In August 2024, a little-known firm referred to as Tortoise Media launched a podcast collection alleging that acclaimed fantasy writer Neil Gaiman had a historical past of sexual assault. The podcast was largely reported by Rachel Johnson, sister of former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. In response to the reporting, the accusations had been investigated by authorities, and the circumstances had been closed with out expenses. Whereas the podcast painted an unflattering portrait of the beloved writer, the accusations remained uncorroborated.
Till now. New York Journal has printed an in depth account into the allegations towards Gaiman—together with and past the main points coated within the Tortoise Media podcast. The story was reported by Lila Shapiro, who beforehand uncovered the numerous misdeeds of one other beloved male feminist, Joss Whedon. However the Gaiman allegations are a lot worse; contemplate this your content material warning for all the things.
Gaiman has not been charged with any crimes, although his representatives did affirm that many of the allegations had been true; by his personal accounting, nevertheless, they had been consensual, and thus not prison. Most of the allegations are paying homage to these towards Armie Hammer, involving sexual encounters that had been thought-about consensual BDSM by the wealthy, well-known males concerned in them. The ladies declare they had been viciously abused, each bodily and emotionally.
Gaiman’s estranged partner, Amanda Palmer, doesn’t come out of this story wanting nice both. In response to Shapiro’s reporting, Palmer might have been arguably complicit in her husband’s lengthy path of abuse—which incorporates not less than 14 individuals, by Palmer’s personal account. It appears Palmer might have even written a tune about it. Moderately than specializing in the ladies whom she allegedly knew had been being harmed by her husband, nevertheless, Palmer’s tune appears extra within the methods the state of affairs inconvenienced her.
There Is No Protected Phrase: How the best-selling fantasy writer Neil Gaiman hid the darkest components of himself for many years [Lila Shapiro / New York Magazine]