I was sitting on this bomb-ass beach and saw some disturbing news with #RWAVivian2021 . I have an idea. I think it's time for Romancelandia to create an inclusive "test" for our genre. Kinda like the "DuVernay test" or "Bechdel test" It won't be fool-proof but it's a start. The "test" will help us review standards we’re aiming for when it comes to measuring inclusion within a romance novel. It won't solve for all. Let's call it the HEART Test. I'll kick it off below, but open to changes. This works better when it's collaborative.

This is an important thread on understanding how the #RWAshitshow really started. I also watched this unfold on Twitter since Aug. Ask yourself, why is Courtney somehow seen as this "destroyer" or "instigator" when this was really about how white fragility tore down RWA?

https://twitter.com/mostlybree/status/1215700223651143680

Everyone who was there from the beginning knows that this was more about some stupid book from 1999. It was more than liking some racist and homophobic tweets. This started from authors of color and others speaking out on a PATTERN of behaviors from Grimshaw that are bigoted.

Long thread: It is very well known in the D&I community of strategists and practitioners that inclusion HAS to be integrated into the very foundation of your organization in order for change to happen.  This can't just be a facelift -- Everything from how the board functions, how the members are treated, the policies and procedures...all of it has to be reviewed, scrutinized and changed to fit the values of RWA's new inclusive culture. This doesn't happen overnight, but it's how you make systemic changes.