Vote NO to Violence Against Women & Tell Oprah Magazine & Algonquin Books to Stop Supporting Serial Abuser Gregory Sherl
This is the email I sent to Oprah Magazine’s last week, both the web editor and the book reviewer. I gave them the benefit of the doubt, assuming they didn’t know they were promoting the book of an abuser, since Algonquin Books has refused to publicly cut ties with him. I was respectful. I was patient. I have waited nine days and have not heard back. Kat has not heard back, since she and I also both sent messages via the website itself. The people who left comments on the website, respectfully urging editors to research Gregory Sherl & reconsider promoting his book, have also been silenced, their comments since deleted. Others’ comments continue to be denied approval.
And this is why we end up having to call individuals & organizations out via public platforms – because private correspondence results in nothing. And silence is part of how abusers like Sherl & Ghomeshi are able to do what they do so easily and for so long. Silence is what helps perpetuate the cycle. Nobody puts the pressure on. Nobody wants to confront. Nobody wants to “get involved.” I call that complacency & enabling & it’s disgusting. It doesn’t matter what you “want.” The women who are abused & assaulted don’t WANT that either. But it happens. It happened. It’s fucking happening. Now wake the fuck up & do something about it. How many women will it take? You waiting for more bruises? You waiting for someone to die? ENOUGH.