Transcriptase

Cross-posted from my editorial blog for Whispering Spirits Digital Magazine

In light of this year's incident with a sf/f editor's bigotry coming out in official magazine correspondence with an author, I feel compelled to assure my readers, and authors, of a few things.

I do not care what color you are or where you are from or your religion or cultural life. I care about your story. We remove all author identifiers before reading each story.

We do not judge the story based on what culture it represents - we judge the story. And cultural differences within ourselves NEVER make it into our analysis of the story, even amongst ourselves (the staff).

I do not dare speak for my staff, as they are their own people, but I do not carry any biases against others. And if I did, I would NOT allow them into my editorial comments.

OK, I lie. Sometimes a favored author does submit a story or poem to me, and that does influence me. I am the one who removes the author identity before sending it on to the editors.

The internet itself is a huge world, and people of all nationalities and all cultures and all lifestyles free mix together within it. I'm friends with many who live lifestyles and cultures I don't agree with, but I respect their choices and their freedom. I do my best to make sure my magazine(s) respect the rights of others also, even the rights of a character in a story.

Google the blogs for Helix, if you're unfamiliar with this situation. Or go to Transcriptase and read the intro, along with the author statements.

I suggest everyone visits Transcriptase, by the way. It's a good lesson in how to be professional, why you should be, and how others will hold you accountable if you are not. And how writers should stand up together against those who refuse to respect others.