Firstly, thanks everyone for the thoughtful posts. Coming to a thread like this, I don't usually expect to see measured, thoughtful responses. I didn't see pitchforks, I saw real talk. Moving on...
Where is the smear? First of all, you give one thread on kboards and a few blog posts an awful lot of credit if you're going to equate it with a smear campaign. For someone who keeps arguing we can't know the motives of this vendor based on their actions and first hand accounts of the authors who submit to them, it's interesting you continue to characterize the motives of people in this thread in a similar manner. From what I've seen, you're way off base. People want answers, they see patterns and they've spoken out. They are speaking to their experiences, and while it's critical at times, it's not bullying.
I really wish people would stop labeling everything as bullying. It's beyond tired. I don't see any schoolyard kids around here, do you? Seems to me that labeling people as bullies who speak up for groups that are smaller and easily marginalized is just another lame attempt to shut people up who are willing to push back and discourage discrimination. I repeat, where are the bullies?
"Bullying is the use of force, threat, or coercion to abuse, intimidate, or aggressively dominate others."
That's a bit of a reach, wouldn't you agree?
Okay, you win. It's completely unfair, as is everything in the world we live in. What does that have to do with anything? You've argued ardently that businesses have a right to choose what they stock, fair or not. Seems hypocritical to turn on the independent contractions and business owners that provide content and say it's unfair for them to have an opinion about it based on the only thing they will ever know: first hand and second hand experiences. No one would have to
guess at Playster's motive if their response to the experiences shared in this thread made one lick of sense.
No one is benefiting from the resolution that Playster may be incorrectly targeting LGBT fiction for reasons stemming from archaic and false negative myths about gay people (As Becca noted). When did business negotiations take place? All they wanted was answers (clear and logical, preferably). The answer they got didn't make sense, so they're left to draw their own conclusions and take the appropriate steps moving forward for them, their work, and their business. And they have just as much right to do so as Playster. It's a lot less dramatic than what you describe, at least from where I'm sitting.
On another side note...
Marginalized communities get stomped on and undercut all the time. People are not drawing conclusions that that may be happening here for no reason. While it may or may not be true in this case, and we may never know for sure, allies are certainly not the problem and I question anyone who would frame a narrative that would cast them as such.