No but I am trained in information verification.
One source with a history of lying is not reliable and they're also the only source of the confession. Which just obviously isn't how you confirm things.
You also have to account for biases, them being TERFs is actually relevant because Neil is an outspoken supporter of trans rights. That does make him a target of ire for them.
If these do turn out to be true then he's a creep and should be condemned as such.
But it's not about "using bigotry against trans people to protect a cis man", it's wanting properly vetted information from a more reputable less biased source.
That's reasonable.
It also came out right after a trans actor was confirmed for the new Sandman. Which may well be a coincidence, or two bad actors going after each other, but we don’t know enough yet.
It should be fairly easy to confirm at least a few facts, and I’ll have the rest of my life to be disappointed.
I'm both trans and a survivor and I fully agree with you. I'm quite ready to believe the accusations are true (absolutely gutting as it will be if so), but waiting for a better source isn't going to do any harm.
It really, really does. :( And honestly it's being a bad and triggering time to be a trans survivor of rape, abuse, and sexual harassment. :( (I'm blocking all the people being vile on your thread, just so you know. <3 )
Honestly, if the accusations turn out to be completely and horribly true, I'm giving the credit to the secondary source rather than letting the anti-trans folks get any recognition...
bsky.app/profile/okch...
You're not going to find a more credible source than the victim, actually. So what you're saying is that you don't believe this victim because they spoke to that outlet, and that is definitively, harmful.
Guys, the podcast is available on Spotify/Apple Podcasts, and as infuriating as it is that Tortoise funnels you into their fucking podcast instead of providing the information clearly via text, you should listen to the nanny's first-hand account before being like "TERFs be lying."
Yes, this
There isn't anything special about being One of the First to Condemn
It still counts if it's two days later and more evidence-based
... my problem is that this lot are folks I would factcheck if they were telling me the time
Let alone anything that matters
yes, exactly
but apparently we're not supposed to actually SAY this out loud, because that counts as doing a Rape Apologism for some reason, and also as being a traitor to the trans community (?) for cis approval (??)
is this the sort of thought you'll be proud to have if you're wrong? will you look back on this and think casting doubt on it was the correct action?
you could have not done this.
At this point in time, it is the correct action. That doesn't change even if it turns out to be true because you can only act based on what you have.
A single podcast citing itself which has a bad history with the truth and an axe to grind doesn't pass muster, it just doesn't.
Not trusting the word of known bad actors is a good thing.
I don't see the issue with putting our opinions of Gaiman in a quarantine box until we get more information. Not defending him. Very much expecting confirmation. Just waiting for that confirmation to actually occur before convicting him.
Julie Bindel being a TERF is extremely relevant because she's already started gunning for other trans-supporting people who've shared platforms with Gaiman, implying they procured for him. It was clearly pre-planned.
And there’s also a difference between “Neil Gaiman is a creep” (which seems likely at this point) and “Neil Gaiman committed actual sexual assault”. Neither of this things are good but they are not the same and one is criminal and should not be thrown around without due diligence.
