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Remember when Zak S was loud and vocal about adult films actor James Deen's history of assault, even brought Stoya to GenCon, I think? Now we see he was just using the language of the oppressed to position himself along a socio-ideological spectrum 1/
or make himself appear "progressive" or "woke". Yeah, so um...that's the EXACT same thing Matt and Michelle McFarland did in relation to Zak S. They joined in with people who were rightfully angry at Zak. They needed to make sure you thought they were woke AF. Meanwhile 2/
Matt performed an increasingly worse parade of crimes against people and Michelle ran interference for him. Now here is what we know about the situation: In November 2017, a woman came forward on RPGdotnet and said Matt was in a relationship with her when she was 15/16. 3/
He was in his mid-20s. She decided she wanted out, he decided otherwise and raped her. Matt McF raped a child. Then we find out in the last week that his "cool hip poly lifestyle" was a cover for more abuse and exploitation. @CheyenneRGrimes has shared her story. Now we learn 4/
Matt impregnated two of his girlfriends and has since disowned the children. If you are keeping up that brings the tally to deadbeat dad, rapist, and child rapist. Michelle has the honor of being our Tammy Wynette and sure standing by that man...honestly, he's not much of a man 5
Now step back and make yourself a good ol' T-chart graphic organizer. Label one side Zak and the other Matt. Categorize tweets in the rpg sphere this week appropriately. Do you notice something? I sure do. A very tiny tiny minority talking about Matt McF and a very big 6/
loud angry (and justifiably so) group talking about Zak. But why the imbalance of outrage? Why would Matt McF's seemingly ongoing revelation of crimes be the stuff of back-channel whispers? Wouldn't this be a great moment to show how true to the cause all these people are? 7/
Well, they might start to play with language and say that this is a "sensitive issue" and that we need to "respect the privacy of the victims". But you know that's intellectually dishonest. Cheyenne has made it clear they want their story told. I think the discreet handling is 8/
reflective of something way worse. For over a year the industry has been silent on what Matt did and apparently continues to do. There's now talk of a con incident in 2017 that organizers and Michelle worked to cover up. Matt is one of them, he speaks their language, he talks 9/
their talk. They ate lunch with Matt, they gamed with Matt, they stayed up late playing games with Matt. They didn't realize what Matt was doing to them. It was what he did to every victim that's come forward and the ones we're yet to hear from. He was grooming you. 10/
Abusers don't just groom and manipulate those they directly abuse. They need to cultivate a circle of defenders so, when it hits the fan, a large number of people protect them. Matt and Michelle knew this might come out so they had to get deeply embedded in a group that would 11/
passionately defend them, not publicly, but with discretion. The abuser would be the focus of protection. We've seen this all before, played out in any industry. It's just the first time it's been some of you that were duped, were groomed, were befriended by the monster 12/
You look at my earlier thread and I got duped too once upon a time. The minute I found out the truth my first reaction wasn't to circle wagons or go silent. The silence from the "industry leaders" and superstar darlings of indie games on Matt McF is deafening. This is what 13/
large scale gaslighting looks like, folx. Proximity and fraternity are not valid excuses for being complicit in covering up ongoing serial sexual abuse. What you should be feeling is that Matt McF betrayed you, that he used you, he made you a tool he could use to keep harming 14/
I will sit here and keeping waiting for loud announcements of Matt McF being banned from cons or companies making it crystal clear they are disassociating with him. It is okay to feel hurt that someone you thought was your friend turned out to be so horrible 15/
Think how his victims must feel, people he told he loved while then he used them for his own sick gratification. Think about how these victims felt when they saw Michelle actively covering for him, protecting his monstrous behavior. If you truly believe in progressive ideals 16/
then say something! Say you support Cheyenne and as other victims come forward make us hear their names. For every post you make about Zak S, make another to remind us about Matt McF. Matt and Michelle are banking on that loudmouth to create more cover. Matt will try to worm 17/
his way back in, I guarantee it. He is looking around and seeing how successful his grooming has been, how no one at the higher levels of leadership will speak out against him. He'll keep abusing. May not tomorrow, but when voices like mine and the few others there are die 18/
down or he repositions himself in a new community somewhere, he'll start harming other, abusing others. Why would he not? He is practically getting away with it, just a few bruises but no large scale repercussions or accountability. If you keep silent then you are playing the 19/
role of abuser and victim at the same time. You're Michelle, hiding Matt's crimes and you're the one he's grooming to help him get away with it. I don't see how you can be silent in the face of all of this. But then I look at the long, awful history of our species and say 20/
it doesn't surprise me. We aren't moral, we're tribal. Ethics fly out the window when it's "our guy" who did the crime. I honestly expect nothing from the industry and have a feeling they will deliver on that. End for now.
