I brushed off how uncomfortable I felt and shouldn’t have. Because all those who told their stories are incredibly brave. Because change is necessary. -
Laurie Ann Thompson
Signing. Thanks for taking the lead, Gwenda!
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Tom Sebanc
Signed!
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Lillian Clark
Signed.
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Julia DeVillers
Signed.
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R.M.Rivera
I’m signing this. Thank you, Gwenda!
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Kari Anne Holt
Signed.
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Liza Wiemer
Signed! Thanks, Gwenda, and thank you to the courageous individuals who have spoken out and shared their personal stories.
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Gareth Hinds
Signed, with many thanks for what you’re doing here.
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Martin Cahill
Signed, and thank you so much, Gwenda.
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Sue Fliess
Signed with sincere thanks.
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Bonnie Pipkin
Signed!
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Julie Falatko
Signed!
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Natalie Metzger
Signed.
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Erin Casey
Signed.
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Megan Paasch
Signed!
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Lauren Myracle
Signed indeed. Thanks, Gwenda.
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Jen Malone
Signed with enthusiasm and gratitude!
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Maya Prasad
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic
Signed.
Thank you, Gwenda, and thank you to everyone here signing and speaking truth to power.
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Alysa Wishingrad
Signed, with gratitude to you, Anne and everyone sharing their stories
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Rose Green
Please add my name as well.
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Mary Pleiss
Signed. Thank you, Glenda.
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Kathleen S. Allen
Signed
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Heidi Heilig
Co-signed. Thank you for this important work.
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Carrie DiRisio
Signed
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Lenka Vodicka-Paredes
Signed. Thank you.
-
Mark O'Brien
Signed. Thank you for doing this.
-
Carrie Firestone
Thank you for taking the lead on this!
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Karen M. McManus
Signed, and thank you.
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Lily Anderson
Signed.
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Rebekah Faubion
Signed! Thank you, Gwenda.
-
Breeana Shields
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Sandhya Menon
Signed.
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Leigh Bardugo
Signed.
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Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Signed, with thanks. I’ve been in the position of having to report harassment at a book event with no policy in place, and I agonized over whether or not to do it so much more than I would have if there had been one.
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Kami Kinard
Signed.
Thank you. -
Cynthia Platt
Signed, with great thanks.
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Rita Meade
Signed. Thank you. Ready for the next steps.
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Nancy Lambert
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Myrna Foster
Signed. Thank you.
-
Kurtis Scaletta
This has my signature as both author and organizer of conferences.
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Mary E. Pearson
Signed. Thanks, Gwenda.
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Amy G Koss
Thank you for this. Signed.
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Sharon Darrow
Signed!
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holly black
Thank you, Gwenda. Signed.
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LAURA Sign
Signed
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Kim Baker
Signed.
Thank you for working on this, Gwenda. -
Margaret Mayo McGlynn
Signed, with gratitude.
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London Shah
Signed––and thank you, Gwenda.
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Kaitlyn Sage Patterson
Signed.
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Amy Butler Greenfield
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
-
Suzie Townsend
Signed.
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Ashley
SIGNED. Thank you for this. This needs to be printed out into a booklet and handed out to people…or be given as required reading as part of a writing contract.
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Bridgette Johnson
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Rebecca Coffindaffer
Signed
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Cory Putman Oakes
Signed.
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Michael Stearns
Signed.
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Jordan Brown
Signed. And thank you, Gwenda, so much.
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Amanda Foody
Signed.
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Hannah Whitten
Signed!
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Melissa Marr
Happy to sign this. It’s overdue that the issue be made public & a conversation started.
Thank you for stepping up to organize/draft this.
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Sara Volpi
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda, for doing this and posting resources. As a festival organizer, this has been a crucial thread/issue to take into account & keep up with, and I am in the process of writing a very clear harassment policy to post at our event, on our website, and etc.
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Gwenda
So glad to hear this, Sara! And appreciate your hard work as always.
