Grimlock ♥ Ultra Magnus

I'm disturbed by the fact that this has become part of the book reviewing community, but I feel that I need to speak up right now.   There are a whole bunch of issues about books being babies.   But you're not editing them.   So, not only are you selling your babies, you're pretty much putting them out in the snow, naked, and then expecting people to pick them up because they find them as cute as you do.  

But even more disturbing is the fact that I feel that we are now silencing victims.   We keep telling them - and I've been guilty of this myself - that maybe it's smarter to keep quiet so that stalkers don't write about them, because, yeah, they won't let up so just don't give them anything to work with. 

Talk about giving the people harassing other people the power.   And that's kinda fucked up right there.   As a victim myself, I have the right to talk about it.   As much or as little as I want.   In fact, talking about it, and taking action made me feel empowered.   Maybe more frightened at first, but guess what?   Now I just feel good.   And I like that feeling.   

So let me tell this to all victims - of anyone: you have the right to decry the harassment, to call it out for what it is, and to look for a sympathetic ear.   You have the right to cry, to admit that you've cried over this, you have the right to be angry, broken-down, sad.   You have the right to be none of those things, and laugh it off.   You have the right to say nothing at all.   To all you victims, I say that you have the right to choose to do whatever it is you want.   Because only by claiming that power can you start to truly move past this.   

And while we're at it, there are some things I've wanted to say but I've been fearful of the backlash.   Not by anyone who might try to tear me down because they already hate me, but by people who supposedly support the victims - so long as they shut their mouth when it's most convenient for them.   So let me say this now.   When you sexually harass me, and then turn around and give some bullshit passive-agressive advice that I can't be a model - but I can look prettier if I get a makeover, I laugh.   Because there are so many faulty assumptions.   That I care what you think about me, at all.   That my ideal of feminine appeal is the same as yours.   That I will take into consideration any advice by someone who does sexually harass me, or supports those who do.   I laugh, and I am joyful because I am not confined by your narrow-minded views. 

And you think this is okay because I said grammar was shitty in some books?   Well, it was.  I had quotes to back me up.   I critiqued art.   You, in turn, 'fought fire with fire' by sexually harassing me.   

So, thanks for listening to me ramble about this yet again.   I'm just so sorry that this keeps coming up.   I hope that by taking charge of this, I will get past this finally.  I hope that the determination to contact a lawyer as soon as they actually harass me again will help me get past this.   

And I'm so, so sorry book community.   None of us should have to bear these personal attacks.   None of us.  None of us should be told we're worthless, to be told that physical harm is wished upon us; none of us should have people trying to make us feel like we fail at the game of life, and would be better off dead.   It's not true, not for any of us, and I'm so, so sorry.