"Classic male "feminist" response"— Internet reacts to Neil Gaiman's statement to s*xual assault allegations

Neil Gaiman broke his silence days after New York Magazine, via their website Vulture, published a piece highlighting a new set of women making s*xual abuse allegations against him. Tortoise Media had already published a podcast series in July 2024 tackling the same allegations made by two women.

On Tuesday, January 14, the author made a statement denying all claims of "non-consensual s*xual activities" via his blog, saying:

"I'm far from a perfect person, but I have never engaged in non-consensual s*xual activity with anyone. Ever."

He also said:

"I re-review everything that actually happened as opposed to what is being alleged—I don't accept there was any abuse. To repeat, I have never engaged in non-consensual s*xual activity with anyone."

However, as Neil Gaiman's latest journal entry circulated on the internet, netizens weren't a fan of his statement. A Reddit user called Gaiman's Breaking The Silence statement a classic response from a supposed "male feminist."

"Classic male "feminist" response to allegations. "There's some truth to them because I wasn't as much of a feminist as I should have been (which I am now! I'm the biggest feminist now!), but the really bad stuff? That didn't happen at all"," a Reddit user commented.

A netizen’s comment on Neil Gaiman’s statement (Image via @emptytheprison/Reddit)

Other netizens seemingly don't believe Gaiman, as they pointed out that the accounts from several women alleging s*xual assault against him were too similar and too detailed to be a coincidence or made up.

"Ah yes, and it's just wild coincidence that several different women spanning years came up with very similar horrific experiences that you had inflicted onto them. A**hole," a user on Reddit wrote.

"Yeah I'm sorry the accounts are way too similar and way too detailed for this to all be made up Neil," another Reddit user commented.

"Oh well, I'm sure it was a misunderstanding with nine different women, at least one of which went to the police immediately afterwards. He's clearly all about consent/s," a Reddit user added.

Other fans shared their disgust and disappointment about the author in light of the latest s*xual abuse allegations being made against him.

"This is absolutely disgusting and I'm pissed we won't get any more Sandman episodes bc he's a f*cking pervert," a user on X said.

"Neil Gaiman was my favorite author. I Idolized the man, I would do anything just to be in the same room as him, I've cried so many times reading the things he wrote. That man is a f*cking monster and I hope he pays for what he's done to those poor women. F**k Neil Gaiman," another X user commented.

---

Neil Gaiman claims he was being "selfish" but denies s*xually abusing women in light of the allegations he's facing

In the January 14 journal entry on his blog, Neil Gaiman admitted that he may have had a lapse in judgment regarding the women he previously had s*xual relationships with, but it didn't involve any abuse or non-consensual s*x.

"I also realise, looking through them [text messages], years later, that I could have and should have done so much better. I was emotionally unavailable while being s*xually available, self-focused and not as thoughtful as I could or should have been," he said.

He said that he was "obviously careless" about the hearts and feelings of others, something that he "deeply" regretted. The Dead Boy Detectives creator added:

"It was selfish of me."

However, Gaiman explicitly denied that he had non-consensual s*xual activity with anyone. He further noted that while he kept silent for the past couple of months, he will not accept "being described as someone I am not," and that he won't admit to things he didn't do.