-
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Debbie Duncan
Signed with gratitude
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Isabel
Signed!
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K.C. Held
Signed.
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Z Brewer
Signed!
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Sharon Levin
I can’t remember if I signed, but I DO sign, wholly and completely. I also vow as an ‘Industry Big Mouth’ reviewer, that I will use my Big Mouth to talk about this on line, at my presentations, etc.
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Adalyn Grace
Signed
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susie ghahremani
signed
& thanks. -
Loretta Ellsworth
Signed as an author and event coordinator.
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Susan
Signed. And thank you, Gwenda.
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Kate Brauning
Signed!
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Mary Crockett
Signed
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Maurie J Manning
Thank you so much for organizing this.
-
Emily Hall
Signed.
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Sarah McGuire
Signed. Thank you for this.
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Alyson Greene
Signed. Thank you
-
Rachel Hartman
Signed. Thanks for taking the initiative.
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Emma Jones
Signed.
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Susan Lubner
Signed! Thank you, Gwenda
-
Sarah Ahiers
Signed
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Megan Crewe
Signed. Thank you so much for doing this!
-
Mary Johnson
Echoing everyone else; thanks for doing this.
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Jesse Klausmeier
Please add my signature. Thank you for all the time and energy to put this together.
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Kimberly Sabatini
Signed
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Julie Polk
Signed. I’m not a YA author, but I am the former curriculum director of a writing non-profit serving NYC high school girls, which has many ties to the community. I’ll share this with them. Thanks, Gwenda, and all who’ve signed and commented.
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Andrea Paz
Co-signed.
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Meredith McCardle
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
-
Katie Henry
Signed. Thank you.
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Alex Bracken
Signed. Thank you for organizing this, Gwenda!
-
Anika Denise
Signed. Thank you.
-
Bobbi Miller
Signed. Thank you!
-
Amalie Howard
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
-
Matt Killeen
Signed
-
Annie Kuhn
Signed! Thank you, Gwenda!
-
Kira Brighton
Signed!
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Kerry Aradhya
Signed….and thank you for looking out for everyone…
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Joy McCullough
Signed. Thank you.
-
Martin Segal
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Lola Schaefer
Thank you, Gwenda, for your leadership.
With respect,
SIGNED. -
Eric Wight
Please add me as signed. Thank you!
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Chris Barton
Signed!
Also, in case it helps identify conference recipients for the letter, I recently compiled this list:
http://chrisbarton.info/blog/2018/01/all-the-college-kidlit-conferences-as-of-january-2018.html
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Gwenda
Thank you so much for this!
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Meghin Roberts
Hi Chris! This list is wonderful. I noticed that one of our big upstate NY ones is missing: Teen Book Fest at Nazareth College in Rochester. https://www.teenbookfest.org/
I’m a teen librarian who has several teens that carpool there each year. A few authors who have been named on the SLJ post have participated in this conference in past years so I would hate for their board and planning committee to be missed.-
Chris Barton
Thanks, Meghin — I’ll add it!
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-
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Jennifer Ziegler
Signed. Thank you for doing this, Gwenda.
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Jacque Summers
Sigbed
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Rose Deniz
Signed.
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Vicki Palmquist
Signed! and thank you.
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Shelli wells
I believe these policies should be clear and public. I am with you all.
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Bethanie Murguia
Signed. Thank you!
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Liam Coy
Signed! This is something incredibly important.
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Tim Byrd
I’m in, 100%.
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Jim Hill
Signed.
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Jocelyn Davies
Signed! Thank you for this, Gwenda!
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Tamara Kawar
Signed.
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Andrew Munz
Signed. Thank you for putting this together.
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Bel McNeill
Signed.
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Andrew Kozma
Please sign my name to this. And thank you for leading this charge.
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Molly McC
Signed!
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Anya DeNiro
signed
<3
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Pete Ford
Signed.
