Why They Hate Margaret Atwood

[Glacier]

This is a really long read, but worth it.

Steven Galloway was a successful, internationally fêted, well-paid white male writer who also had been appointed to lead the most prestigious creative-writing program in Canada. When a woman came forward to claim that he’d done monstrous things, the claim instantly was seized on as confirmation of a wider emotional narrative that a generation of frustrated young writers had internalized (and whose contours seemed to be confirmed, in the broadcast industry, by the scandal of Jian Ghomeshi). Even if it’s a lie, it’s a precious lie. And so no one should be allowed to say that the lie isn’t true—not even Margaret Atwood.

http://quillette.com/2018/03/15/hate-margaret-atwood/

[Jack DeBear]

Worth it too.

Am I a bad feminist?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/ ... e37591823/

Margaret Atwood faces backlash for #MeToo op-ed

http://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/at ... -1.4486936

Why Handmaid’s Tale author Margaret Atwood is facing #MeToo backlash

https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/1/17/1 ... ccountable

[Silverstarqueen]

For those who have no idea who Galloway is, or why Atwood defends her good friend,

"Steven Galloway has released a statement through a lawyer for the first time since he was suspended more than one year ago. (Frances Raud)
Author Steven Galloway, who was fired by the University of British Columbia in June after he says he had an affair with a student, "profoundly regrets his conduct and wishes to apologize for the harm that it has caused," according to a statement from his lawyer.
The statement also voices "grave concerns" over the university's handling of the case, which has sparked a divisive debate on campus and in the country's literary community.
It is the first time in a year the award-winning author has publicly addressed his controversial dismissal.

The internationally acclaimed author and Giller Prize nominee, was suspended last November over what the university described as "serious allegations." He was fired from his position as head of UBC's creative writing program in the summer.

The university's handling of the suspension, and its investigation carried out by former B.C. Supreme Court justice Mary Ellen Boyd, has been criticized by Canadian literary icons like Margaret Atwood and Michael Ondaatje.

With few official details about the reason for the termination, "scurrilous assertions and accusations ... have proliferated in the vacuum of information," reads the statement issued by Brent Olthuis of Hunter Litigation Chambers.
Galloway himself has declined to comment while he grieves the dismissal, but through his lawyer said he can stay quiet no longer.
"The harm flowing from UBC's conduct has reached such a level that Mr. Galloway has requested us to clarify the following issues on his behalf," the statement begins.
Affair with student
The statement confirms, for the first time, that Boyd's investigation did include an allegation "of a sexual nature from 2011," which the lawyer says was not substantiated.

"Ms. Boyd found on a balance of probabilities that Mr. Galloway had not committed sexual assault."

One complaint, characterized in the statement as "a violation of UBC policy," was substantiated.

Galloway "engaged in inappropriate behaviour with a student ... [that] developed into an affair that lasted approximately two years," the statement reads. Both Galloway and the student were married at the time.

The university has previously said the investigation revealed "a record of misconduct that resulted in an irreparable breach of trust."
UBC declined to comment on Galloway's statement today.
Hunter Litigation Chambers does not represent Galloway in his ongoing grievance of his dismissal, which the statement says is advancing to arbitration.

In that matter, he is being represented by the University Faculty Association."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-c ... -1.3864132
Now for those who think Galloway is such a great guy, how would you feel if your son or daughter was having an affair with their professor? I doubt that there is a University or College anywhere in North America that would not think that was misconduct on the part of their employee.

[Jack DeBear]

Since I know of Galloway only through the media, I can’t judge whether he’s a ‘great guy’ or not.

And Atwood, herself, covers why she withdrew her name from the “Open letter called UBC Accountable” in the first of the links that I posted above.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion ... e37591823/

As for the rest, at any level of discovery and beyond, it would've become a family matter to discuss and research, and then for the family to agree upon for a course of action in the best intersts of the child.

[Jack DeBear]

Information add on to the above:

‘MC’ spoke to the media through her lawyer.

“Statement on behalf of the Main Complainant against Steven Galloway”

http://www.rapereliefshelter.bc.ca/lear ... n-galloway

And this from

“Woman who accused Steven Galloway of sexual assault breaks silence”

. . . "Essentially, through the information and privacy process, Mr. Galloway could prevent MC from receiving a copy of the report until 2018 or possibly longer," Ms. Birenbaum said. . . .

