The Knuckle Draggers

Sometimes when dealing with racism and sexism in publishing, the lone female and/or minority can feel isolated and overwhelmed. Maybe they are right, she might think. Maybe all the trouble I've been having is all in my head. Of course this is ludicris, but the constant mantra of "you are crazy" can be wearying. So to the editors of Clarkesworld this weary traveler on the road to publication give thanks and praise for (1) highlighting the issue and (2) being sensible alright guys. You have indeed made my day.

From Clarkesworld by Neil Clarke:
"Cavemen Discovered in the 21st Century" —

I've recently been following a disturbing discussion that is taking place on a major genre magazine's forum. It all started when Jonathan Strahan, a respected anthologist, publicly apologized for not including enough women in Eclipse 2, an anthology to be published later this year. ... At the time I'm writing this, there are nine pages of chatter about this apology in a thread called "Strahan caves to the PC Nazi Brigade", almost all of it by men who feel he should have put those women in their place. After all, they want the "best stories" and if that means cavemen only, well God Bless America! ... Dear lord, people like that do exist. I think I must live a sheltered life or perhaps I just hang out with a better quality of people. No one I know ever behaves like that. Seeing this gives me a much better appreciation of what women and minority authors have to put up with.