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Chelsea M. Cameron
Signed. Thank you.
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Abigail Marble
Signed, with my thanks for spear heading this.
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Jo Treggiari
Signed. And thank you.
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Christy Mihaly
Signed. Thank you.
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Ellen Emerson White
Signed.
Thank you for your hard work!
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Alex Villasante
signed – and thank you!
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Ryan North
Signed, thank you Gwenda!
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Kristen Lippert-Martin
signed
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Colleen Oakes
Signed, and gladly
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Brian Kennedy
Signed. Thank you!
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Cynthia Cotten
Signed.
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Christine Taylor-Butler
Agreed. Although I really did enjoy the enforcement at MidAmericonII and at Snake River ComicCon where harassment was spelled out and dealt with swiftly. Children’s literature conventions and industry conventions need to walk more of their talk. #TimesUp
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Gwenda
YES. There are definitely a lot of cons that are ahead of the game that can be models. This isn’t even a wheel that has to be reinvented!
-
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Erica Silverman
Signed!
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Kiersten White
Signed
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Shannon Doleski
Signed. Thank you.
-
Rebecca Stead
Signed, with thanks.
-
Amy Dixon
Signed.
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Robin Brenner
Signed.
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Lamar Giles
Signed. Thanks, Gwenda!
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Jane Kohuth
Signed, with thanks for your hard work.
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Kimberly Derting
Signed, and thank you!
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Fiona Kenshole
Signed. Thank you!
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Maya K
I’m not in the business but I support this so much. Thank you. And signed in solidarity.
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samantha stoughton
signed
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Nora Stewart
Signed. Thank you!
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Danette Vigilante
Signed!
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Melissa Wiley
Signed.
-
Sarah Tolcser
Signed. Thanks for your work!
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Mia Garcia
Signed!
-
Annie Cronin Romano
Signed.
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Shannon Lee Alexander
Signed.
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Jenny Perinovic
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Jennifer Iacopelli
Signed with many thanks! x
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Jessa Bateman
Signed. As a young aspiring author, this conversation has been terrifying the past several days. Thank you, Gwenda, for being proactive.
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Colleen Cotelessa
Signed!
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Elia Ben-Ari
Signed by a relatively new member of the kidlit community. Thank you, and bravo, to all who are bravely speaking up and speaking out.
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Vanessa Ricci-Thode
Signed
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Alex Gino
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda!
-
-
CONFERENCES: Gwenda Bond on harassment policies – Publishing Too
[…] Author Gwenda Bond has some suggestions for harassment policies for conferences. […]
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Greg Pak
Signed.
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Justin Wallace
Signed.
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Elle Cosimano
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
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Marcy Pusey
SIGNED! Standing with and for you (us) all.
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Olivia Hinebaugh
Signed.
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Tere Kirkland
Signed. Thanks for this, Gwenda
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Marianna Baer
Signed. Thanks and hi, Gwenda!
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Katelyn Detweiler
Signed. Thank you!
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Jessika Fleck
Thank you. Signed.
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AdriAnne Strickland
Signed. And thank you.
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Elizabeth Knox
Hey Gwenda! Signed.
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Amy Allgeyer
Signed. And thank you!
-
Kelley Armstrong
Signed, and thanks for doing this. Gwenda!
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Michelle Witte
Signed with thanks.
-
Melanie Savransky
Signed and thank you.
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S.F. Henson
Signed
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Breanna J. McDaniel
Signed and thank you
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Maggie Stiefvater
Absolutely signed. And will be looking for other ways to make this industry safe. Thanks, Gwenda.
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S.A. Larsen
Signed! Many thanks to you and to all the brave folks speaking up.
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Ruth McNally Barshaw
Signed. Thanks so much for taking the lead on this important and long-overdue step, Gwenda.
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Siri Weber Feeney
Yes indeed. Signed and thank you for doing this.
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Destiny Soria
Signed! Thank you.
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Tori Bovalino
Signed. Thank you for doing this.
