Neil Gaiman accusations: What does the unequal power balance between author, fan mean for consent?

An explosive New York magazine cover story details accusations of assault, coercion or abuse against Neil Gaiman by eight women. Four of them were among the five who previously detailed their experiences on a UK podcast last year. Included are two employees, one a former nanny who was in her mid-20s at the time of the first incident, and five fans – one just 18 when she met the star fantasy author.

Gaiman, through his representatives, told the magazine these were all consensual encounters. On Tuesday, in an online statement, he denied the allegations and said, “I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone”. He continued: “some of the horrible stories now being told simply never happened, while others have been so distorted from what actually took place that they bear no relationship to reality”.

People who flock to fantasy conventions and signings make up an “inherently vulnerable community”, one of Gaiman’s former friends, a fantasy writer, told reporter Lila Shapiro. They “wrap themselves around a beloved text so it becomes their self-identity”. These fans’ connection to the writer through their work means when they meet them in real life, a meaningful relationship may already exist.

I have researched teenage fans of romantasy author Sarah J Maas, and her series A Court of Thorns and Roses. I spoke...

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