About eight months ago, I published a post detailing rather abhorrent behavior by individuals nominally aligned with the Bring Back Legends/Give Us Legends movement. In the time since, members of that movement have decided the way to prove that harassment at Dragon Con 2015 didn’t happen was to engage in further harassment. Over that time I’ve received a near constant stream of abuse, harassment, and more recently, threats. While others may be able to shrug that off, I’m not one of those people. I’ve been open with my struggle with depression and anxiety. The never-ending abuse in the form of Tweets, emails, YouTube videos containing vulgarities and slurs that no one should be forced to endure has forced me to prioritize my health and well being. The vast majority of this abuse I have not shared anywhere.
Effective Sunday, April 17th, I’ll be stepping away from TSR and the blog. I’ve set a minimum one-month hiatus for myself, but my health is the first concern and if that window needs to be extended or be permanent, it will be. Here’s what this means to you.
- Nanci will be assuming sole editor duties over the blog
- TSR will either go into hiatus after this weekend or another host will step in to do the show with Nanci
- Western Reaches, Of Dice and Droids, and the Tosche Station Book Club will continue
We’ll see where we are in a month. I know stepping away is handing these serial abusers and harassers a victory, but at a certain point you have to take care of your own well being.
Fandom should be a place full of shared passion and joy. What myself and numerous others have been exposed to lately has been anything but. Remember, fandom is what you make it. Don’t allow it to become toxic, insular, and full of hate.
-Brian
