This is a screencapture from this Google video of washed-up SF writer Harlan Ellison placing his hand on Connie Willis’ left breast during this year’s Hugo awards ceremony. I’m glad that there’s been quite an uproar in the SF blog world. I refrained from chiming in because a) this isn’t really an SF blog, so I didn’t think the people involved would be of much interest to most of you, and b) there were a lot of great posts expressing anger at the event, and I didn’t have anything new to say. After talking to Jana, I decided that it would be worth writing up a feminist analysis of the incident.

1) First of all, Ellison is not merely groping or resting his hand on Willis’ breast. He is sexually assaulting her. I’m not a lawyer, so I don’t know if his action fits the exact legal definition in the California Penal Code, but a quick Google search shows that many states and university rape prevention centers define sexual assault as any unwanted sexual contact (Wisconsin defines this unwanted sexual touching as fourth degree sexual assault). I want this to sink in, because using legal language like “sexual assault” underscores the seriousness of such an act. This is not merely the wandering hands of a dirty old man. Harlan Ellison sexually assaulted Connie Willis.

2) Jana put Ellison’s assault in context. He was the subject of an extended roast delivered by Willis when he received the Grand Master Award from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers’ Association earlier in the year. In fact, he excuses his sexual assault of Willis for this reason, equating her verbal assault of him with his contact with her breast. Furthermore, it should be noted that Ellison received his greatest accolades decades ago, while Willis is not only in her prime, she is one of the most highly honored SF writers in the history of the genre. So what does a man do when he is upstaged by a successful woman and is unable to respond with witty repartee? Jana suggested that Willis were a man, Ellison would try to emasculate him verbally. But since she was a woman, he reduced her to a mere sexual object.

3) I wish I could remember the references, but I read in at least two different locations (and heard in one conversation) that this would be worse if the victim were young and beautiful. This implies that Connie Willis (and other women who are older or who, regardless of age, are considered unattractive) are not sexual beings. This really rubs me the wrong way. Humans, regardless of age, status, beauty, gender, education, etc., are sexual beings.

This is not merely SF insider gossip. This incident reflects problems in society as a whole. It is worth highlighting precisely because it is so easy for us to dismiss.