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/br ... e33022923/

[Jack DeBear]

Also, the article by Jonathan Kay, that Glacier posted for his OP, paints, in my opinion (“for what little it matters”), a pretty good picture of the CanLit scene and what it takes to make the scene from my perspective as a university student (1997-2003), a subsequent associate member of the Canadian Authors Association, a patron of The Writers' Union of Canada, and an unpublished author.

As Glacier says, “This is a really long read, but worth it,” and I think members here who read the whole thing will probably ’get it’ about 'my perspective' of CanLit as well as what it means to me (at odds to the now status quo) towards Margaret Atwood.

For, as Kay concludes, ". . . what little it matters, my admiration for Atwood has only grown thanks to L’Affiare Galloway. And many years from now, when her obituary is being written, I hope she will not only be remembered as the grand dame of Canadian letters, but also as an important voice of sanity standing up to the mob, (http://quillette.com/2018/03/15/hate-margaret-atwood/)."

I certainly agree, so I'll go with that.

[Silverstarqueen]

So then it just becomes a debate as to
a)whether Galloway should get his job back, and
b) Whether the university (or any university) should be concerned when professors play "Teacher's pet" in their sexual relations with students, and
c)Whether parents care that their sons or daughters are serving as a dating pool for their professors.
d) Are the grades handed out by that professor based on the students' "performance" and what type of performance are we talking about? Doesn't this compromise the integrity of the educational process?

"“It was one of the points I tried to make in 2009,” Mark Bourrie told me. The former Concordia teacher and current law student contacted the journalism department at the time to inform them of what he referred to in his emails as “sexual improprieties,” and how they were affecting other students.

“It's not just an issue of the classroom and grades. Professors have a lot of power over things like internships, references scholarships, conferences, research and teaching assistantships, etc.,” he said. Bourrie said he feels that the university failed to act on his concerns"

[Jack DeBear]

Why not start with a debate about The University of British Columbia report on Steven Galloway?

Have you read it yet?

[Silverstarqueen]

While we are awaiting the report from UBC (which so far has not cited much more than "serious allegations" and "breech of trust", the Globe and Mail is attempting to uncover just what happened (apparently, a lot, and more to come). It appears the UBC investigation was not really about the women's complaints of sexual assault and harassment, or finding justice for them at all, but only about UBC's concern about the "breech of trust", whether his firing was justified.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/br ... e32562653/

[Jack DeBear]

Here’s the direct link to Thein’s letter:

https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/legacy ... 1510465048


And here's the link to the, Open Letter To UBC: Steven Galloway’s Right To Due Process site, along with all of the associated links that are available there.

http://www.ubcaccountable.com/open-lett ... loway-ubc/

This is one place where the actual debate is taking place.

Plenty from the horsies' mouths on both sides.

LOL studying all this should be worth at least three credits.

[Silverstarqueen]

This is why UBC, and other post secondary institutions should have a clear procedure for these types of situations.
On the one hand they are criticized publicly when they don't investigate allegations of sexual misconduct of professors, or students. On the other hand, when they do respond, investigate, in this case fire a professor for "breech of trust", they get criticized for that. They attempted to maintain privacy as much as possible by referring vaguely to "serious allegations" (which they were, even if sexual assault was not involved), and "breech of trust" (which it was, professors aren't supposed to pollute the educational process by having sexual relations with students), but in maintaining that privacy tongues began to wag. Is UBC admins to be responsible for that? I don't know how you would stop people from speculating.

So hopefully the net result is going to be that universities and colleges have a clear policy of not allowing professors to have sexual relations with students (as if they had to be told that, sheesh). And they will understand why that is such a Bad Idea. and why it could lead to their being fired (as if they didn't expect it would).

[Jack DeBear]

And I’m sure there are people out there who are hoping for an additional outcome to what you propose for the future.

<snip>

MC looks forward to the fulsome airing of the facts which formed the basis for UBC’s decision to terminate Mr. Galloway’s employment with UBC and to her being able to talk about the details of what happened.

<snip>

http://www.rapereliefshelter.bc.ca/lear ... n-galloway

And as to the OP article, I hope the 280 character wannabe wonders will lay off their attacks on Margaret Atwood.