To be put off watching anything by Neil Gaiman

[WandsOut]

www.tortoisemedia.com/2024/07/03/exclusive-neil-gaiman-accused-of-sexual-assault

Neil Gaiman has been accused of violent sexual assault by two much younger women - just vile.

Anyone else feeling let down and pissed off by this news?

I thought he was an author.

He is.

His work has been serialised or made into films (Good Omens, The Sandman, American Gods, Coraline etc)

Perhaps a little early with judgement.
Innocence until proven guilt and all that.

YANBU, me too.

Can't any famous bloke just be decent?

I loved good omens and sandman and now I feel it's tainted.

Why are men so consistently disappointing?

Have you listened to the podcast? He's admitted to some of it but is saying it was consensual - a 62 year old man getting into the bath with his child's nanny who was forty years younger within hours of meeting.
That alone should be red flags galore. The rest of it is hard listening.

From memory, his partner Amanda Palmer left him a few years ago, there was a stink about it on social media. I wonder whether it related to this?

Yes, apparently he had cheated outsiders of the rules of their open marriage.
She’d have zero time for sexual assault.

I was reading up on this case. I am disgusted with the idea of a 45 year old having sex with a 20 year old. That in itself puts me off him. However one of them did text him the next day saying “last night was amazing” or the like. I’m sorry but at 20 you are an adult and either it is consensual or it is not. I find it strange that this person said they were manipulated into consent yet sent that text the next day. I know I’ll be slated here for saying this. I do agree it is gross though.

Yeah… so upset but sadly not surprised by this.

According to Internet they were married.

Well there's a massive power imbalance for a start. Maybe the women just wanted to keep heir jobs? I don't believe it's either consent or not, it's much more nuanced than that.

Agree and I think this is why the whole thing doesn’t sit right with me. It has certainly lowered my opinion of him and sends a shiver down my spine. The age gap is disturbing and I don’t know how he can call himself a feminist. I don’t know how far she will get with it though having sent him that text.

Coercive control - anyone in a relationship can still be sexually assaulted, a massive power imbalance but someone who would know better given how much he lectures women on social behaviour about being kind. Causing young women so much pain that they pass out isn't normal behaviour for any decent man.

"Social media" that was meant to say not "social behaviour."

I never had a good opinion of him. I remember reading American Gods but couldn’t finish it as most of female characters were objectified and were attracted to the main male character. I remember I decided to stop reading the book when a gay woman kissed the main character.

This created for me an impression of his view on women, and maybe some of his own fantasies.

The first victim in the podcast says she was known for being attracted to women - Gaiman ran her a bath (40 years older than her - we need to keep remembering this) and then engaged his fetishes.

Well good omens is fucked for me already because I can no longer watch David tenant without hearing him spit that women like me are 'little whinging fuckers' and adding in Neil gaiman being a rapist is cherry on the cake. I'm a bit sad that we had a Neil gaiman reading at our wedding :(

Any suggested alternative authors?

He's great at storytelling but weak at characterisation particularly women.

Really used to enjoy his work but recently I have noticed him posturing a fair bit on social media, being a feminist ally, jabbering on about his open marriage. I thought hmmm.. All this does not surprise me. What 62 year old man has a consensual relationship with a 22 year old he met the same day?

This is trotted out every time. The presumption of innocence is a maxim that applies in one forum only: a criminal court. It applies nowhere else, ever.

And every time it fascinates me how quickly people reveal a new found commitment to this maxim only, and it is only, where the allegations involve violence towards women or children. Speaks volumes.

Same. At least we still have the book (I'm choosing to believe it was mostly Terry Pratchett, it certainly reads like him)

I was looking forward to the new Riders series too, but I don't want to look at Tennant's face any more now he's shown what a POS he is.