Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is LIVE! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Geek Talk & Media
Mercedes Lackey Ejected From Nebula Conference For Using Racial Slur
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Snarf Zagyg" data-source="post: 8643041" data-attributes="member: 7023840"><p>I am going to disagree with this.</p><p></p><p>Words (with their shifting connotations and denotations) can be tricky. Especially as you get older. And even moreso when there is the possibility of misspeaking in public.</p><p></p><p>We see this regularly as usages change and get misunderstood or discarded. For example, whether it is more proper to refer to someone as a Native American or Indian (which is a divisive issue for some within the community). Or in the instant case, the evolution of the term from one word (as in the College Fund) to colored (NAACP) to black to African-American to black to the broader "POC" (which is both overly broad and unwieldy at times). Or the evolution that many of us have seen from the "inclusive" homosexual and then gay (to include various sexualities) to the more delineated LGBTQA+. Or even usages like Hispanic or Latino/Latina which is now sometimes Latinx, and which is also not always correct because of the varying meanings of those terms. Or, to use something we've discussed many times here, the shift in the usage of term Oriental over time. </p><p></p><p>In short, it can be difficult. It's difficult for even people that try their best to keep up with best practices and usage, and it can be insanely difficult for people that are older- if you don't believe me, just talk to someone over 60 for a while and see how often they refer to their children by the wrong name. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></p><p></p><p>Here, Mercedes Lackey was being honored at the Nebula Awards. She was receiving the lifetime award this year- the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award. During a panel, she was discussing her admiration of another, great writer (Samuel Delaney, a prior winner of the award). Importantly, she spoke of her admiration of Delaney. </p><p></p><p>Did she misspeak? Did she stumble over her words while reaching for "POC?" Did she simply have a moment and end up regretfully using a word that was common in her youth? The only thing for certain is that there was certainly no ill intent given the context of her statement regarding the great Delaney, and no use of a racial <em>slur </em>(as opposed to an outdated term that we no longer commonly use). </p><p></p><p>But what happened? For this, on the year that she was given the highest lifetime award, the same one that put her in the same category as Samuel Delaney, Ursula K. LeGuin, Ray Bradbury, and C. J. Cherryh, she was removed from the Nebula Conference and all her panels. </p><p></p><p>In my opinion, this was not handled appropriately. Mercedes Lackey used a poor choice of words- something I am sure she would have explained (and, most likely, apologized for). But the action of the organizers of the Nebular Conference was over-the-top and uncalled for. Both because they publicized her removal and tarred her with using a "racial slur" (thus leaving it to many people to assume the worst) and also because they tarnished what should have been the culmination of a lifetime of experience.</p><p></p><p>Again, this is IMO. This could have been, and should have been, handled differently.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Snarf Zagyg, post: 8643041, member: 7023840"] I am going to disagree with this. Words (with their shifting connotations and denotations) can be tricky. Especially as you get older. And even moreso when there is the possibility of misspeaking in public. We see this regularly as usages change and get misunderstood or discarded. For example, whether it is more proper to refer to someone as a Native American or Indian (which is a divisive issue for some within the community). Or in the instant case, the evolution of the term from one word (as in the College Fund) to colored (NAACP) to black to African-American to black to the broader "POC" (which is both overly broad and unwieldy at times). Or the evolution that many of us have seen from the "inclusive" homosexual and then gay (to include various sexualities) to the more delineated LGBTQA+. Or even usages like Hispanic or Latino/Latina which is now sometimes Latinx, and which is also not always correct because of the varying meanings of those terms. Or, to use something we've discussed many times here, the shift in the usage of term Oriental over time. In short, it can be difficult. It's difficult for even people that try their best to keep up with best practices and usage, and it can be insanely difficult for people that are older- if you don't believe me, just talk to someone over 60 for a while and see how often they refer to their children by the wrong name. ;) Here, Mercedes Lackey was being honored at the Nebula Awards. She was receiving the lifetime award this year- the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award. During a panel, she was discussing her admiration of another, great writer (Samuel Delaney, a prior winner of the award). Importantly, she spoke of her admiration of Delaney. Did she misspeak? Did she stumble over her words while reaching for "POC?" Did she simply have a moment and end up regretfully using a word that was common in her youth? The only thing for certain is that there was certainly no ill intent given the context of her statement regarding the great Delaney, and no use of a racial [I]slur [/I](as opposed to an outdated term that we no longer commonly use). But what happened? For this, on the year that she was given the highest lifetime award, the same one that put her in the same category as Samuel Delaney, Ursula K. LeGuin, Ray Bradbury, and C. J. Cherryh, she was removed from the Nebula Conference and all her panels. In my opinion, this was not handled appropriately. Mercedes Lackey used a poor choice of words- something I am sure she would have explained (and, most likely, apologized for). But the action of the organizers of the Nebular Conference was over-the-top and uncalled for. Both because they publicized her removal and tarred her with using a "racial slur" (thus leaving it to many people to assume the worst) and also because they tarnished what should have been the culmination of a lifetime of experience. Again, this is IMO. This could have been, and should have been, handled differently. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Geek Talk & Media
Mercedes Lackey Ejected From Nebula Conference For Using Racial Slur
Top