Male/Male Romance rejected by Romance Writers of America Conference Hotel

[nyabn_webmaster]

Here's a disturbing story that was posted on the blog Daily Kos:

Lauren Baumbach (http://sensualwriter.blogspot.com/), an award-winning writer of Male/Male (M/M) Romance Novels and a member of the Romance Writers of America (RWA) (https://www.rwanational.org/eweb/StartPage.aspx) (which accepts M/M romance as a category), had her promotional materials confiscated by the Hyatt Hotel where the RWA was holding its conference. The management claimed that Baumbach's material was too explicit, although she collected material from several of the featured Male/Female (M/F) romances that was far more explicit.

I post this info to show just how far bisexual romance has to go before it gains acceptance.

To read the full account:
www.dailykos.com/story/2007/5/2/193733/9240 (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/5/2/193733/9240)

To lodge a complaint:
Send e-mail to Hyatt Corporate Offices: Department of Consumer Affairs ConsumerAffairs (at) Hyatt (dot) com (ConsumerAffairs@Hyatt.com)

X-posted with permission from:
The LJ of Ann Herendeen (http://ann-amalie.livejournal.com/), author of Phyllida and the Brotherhood of Philander: A Bisexual Regency Romance (http://www.annherendeen.com/index.html)


:bipride: :bipride: :bipride:
SAVE THESE DATES! LGBT Pride 2007 in NYC Kicks Off with the "Big Bi Book Weekend (http://www.nyabn.org/Pages/BiKnowledge/BigBiBook.html)".

It all starts with the "Lammie" Awards on the evening of Thursday May 31st, then the Bi-Lines Performance on the evening of Friday June 1st and finishes up on Sunday June 3rd with the Queens Pride Parade in the AM and the Bi Perspective discussion group in the afternoon. Hope to see you there.

[Solomon]

that is disturbing webmaster, thanx for the heads up

[pasco_lol_cpl]

Id be interested in hearing how a private entity (the hotel) could think that they had legal grounds to deprive a person of their property. That is a function reserved solely for the government and even then only with due process taking place. I'm smelling a lawsuit if not her filing charges for theft.

[12voltman59]

This is both and interesting and disturbing situation--thanks for sharing it.

As the writer of the blog noted and so did the author in question--they Hyatt muckity-mucks only targeted her material and no one elses apparently--so I would say she does have a good case going into a civil suit against Hyatt---if they decided that all of such material were "unsuitable" for them--then on property rights basis--they would be on firmer legal ground and they would prevail at court most likely--but since they only banned her material---she would probably win damages---

I would sue them in a second if that happened to me...

I am sure that she can get a big time law firm to take this on pro bono or else a publishing industry group might pick up the tab to hire a big time law firm that specializes in such cases---this case has ramifications far beyond the specific case to all writers, artists, etc.

I hope that someone has already filed suit against Hyatt--

It is kind of scary that private corporations are tending to act like quasi-governmental entities---

[nyabn_webmaster]

Reading both the author Ms. Lauren Baumbach's description of events (http://sensualwriter.blogspot.com/) as well as those in the Daily Kos (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/5/2/193733/9240), the Hotel management did not destroy her materials, merely prevented her from displaying her writing and associated advertising materials.

I'm not sure what the legal ramifications are, but again just from reading her Blog entries I'd say she is more inclined to try to work something out with them than sue. And of course she appreciates people writing in on her behalf (ConsumerAffairs@Hyatt.com).

[12voltman59]

It is always best to try to deal with things by trying to work things out without resorting to going to court---but I think that if they gave me attitude in such a situation after the fact as they had done while it went on--I would be quiet and say fine-then go call the ACLU and discuss things with them--maybe have one of their on staff lawyers give the Hyatt PR people a call---getting a phone call from a lawyer working for the ACLU to the PR people might get things shook up enough that they at least fall all over themselves in apologizing and it lets them know--they are being watched!!!!!! :bigrin:

I know the way the media game goes!!!!! Let them think they are going to get some bad press--and magical things happen if they are at all smart!!!!