the likelihood that my experience was not an isolated incident is beginning to grow.

if you’ve had unwanted contact with mike, you are more than welcome to message me. your identity & experiences will be kept confidential. i can also connect you with a reporter pursuing this.

— talia jane (@itsa_talia) May 6, 2019

Jane has demonstrated an indomitable spirit throughout this whole situation, but the fact remains that she shouldn't have to be indomitable at all. If you're a man who works in media, you should have enough wherewithal to understand that you have power over young reporters who come to you for advice and guidance. This kind of behavior is unacceptable. Full stop.

Speaking of power and the media: over the weekend at the Crosscut Festival, former Stranger reporter (and, full disclosure, my former coworker) Sydney Brownstone told the full story of what happened when she tried to write a story accusing Seattle restaurant mogul Dave Meinert of sexual misconduct. Brownstone didn't feel as though she could publish the report at The Stranger:

@sydbrownstone broke a story about music and night life mogul Dave Mienert. She says “there has to be trust between a reporter and institution my trust was already on shaky ground [@TheStranger] my publisher came to me to say Mienert wanted to have lunch with him.”

— Agueda “La Chona” Pacheco (@AguedaPachecOH) May 4, 2019

Brownstone eventually published the Meinert piece (and a followup report with more accusations) after finding a new job at KUOW.

The moral of this story: We need more and better media in Seattle, and we need fewer men in power at those organizations.