A couple of great articles in this morning's press.

In The Independent, Johann Hari on 'sympathetic' portrayals of sexual abusers in fiction. He's talking mostly about child abuse and Alan Bennett's plays, but his point applies more generally, too...and is a damn good point that can't be made often enough. (Content may be triggering - and the comments are okay right now but probably won't stay that way.)

And on a similar note, in The Guardian, Patrick Stewart writes about living with domestic abuse. Yes, that Patrick Stewart. He's done a lot of work in this area, so some may be familiar with his story, but the article is painfully honest and damned brave. (Again, content may be triggering for some.)

Crossposted from my Dreamwidth journal. comments at Dreamwidth.

What's with everyone defending Roman Polanski all of a sudden?

Dominic Lawson in yesterday's Independent wrote one of the best articles I've seen so far on the Roman Polanski debacle. (Warning: content is triggering.)

He has quoted from the original testimony of the 13 year old girl Polanski raped; if anyone thinks there is any excuse for what he did, or any case for leniency, they should read that. I have loved many of his films but the man is scum and in any civilised society would be made to pay for his crime. But we're not all that civilised, are we?

When I read that Polanski had finally been arrested I fucking cheered. The only thing I would question is what the hell took the Swiss so long? It's not like this is the first time he's been there.

Polanski is guilty. He admitted it. That there were, or may have been, irregularities with the proceeding does not change the facts of the case. She was thirteen for crying out loud! Then he fled justice. Now he should be made to face what he has done.

I thought I'd post a rant about all the things I hated in the SPN premiere (and it's a long list). But instead I have good news:

The prime minister today issued an apology for the treatment of Alan Turing.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/petition-prompts-no-10-apology-over-code-breaker-turing-1785527.html

Describing Mr Turing as a "quite brilliant mathematician", the Prime Minister said: "It is no exaggeration to say that, without his outstanding contribution, the history of World War Two could well have been very different. He truly was one of those individuals we can point to whose unique contribution helped to turn the tide of war.

"The debt of gratitude he is owed makes it all the more horrifying, therefore, that he was treated so inhumanely. In 1952, he was convicted of 'gross indecency' - in effect, tried for being gay. His sentence - and he was faced with the miserable choice of this or prison - was chemical castration by a series of injections of female hormones. He took his own life just two years later.

Like apologising for the slave trade, it doesn't really change anything. Turing is still dead. Even so, I am thrilled to live in a world where attitudes have changed so much that this is possible. Gordon's a lousy PM, and I daresay this is a calculated gesture but nonetheless I am very happy this morning.