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Lev Grossman
Signed.
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greg andree
Signed. I’m not anyone consequential, but I have friends who have been hurt, and I appreciate you for doing this.
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Melissa de la Cruz
Thank you Gwenda!!!!
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Nicole Maggi
SIGNED! Thank you.
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Vanessa Torline
Signed.
-
Brenna Yovanoff
Signed!
-
Dawn Malone
Signed
-
Eva Beliaeff
Signed. Thank you.
-
Candysse Miller
Signed, and thank you so much!
-
Leah Clifford
Signed with many thanks
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Jake Nuckolls
signed. Vital. Thank you.
-
S. K. Ali
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
-
Casey Murphy
Signed
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Melanie Hope Greenberg
Sign me up! Thank you!
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Katie von Campe
Signed!
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Carrie Finison
Signed, with many thanks.
-
Abby Cooper
Signed. Thank you!
-
Lauren Palumbo
Signed
-
Parker Peevyhouse
Signed. (I submitted earlier but I don’t think it went through? Sorry if I signed twice!)
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Bree Despain
Sign me up! This issues is of upmost importance to me. Thanks for taking the lead with this letter.
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Sarah Glenn Marsh
Signed! Thank you so much.
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Caitlin Starling
Signed!
-
Kevin Hearne
Signed.
-
Lydia Carlson
Signed!
-
Stephanie Rabig
Signed.
-
Jes Trafton
Signed.
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Misa Sugiura
signing.
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Jake Burt
Signing and boosting
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Marthe Jocelyn
I appreciate the wise, constructive calm of this thread. Signed.
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Kevin Emerson
Signed. Thank you for doing this.
-
David Purse
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
-
Tim Brandhorst
Signed. Thank you for your leadership.
-
Debbie Reed Fischer
Signed. And thank you so much.
-
J.M. Lee
Signed. Thank you.
-
Holly Huckeba
Signed!
-
Rachael Allen
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda!
-
Scott Perkins
Signed.
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Amy Knepper
Signed. And even though I am female, I hope to never make another person feel uncomfortable around me, male or female. I know that it can go both ways. Thank you for setting this up!
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David Daily
Signed. Thank you for your leadership.
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Lori Steel
Signed! And thank you.
-
Shirley Harazin
Signed.
-
Sarah Jane Marsh
Signed. Thank you.
-
Anne Greenwood Brown
Signed. (And thank you.)
-
Heather Hughes
Signed.
-
Megan Shepherd
Signed!
-
Nicole Valentine
Signed and thank you!
-
Candace
Signed.
-
Maureen Johnson
Signed!
-
Danielle D.M Gembala
Signed. Thank you.
-
Kate Alessandri
Signed (not yet published in the industry but attend conferences). Thanks for this.
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Brooklyn Skye
Signed!
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Taylor Deushane
Signed. Thank you.
-A bookseller and teacher -
Dot Hutchison
Signed, and thank you so much for the work you’re doing here.
-
Lindsey Becker
Signed.
-
Elizabeth Snell
Thank you for believing in ALL of us
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Mike Lasagna
Signed.
-
Isabella
Signed with all my heart.
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Sara Farizan
Signed and thank you.
-
Kate A Boorman
Signed.
-
Willow
Signed!
-
Brianna Shrum
Signed. Thank you for doing this.
-
Alex Harrow
Signed. Thank you for putting this together!
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Marilou Reeder
Signed. Thank you!
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Katie Nelson
Signed!
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Jessica Landes
Signed!
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Carson Jones
I am signing this pledge to affirm that I will not attend any convention that does not have a clear and efficient anti-harassment policy. Additionally, I will not attend any convention that does not include a significant number of women and people of color among its line up of guests. Finally, let the record show that Gwenda is awesome, although most certainly everyone knows that.
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Diana Urban
Signed! Thank you for doing this!
-
Gia Cribbs
Signed.
