HTMLFAIL

One of my favorite literature blogs, HTMLGIANT, has erupted again this week over the work of Marie Calloway–a controversial writer who sprung onto the alt-lit scene this year with her story, “Adrien Brody.” Published by Tao Lin’s Muumuu House–noted for works often dubbed part of the “New Sincerity” movement–the story generated fierce discussion over its retelling of actual events and persons in a lightly disguised fictional guise. Moreover, as Calloway’s story contained descriptions of explicit sexual imagery–much of which could be considered dehumanizing and anti-feminist or equally, to some, pro-feminist and life-afirming–detractors and supporters entrenched their positions.

Two days ago, Blake Butler (a long-time HTMLGIANT editor) posted links to Calloway’s latest work on HTMLGIANT. With titles such as “Cybersex” and “Men” and executed in a collage style, the pieces contain naked imagery of Calloway and explicit Gchat and emails with a blacked-out male writer. An hour or so later, the male writer in question, Jimmy Chen, posted, apparently in revenge, the complete unedited transcripts of his and Calloway’s conversations.

As you can read in the comment section, the debate and infighting got heated and personal. Blake Butler later started a new thread–childlike in intent and tone, perhaps to divert the discussion and calm people down–titled “What’s your favorite color.” Few sane voices were heard in Calloway or Chen’s comment thread. Roxane Gay, as usual, was one of the few. Although, personally, I’m not a fan of Calloway’s work or her use, even deliberate manipulation, of men, the stories do push the boundaries of acceptiblity and promote debate on the nature and purpose of such work–particularly in terms of performance and feminism. I doubt it will be long before Marie Calloway publishes more of her work, and the commentors on HTMLGIANT have much more to say.