The mean queens of the book world

A rare case of a “progressive” employee facing consequences for an online diatribe will not change a publishing industry in which political conformism is deeply embedded

Nina Welsch

SOUND THE KLAXON, ANOTHER WOMAN HAS lost her job thanks to the gender wars. But in a major twist, the casualty this time was not someone from the gender-critical camp. Tilly Fitzgerald, an influencer and senior bookseller at Waterstones, was sacked by the bookshop because of a vicious tweet she directed at the bestselling author Christina Dalcher. Dalcher had, in civil terms, defended SEEN In Publishing (a new network for those in the publishing world who “recognise the material reality of sex, and support freedom of expression”) against one of many hostile reactions from other publishing figures. Fitzgerald weighed in, assuring Dalcher: “Ooh, I’ll enjoy tearing up your books and popping them in the bin today. Thanks for the heads up.” In response, Dalcher quoted Fitzgerald’s tweet to highlight the…

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The Critic (Digital) - 1 Issue, August/September 2024

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