In which Seanan actually sort of defends Miley Cyrus.

So the VMAs (Video Music Awards) happened last night, and Miley Cyrus did a thing. It was...well, it was not a good thing. She's making creative choices that I don't necessarily agree with or understand, and I sort of wish she'd put her tongue back into her mouth. But these are not my choices to make, and since the state of her career doesn't really impact me in any rational way, I will do my best not to criticize her beyond "I really liked it better when you were doing awesome country music, Miley, and I hope you'll get back to that, because I'd love an album with you and your godmother singing together."

As part of the thing that Miley did, however, she wound up grinding her backside (and, due to her position at the time, her genital region) against Robin Thicke's groin while wearing spanky pants made of what looked like flesh-colored vinyl. No one missed a beat when she did this, including Robin Thicke, so I have to assume that it was rehearsed, and was part of the plan for the performance. Again, still not a good thing, but she didn't start throwing in the over-the-top sexual stuff on a whim: MTV approved this. Her backup dancers learned this. Robin Thicke voluntarily did this.

I have now heard three separate people say something along the lines of "Robin Thicke's wife should slap the shit out of her," and "she should be ashamed." What I'm not seeing, though, are people saying the equivalent things about him. It appears that, to many people, Robin Thicke just materialized on stage as an innocent bystander, where Miley Cyrus proceeded to grind on him, and he didn't push her away because he's a gentleman.

I...wait.

I know this is a weird example to use, but bear with me here: this is actually a really good demonstration of how we tend to treat female "characters" in both real life (celebrities, pop stars, people whose lives are turned into narratives by the media) and fiction. Belle stole Brina's boyfriend! Sharon is a skank! Cassandra is a coward! It's always the women who are to blame, and the men around them are blameless. It's not "Brian left Brina for Belle." It's not "Sharon had consensual sex with Steve." It's not "Connor threatened Cassandra's life and family, so she withdrew." We place the full onus for anything we don't like on the female participants, leaving nothing for their counterparts. And it's just not fair.

Miley Cyrus did a thing. Very few people seem to have liked the thing, and that's on her: she should know her audience better than that. But Robin Thicke did not accidentally wander into the performance. If there's blame to give here, it needs to go both ways.

We need to drop the double standard.

Strap up and skate on: GLITTER AND MAYHEM is available now!

Well, it's here: at long last you, too, can join the roller party already in progress. Glitter and Mayhem is available now from a bookseller near you! Twenty-one stories, twenty-one parties you know you want to be invited to.

The scores are in:

"Though stories range from humorous to horrific and from innocent to explicit, they stick to the theme with thoroughly enjoyable results. The diverse cast includes gay, lesbian, transgender, and drag queen characters, all portrayed in sensitive and positive lights. This collection definitely brings the party, with nary a poor choice to spoil the evening." —Publishers Weekly

"Glitter and Mayhem not only justifies the risks and faith required from its kickstarter backers, it shows that there is an audience for anthologies that take risks to bring short fiction outside of the usual bounds to a genre audience." —SF Signal

"Most of the stories here are weird, clever, and weirdly clever. Many of them involve roller skating. I never knew that I needed them. But now I want more sci-fi and fantasy stories about roller skating." —Revolution SF

"Glitter and Mayhem reminds me of the sweat and liquid latex-scented parties of the '90s Lower East Side. Only with, like, 50% more murder." —Kelly Sue DeConnick

Basically, come to our party if you want a good time...and if you want to meet Antimony "Final Girl" Price, the roller derby doll little sister of our beloved Verity. Annie's got another bout coming up in February, when she'll be taking on all challengers in "Jammed," but it all begins with "Bad Dream Girl" in Glitter and Mayhem.

See you on the track!