-
Alys Arden
Signed!
-
Andrew Shvarts
Signed!
-
Taylor Rouanzion
Signed.
-
Jessica Aelwood
Signed. Thank you.
-
Eric Kim
Signed!
-
Jodi Meadows
Signed, with thanks for your work and the work of so many others.
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Elizabeth Dorathy
Signed.
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Alexandra Monir
SIGNED! Thank you so much, Gwenda.
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Michele Bacon
Signed.
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Steve MC
Signed. And following on Twitter to learn what else I can do.
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Tara Hudson
Signed. Thank you for this, Gwenda.
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Anna M Lewis
Signed. Thank you <3
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Kara Reynolds
Signed. Thank you to everyone pushing for change.
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Nathan Hale
Signed
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Amie Kaufman
Signed.
-
Hafsah Faizal
Signed. Thank you for doing this.
-
Sarah Stevenson
Signed. Thanks, Gwenda.
-
Justine Winans
Signed.
-
Erica Silverman
Signed. Thank you!
-
Stacy Mozer
Signed. And thank you.
-
Manny Soto
Signed!
-
Danielle Smith
Signed! Thank you so much to both you, Gwenda and Anne, for furthering this work that needs to be done.
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Jay Kristoff
Signed. Thank you for taking point on this, Gwenda.
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Mindy Alyse Weiss
Signed! Thank you. With this kind of support, I’m hopeful that events will be safer in the near future.
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Kaia Sonderby
Signed.
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Victoria Flickinger
Signed. Fantastically put.
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Molly O’Neill
Signed.
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Rita Crayon Huang
Signed. Thank you.
-
Rachel Grinti
Signed
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Margaret H. Mason
Signed, and thank you for shining the light.
-
Ash Parsons
Signed
-
Kristy Dempsey
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
-
Karen Healey
Signed.
-
Mari Mancusi
Signed. Thank you for spearheading this.
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Margaret H. Mason
Signed, and thank you for shining a light.
-
Jodie
Signed.
-
Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Signed.
Thank you for your inspiring work!
-
Laura Shovan
Signed. Thank you!
-
NJ Damschroder
Signed
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India Kiely
Signed, please add my name.
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Jodell Sadler
Signed
-
KK Hendin
signed.
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Jeffrey West
Signed!!
Thank you for doing this!
-
Pam Margolis
Signed.
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Charley Cook
Sign me up!
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Shelly Romero
Signed. Thank you.
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Melissa Fox
Not an author, but as an organizer of conferences (well one) and author visits, I wholly support this. Signed.
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Beth Brezenoff
Signed.
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Marc Tyler Nobleman
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda, and thank you to all who signed.
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Frankie Diane Mallis
Signed. Thank you for doing this!
-
Fiona Robinson
Signed! Thank you!
-
Susan Graham
Signed, thank you!
-
Samuel Eddington
Signed. Thank you!
-
Atsiko Ureni
Signed
-
Ena Jones
Signed.
-
Liz Starin
Signed, emphatically!
-
Eva Gibson
Signed!
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Mark Holtzen
Signed.
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Lynn Plourde
Signed & thx!
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Kelsey Macke
Signed, with my thanks.
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Lindsay Leggett
Signed. Thank you for all you do. Xo.
-
Vivi Barnes
Signed! Thank you.
-
Leanna Renee Hieber
Signed, with infinite thanks!
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Katie Brookins
Signed. Thank you all!
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Virginia Gamsky
Signed because as a recently agented author I’ve been warned so often about men at conventions and how kindness in YA can lead to victimization. No one should be afraid to go to kid lit cons.
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Camille Andros
Signed. Thank you for this.
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Cindy McDonald
I may be new to the world of published writing, but I’m no stranger to the world of conventions and what can happen there. This is an important step. Thank you.
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Pintip Dunn
Signed!
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Bea Birdsong
Signed. Thank you!
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Amy
I don’t work in publishing but I signing as an avid YA reader.
