Junot Díaz Accused Of #MeToo Misconduct

Junot Díaz Accused Of #MeToo Misconduct Zinzi Clemmons, author of novel What We Lose, accused Junot Díaz of cornering and kissing her. The accusation was made on Twitter early May 4, with several other writers chiming in. In Clemmonss original tweet, she says, As a grad student, I invited Junot Diaz to speak to a workshop on issues of representation in literature. I was an unknown wide-eyed 26 yo, and he used it as an opportunity to corner and forcibly kiss me. Im far from the only one hes done this 2, I refuse to be silent anymore. As a grad student, I invited Junot Diaz to speak to a workshop on issues of representation in literature. I was an unknown wide-eyed 26 yo, and he used it as an opportunity to corner and forcibly kiss me. Im far from the only one hes done this 2, I refuse to be silent anymore. zinziclemmons (@zinziclemmons) May 4, 2018 Revelations were also made by Carmen Maria Machado, author of Her Body and Other Parties, that illuminate Diazs unhealthy views towards women. In response to Clemmonss original tweet, Machado writes: During his tour for THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE HER, Junot Díaz did a QA at the grad program Id just graduated from. When I made the mistake of asking him a question about his protagonists unhealthy, pathological relationship with women, he went off for me for twenty minutes. During his tour for THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE HER, Junot Díaz did a QA at the grad program Id just graduated from. When I made the mistake of asking him a question about his protagonists unhealthy, pathological relationship with women, he went off for me for twenty minutes. https://t.co/7wuQOarBIJ Carmen Maria Machado (@carmenmmachado) May 4, 2018 In a string of tweets, Machado elaborates: He asked me to back up my claim with evidence. I cited several passages from the book in front of me. He raised his voice, paced, implied I was a prude who didnt know how to read or draw reasonable conclusions from text. He asked me to back up my claim with evidence. I cited several passages from the book in front of me. He raised his voice, paced, implied I was a prude who didnt know how to read or draw reasonable conclusions from text. Carmen Maria Machado (@carmenmmachado) May 4, 2018 That night, I went to his reading at a local venue, Machado tweeted. When he got up after his introduction, he said, Today, someone complained that there was too much cheating in this book. This is for them. Then he read the stories/passages Id cited hours earlier. That night, I went to his reading at a local venue. When he got up after his introduction, he said, Today, someone complained that there was too much cheating in this book. This is for them. Then he read the stories/passages Id cited hours earlier. Carmen Maria Machado (@carmenmmachado) May 4, 2018 In the intervening years, Ive heard easily a dozen stories about fucked-up sexual misconduct on his part and felt weirdly lucky that all (all) I got was a blast of misogynist rage and public humiliation. In the intervening years, Ive heard easily a dozen stories about fucked-up sexual misconduct on his part and felt weirdly lucky that all (all) I got was a blast of misogynist rage and public humiliation. Carmen Maria Machado (@carmenmmachado) May 4, 2018 And it sucks for a very particular reason: people of color are so underrepresented in publishing, we have deep attachments to those who succeed. People are defensive about JD because there are so few high-profile Latinx authors. I get it. That doesnt change the facts. And it sucks for a very particular reason: people of color are so underrepresented in publishing, we have deep attachments to those who succeed. People are defensive about JD because there are so few high-profile Latinx authors. I get it. That doesnt change the facts. Carmen Maria Machado (@carmenmmachado) May 4, 2018 Junot Díaz is a widely lauded, utterly beloved misogynist. His books are regressive and sexist. He has treated women horrifically in every way possible. And the #MeToo  stories are just starting. ¯\_(?)_/ ¯ Junot Díaz is a widely lauded, utterly beloved misogynist. His books are regressive and sexist. He has treated women horrifically in every way possible. And the #MeToo stories are just starting. ¯_(?)_/ ¯ Carmen Maria Machado (@carmenmmachado) May 4, 2018 Others on Twitter speculate that Diazs widely read April New Yorker essay The Silence: The Legacy of Childhood Trauma, was in part an attempt to deflect blame from future allegations. Do you think he was trying to pre-empt this from coming out with the essay he wrote in the New Yorker about being raped as a child? Like Kevin Spaceys Im gay diversion? Bina Shah (@BinaShah) May 4, 2018 In the essay, he says that he hurt women. Writer Clarkisha Kent sums it up pretty well: I hadnt been keeping up w/ Junot Díaz recently. But to hear that hed written some article for the New Yorker in April, confessing that he hurt women finding out that it was probably a preemptive cover for the misogyny assault hes committed against them is reprehensible. I hadnt been keeping up w/ Junot Díaz recently. But to hear that hed written some article for the New Yorker in April, confessing that he hurt women finding out that it was probably a preemptive cover for the misogyny assault hes committed against them is reprehensible. Clarkisha Kent: Space Deebo Must Die (@IWriteAllDay_) May 4, 2018 As of this writing, no official charges have been filed. The story, so far, is unfolding on Twitter. Sign up to Today In Books to receive  daily news and miscellany from the world of books. Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox.