Twitter controversy: Mariana Enriquez closed her account due to criticism for supporting a “deleted” writer

A sudden episode – with many connections to contemporary debates – led to famous writer Mariana Enriquez and essayist Alexandra Kohan They will shut down their Twitter accounts this Tuesday, both with thousands of followers, after several users of the social network criticized the support of Argentine women for the Colombian writer Carolina Sanín (Bogotá, 1973), accused of “transodiant” or transphobic by members of the trans and LGBT + community.

The Colombian author, a voice very heard in her country, told social networks that the Almadía label, after buying the rights to her books We are abyssal lights y Your cross in the desert sky for Mexico, he had informed him that he would not publish them due to his public positions on identity politics. “It seems to me that the decision to cancel a contract already signed for some books (which, however, have nothing to do with the subject in question) constitutes an obscure precedent,” he shared in his Twitter thread.

“On November 4th, my former agent, Andrea Montejo, informed me by voice message [Guillermo] Quijas had confirmed that, After much thought and despite having enjoyed my books, I was unable to publish them due to my claims on the trans issue. The publisher has waived, in compliance with the contract, the return of the advance. He never spoke to me, “Sanin told the Mexican newspaper. Excelsior. Consulted by LA NACION, Sanín said: “I am really very impressed and cannot talk more about the matter at the moment”. This newspaper has tried to communicate with the managers of Almadía, so far without success.

Enriquez and Kohan – like other Latin American writers and publishers – have expressed their solidarity with Sanín, a kind of “tropical JK Rowling” according to her detractors and a writer censored by Almadía in the opinion of many. Enriquez’s support for her colleague caused a stir in the Spanish-speaking literary world: many expressed their support and, moreover, many criticized her position and accused her of “transodiant”.

For some, Enriquez became the new “martyr” of the movement woke up and political correctness. Others were interested in Sanín’s views – some discovered it because of this controversy – and, there is nothing bad in the world, because of his literature. The Blatt & Ríos label took the opportunity to announce that in December he will publish a canceled author’s story book.

“Solidarity Carolina, I did not expect it from them which I appreciate very much. I think it is important to argue and disagree. It is also important to state one’s position, without questioning how to know, ”posted the author of our part of the night. Her message was interpreted by some Twitter users as supporting the position referred to as “transphobic” or TERF [Feminista Radical Trans-Excluyente] from a sector of feminism (for which a woman can be cis – when her biology coincides with her self-perception – or trans and can live together without conflict). “Instead of leaving, this was solved by saying that you did not support the people who reproduce the speeches transodiant”Wrote a La Plata tweeter from the account @Ing_Torta. “That a publisher decides to lower a contract is not a cancellation, that you decide to leave the tweets because the people here are intense (and sometimes violent, yes, I know) is not a cancellation. They keep shouting ‘clear’ and ‘squelch’ while THEY STILL HAVE AWESOME PLATFORMS, “she capitalized.

Before closing his account Enriquez insisted: “I’m not terfa. I am happy to live in a country with a gender identity law. But I don’t like that someone has decided not to post because they think in a way that I don’t agree with. -His books do not deal with the subject in question. They might disagree with that. “And he added:” I’ve seen all the posts with the things he said before. I’ve also seen your video where you explain more calmly. His books have nothing to do with it. Can the publisher decide not to work with you? Sure. And I can think it doesn’t match. “

“Buy, borrow or get Mariana Enriquez’s books from a library. Do yourself a favor. I’m reading it right now, “wrote Claudia Piñeiro from her account. And she recommended the novel with a hashtag our part of the night, the book with which Enriquez won the Herralde Prize and whose English version arrived earlier this month in the UK. To the consolation of his followers, Enriquez’s Instagram account (as well as Kohan’s) is still active.

Without naming names, transvestite trans writer Camila Sosa Villada hinted at her stance on Twitter. “Who’s the culprit? Obviously you go through them. And you have someone there who has benefited from all of this,” she joked. “There is no need to ennoble those discussions with answers, my loves. What responds is our life “, she added.” Censorship, as always “, summarized the writer Ariana Harwicz in a dialogue with this newspaper. The transvestite community is one of the most vulnerable in Argentina.

Writer Samanta Schweblin shared on her Twitter account: “I found this in Victoria Ocampo’s ‘Testimonios’ and thought about how they were attacked on the networks this week. By replying to @Team_Twitter y @SaninPazC. Many “freed” again trapped in new bonds. Here is everything that helps us think. I mean, this is for both of us. “Subsequently, the author published an image of a text by the American essayist Susan Sontag.” Every ‘liberated’ woman who accepts her privileged situation smugly becomes an accomplice and participates in the oppression of others. women. Of this I accuse the great majority of those who have made a career in the arts and sciences, in the free professions and in politics “.

Some disagreed with Schweblin’s interpretation of Sontag’s words. “Nice sentence. It means that all cis women who are in a privileged situation have a duty to stand up for trans women who are explicitly attacked. I completely agree and congratulate you on raising your voice, “said the user. @karuvf. It is known that there is no end point for “Twitter debates”.

Sergio Olguin She also expressed her opinion on the social network: “Mariana Enríquez does not leave Twitter because of the Nazi attacks, nor because of the paid trolls. She leaves because intolerance is beyond causes, no matter how worthy and noble they may be. They attack someone who was always on the right side. How much clumsiness and ignorance ”.

In a new tweet, Sanín indulged in a literary irony this afternoon. “Hi. I talked to Octavio Paz in the paradise that well-thinking Mexicans have destined for canceled writers. The truth is, in terms of virtual spaces, it’s better than that. Kiss. ​​And we never see each other,” he wrote.

With information from Telam