> Yesterday, Jourdain Searles responded to a Twitter user expressing shock that there was a podcast about the Gaiman allegations six months ago, which they hadn't heard about, by saying "it's because the original investigation against him was headed by TERFs who were going after him for supporting trans people. there was a lot of skepticism regarding who the messengers were." This post got a lot of pushback because it is almost entirely lies.
> 
> *. [[https://www.tortoisemedia.com/listen/master-the-allegations-against-neil-gaiman?ref=awningfawning.xyz | Tortoise Media's reporting was done by a TERF.]] Tortoise Media had the story because Gaiman's victims, per their own attestations, were repeatedly rebuffed by mainstream news outlets. No one else wanted to take this story.
> *. Within days of the allegations breaking, [[https://bsky.app/profile/kathryntewson.bsky.social/post/3kwknr7zarn2d?ref=awningfawning.xyz | transcripts]] were available from a volunteer, and extensive summaries of the allegations were available not just on [[https://www.tortoisemedia.com/2024/07/03/exclusive-neil-gaiman-accused-of-sexual-assault?ref=awningfawning.xyz | Tortoise's website]] but on social media, from feminists who are not trans-excluding. The podcast contains the victims speaking with their own voices; within weeks, the victims themselves confirmed that the podcast was a fair representation of their allegations. In other words, within a very short period of time, there was copious information to support the conclusion that the allegations of serial rape were in fact credible.
> *. There was never any evidence that Gaiman was targeted for supporting trans people. This implies the opposite of what the victims described: reaching out to many, many journalists while desperate to share their stories and being rebuffed or ignored.
> *. The silence in question was not exclusive to people who care about trans rights. The Guardian did not report on the allegations. Tor's industry publication Reactor didn't report on them. Many, many highly visible SFF industry publications and individuals stayed completely silent. Gaiman, meanwhile, had retained [[https://old.reddit.com/r/neilgaimanuncovered/comments/1fi1hft/mention_of_ng_allegations_on_radio_4_world_at_one/?ref=awningfawning.xyz | a PR firm]] whose stated strategy is stonewalling accusers.