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Fitri Y Tapri
Signed!
And Thank you, Gwenda 🙂 -
Jennifer Mann
Signed.
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Scott Reintgen
Signed. Thanks for starting this, Gwenda.
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Christopher Healy
Signed. Thank you.
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Shea Fontana
Signed!
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Kirsten Larson
Signed!
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Jodi Turchin
signed.
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Patrick J Murphy III
I stand with all of you against this happening in our community, as well as with every other community where these actions happen.
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Amy Rose Capetta
Signed! And thank you for making this happen, Gwenda.
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Lauren Karcz
Signed!
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Zachary Wilson
Signed!
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Michael Burns
Signed!
-
Laura Lam
Signed.
-
Lisa DiDio
Signed.
-
Nita Tyndall
Signed!
-
Doreen Cronin
Signed!
-
Evelyn Christensen
Signed
-
Annie Silvestro
Signed! Thank you!
-
K.B. Wagers
Signed.
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Andrew Durkin
Signed. Thank you.
-
E.J. Stevens
Signed.
Thank you, Gwenda. I love this job, but I’m tired of repeatedly being seated beside harassers on panels and at signings. I’m exhausted from having to work beside men who have stalked, gaslighted, and harassed me. I am so ready for our industry to make real changes.
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Melanie Sumrow
Signed and thank you.
-
Annie Stone
Signed!
-
Russ Cox
Signed and TAHNK YOU!
-
Russ Cox
*THANK
-
-
Tiffany Meuret
Signed
-
Kimberly Bea
Signed. Thank you!
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Adam Rakunas
Signed. You are awesome, Gwenda and Rachel.
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Cinda Williams Chima
Signed. Also, you are a GODDESS !
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Heather Flaherty
Signed! Thank you.
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Peter Glassman
Please add me as signed!
As an author, editor, and bookstore owner, I am very grateful to all those who have come forward and spoken out, to Gwenda Bond and John Scalzi for there efforts and initiative, and to all the many authors, artists, agents, editors, and others who I have worked with who have signed on to this letter. Reading through Gwenda’s article and the many thoughtful comments by others has forced me to recognize that I need to do more to make sure such incidents never happen at my store — and if they do, that I am informed and prepared to act on it. I also worry that I have not been made aware of such incidents in the past (and cringe to realize that though I certainly never intend to, I too, may be guilty of having said something that may have hurt an author or artist who was a guest at my store). If any of you reading this were the victim of such an experience at Books of Wonder, I ask that you let me know (my email is pglassman@booksofwonder.com) — no matter how long ago it was. This goes for agents, editors, publicists, etc. who may have heard of such an instance happening at Books of Wonder.
As the owner of a children’s bookstore, it is vitally important to me and my staff that the store be a safe zone — not just for our customers, but for our author and artist guests as well. Though we don’t host conferences, we do host author and artist panels — and thanks to this letter and the many thoughtful comments expressed here — I have come to realize that it is possible that at these panel events (whether during the actual panel or while the authors are socializing before and after the “public” part of the event) that someone’s behavior may have been inappropriate without my staff or me being made aware of it. I feel very strongly that it is incumbent upon me and my staff to make sure that everyone feels that not only are they safe from such incidents when visiting the store, but that should such an incident occur, they are not only welcome to, but actively encouraged to let us know about it.
Thank you, Gwenda, for doing this. And thank you to all the authors and artists who have shared their experiences. Though it has made me very sad, it has served to make me more aware. And that is what is most important.
-
Sarah Gailey
Signed.
-
Kayla Cagan
Signed and thank you.
-
Kendra Levin
Signed.
-
Tricia Lawrence
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda.
-
Kelly McCullough
Signed.
-
Hillary Monahan
Signed.
-
Amy Trueblood
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda for being such an amazing leader in the writing community.
-
Robin Rosenthal
Signed. THANK YOU.
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Jenn Marie Thorne
Signed – thank you for this, Gwenda!
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Pseudonymous Bosch (AKA Raphael Simon)
Signed! And thank you!
-
Pseudonymous Bosch AKA Raphael Simon
Signed! And thank you!
-
Hillary Monahan
Signed and thank you, Gwenda.
-
Meghan Daniels
Signed. Thank you.
-
Josh Funk
signed.
-
Karen Hattrup
Signed!
-
Colten Hibbs
Signed! With gratitude
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Marieke Nijkamp
Signed, and thank you.
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Linda White
Signed and thank you! I want to add, in answer to Jeff Dougan’s suggestion of a list, that instead – and maybe a lot easier to maintain – there could be something like a seal of approval, for people to look for to find conferences/conventions that meet the standard. Maybe an organization like SFWA or SCBWI could vet that. Or somewhere like PW or an org like the NBA. I don’t know, seems harder now that I write it. I’m not an author, either, but my work ranges widely through publishing spheres, and I am so glad to see them being made safer one by one.
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Gwenda
Still mulling this — SFWA does maintain a not-comprehensive list of cons with good policies, so it is possible that SCBWI could take it on for children’s lit…once they get their own house in order.
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Paula Willey
As one of the organizers of KidLitCon, consider me signed!
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Katherine Locke
Please sign my name to the letter. And thank you for doing this, Gwenda.
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Kathy Halsey
Signed with great thanks. (I am not yet published, but am thankful for everyone’s bravery and work. As a former teacher/school librarian who is still involved in the library community and schools, I pledge to make these issues at the forefront of school library conferences I attend.
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Terri Windling
Signed. And thank you, Gwenda.
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Stephanie J. Blake
Thank you. Signing.
-
Sheri Fink
Signed with support and gratitude!
-
Tracy Clark
Signed and THANK YOU.
-
Hannah
Signed!
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Michael Link
Bookseller signing in solidarity!
-
Jordan Hamessley
Signed. Thank you so much, Gwenda.
-
Sarah Gross
Signed as a reader and teacher.
-
Elliott Kay
Signed.
-
Sara Fujimura
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda!
-
Lisa Mantchev
Signed.
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Leslie Hawkins
Signed as a children’s bookstore owner/buyer/event coordinator and sometime attendee of industry trade shows. This may be of interest to many of you: a spreadsheet detailing which cons & festivals have anti-harassment and/or accessibility policies put together by author Alexandra Duncan and others. It’s a work in progress; feel free to add to it and share it. http://bit.ly/2su3VN2
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Gwenda
Thank you again! I’ll add this to the next post — thank you guys.
-
-
Wendy McLeod MacKnight
signed and many thanks!
-
Jess Keating
Signed with gratitude, and love to all who need it!
-
Lindsay Eagar
Signed.
-
Sabaa Tahir
Signed. Thank you Gwenda.
-
Aisha Saeed
Signed. Thank you, Glenda.
-
Megan Whitmer
Signed, and thank you.
-
Michael Strother
Signed. Thank you for doing this!
-
Lenore Appelhans
Signed!
-
Kristine Asselin
Signed. Thank you for all you’re doing.
-
Robin Talley
Signed. Thank you for doing this!
-
Dan Santat
signed. Thank you
-
Madeline Franklin
Signed. Thank you for this.
-
E.C. Myers
I signed Scalzi’s pledge then, and I am signing this now. Thank you!
-
Linda Camacho
Signed.
-
Anny Rusk
Sign me up. As a co-rep for a Chicago SCBWI Network, I can tell you that my region and HQ are already taking steps to address and improve the orgs’ response. As far as I know, nothing has happened at my network events, but if they have, I encourage our members to come to me directly!!! In our network we will have an informal non-SCBWI town hall discussion for anyone who wants after our formal event tomorrow. I continue to strive to be part of the solution. I am also a #metoo, but not in kidlit. I saw our industry as the one safe space because women dominate. Bubble burst, I am determined not only to create safe spaces, but to find ways to empower all of us, famous or not, to speak up and be lauded, not punished, so future members of our community are spared.
