Response to Pride Publishing Groups
We have had an amazing week since our launch last Friday, gaining 2.5k followers on Twitter and receiving a lot of interest from potential members. Sadly, not everyone has been so positive, and there has been some unfortunate backlash on Twitter, which we expected. What we didn’t expect was to see several publishing personnel proudly announcing their intention never to work with a member of SEEN, which is discriminatory as countless tribunals have already proved. We also were asked by The Bookseller to comment on a response from the Pride networks at Pan Macmillan, Hachette and Penguin, who also reacted negatively to our existence. You can read our response here:
Publishers' Pride networks release joint statement in response to SEEN in Publishing launch
We are publishing our full statement below:
While we are saddened at the response from the Pan Macmillan, Hachette and Penguin Random House Pride networks, the vitriol that has been aimed at SEEN in Publishing since our launch last Friday proves how necessary it is for us to maintain confidentiality for our members.
Many agents, editors and publishers have publicly denounced us in unacceptable and derogatory terms, and stated on the record that they will not work with any member of our network. This is a form of discrimination that runs contrary to the Equality Act. As has been established numerous times in employment tribunals, gender critical beliefs – the knowledge that sex is binary and immutable – are protected in law.
The most egregious tweets are those that clearly stated the agent/editor wanted nothing to do with GC authors or their queries/submissions. Name-calling is one thing. Industry-sanctioned blacklisting is another.
One of the worst elements of these responses is not the specific content, but the meta-issue: that vilification of anyone who doesn’t fully embrace gender identity theory is perfectly fine, even up to the point of explicitly announcing the intent to discriminate against those of us who think differently.
We hope that the publishers concerned confirm that no staff or authors have been or will be discriminated against because of their beliefs.
As well as SEEN in Publishing the following SEEN networks exist in other sectors, with several more in the pipeline: the City, Civil Service, Health, HR, Journalism, Local Authority, Parliament, Police, Schools and STEM.
Like them, we founded this network because we believe our industry should be a safe and inclusive space for everyone, including for those with gender critical views. Our dearest wish is to foster a culture within publishing where everyone’s views are listened to without fear or favour.
It's tragic to see major publishing houses appear to fail to understand the meaning of inclusively and freedom of speech. All beliefs should be represented within the staff of publishing houses. But more importantly, publishers should be representing the widest range of beliefs, opinions and debates in their publishing lists.
Much of senior management in these large companies has been acquiescing in the identarian activism within their organisations. Instead they should be explaining to all members of staff that it is fundamental to a free press that no one belief system can be allowed to take precedence over any other. Maybe obligatory reading of Orwell's 1984!
stuff em - like the gay conversion and misogyny the "new puritanism" pushes by default they will be on the other side ; seen as blinkered, illinformed and wilfully ignoring humanity and the poor and vulnerable readers and buyers - a pox on their houses