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Gwenda
Hear hear.
-
-
Susie Sharp
Signed as a Librarian, reader, grandmother. Thank you for this Gwenda!
-
Brad Duncan
Signed! from an unpublished/unproduced writer…
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Imogen Howson
Signed. And thank you.
-
MarcyKate Connolly
Signed, with thanks!
-
Sarah Rees Brennan
Signed.
-
Lydia Kang
Signed, and thank you.
-
Susan Wood
Signed.
-
Shalanda Stanley
Signed!
-
Becky Levine
Signed. And thank you.
-
Patricia Morris Buckley
Signed. The San Diego kidlit community stands with you!
-
Kim Zarins
Signed.
Thank you for doing this work, Gwenda.
-
Susan Orton
Thank you all for responding to this call for action and change.
-
Roger Sutton
I’m with you. The Horn Book and Simmons College (our usual conference partner) both have sexual harassment policies in place, but I thank you for this prod to make sure they work the way we want them to.
-
Gwenda
Thank you, Roger!
-
-
Katya
THANK YOU.
-
Molly B. Burnham
Signed. With thanks.
-
Sally Riley
Signed! And thank you.
-
Elizabeth Eulberg
SIGNED
(And thanks for doing this, Gwenda!) -
Megan Baird
Signed. While not an author or publisher myself, I am a librarian/branch manager who works with and selects for all ages. Thank you for doing this.
-
Erin E. Moulton
Signed!
-
Catherine Egan
Signed, and thank you.
-
Mary Kuehner
As an early literacy librarian and (as yet) unpublished author, I wholeheartedly add my name. Thank you!
-
Tim Travaglini
Signed! And as I have recently been asked to attend a writers conference, I had the modest satisfaction of acting on this straight away.
-
Jared Wright
Signed, with admiration and appreciation
-
Kristen Kittscher
Signed. Thank you so much.
-
Katie Sparks
Signed!
-
Anna Maxwell
Signed.
-
Lindsay Crist Lawson
Signing in bookseller support.
-
Lesley Livingston
Signed.
-
Kate McLaughlin/Kady Cross
I’m in. I also promise to be provide a safety zone for anyone who needs it.
-
Anne Nesbet
Signed! Thank you for organizing this effort!
-
Nina Berry
Signed.
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Paula Stokes
signed <3
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Schuyler Esperanza
Signed as a reader and fan.
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Kate Gilbert
Signed. Thank you so much for taking this on.
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Michelle Edwards
signed, thank you
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Michelle Edwards
Signed. Thank you. I
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Kerri Lorenz
Signed! Thank you.
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Sarah Viehmann
Signed!!
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Danielle Dreger
Thank you, Gwenda, and everyone else who shared their story.
Signed. -
Matthew Holm
Signed. Thank you, Gwenda!
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Lissa Price
Signed. Thank you!
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C. E. Lambert
Signed with great appreciation for all of you–thank you!
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Rebecca Kim Wells
Signed. Thank you.
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Meghin Roberts
Signed.
As a teen librarian I was thrilled to see so many familiar names while scrolling down the page. I’m glad I can still feel comfortable putting books by these authors into my teen’s hands, especially since that is no longer the case for a few of their favorites.-
Gwenda
<3
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Andrea Cascardi
Signed!
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Allie Stevens
Signed. Thank you.
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Jordan Sonnenblick
Please sign me on. And thank you for your leadership!
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Karen Harrington
Signed!
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Nadine Takvorian
Signed!
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Lisa McMann
Add my signature, please. Thank you.
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Ellen Oh
Thank you Gwenda! Signed.
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Alyssa Schneyman
I’m not an author – but I’m signing as a reader, as a librarian, and as a fan of kidlit. I see the names listed here, and I thank you all.
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