Lez Get Real
Encyclopedia
Lez Get Real is a news site for lesbian audiences.
The founder operated the website as "Paula Brooks," and pretended to be a lesbian, as well as deaf to deflect suspicion about being unable to use the phone to talk to journalists. In 2011, after revealing Amina Abdallah Arraf al Omari
to be a hoax by Tom MacMaster, "Brooks" revealed himself as Bill Graber, a retired construction worker from Ohio
.
After the hoax was revealed, reaction from the lesbian community was negative. Judy Dlugacz, the founder and owner of Olivia, a travel company catering to lesbians, described the hoax as an "outrage." Suzanne Goldenberg said that the lesbian community on the internet was "a small world" and that "there are relatively few general news sites run by lesbians, and for some writers LezGetReal offered a chance to break into writing. Within those close circles, a number of people said they felt betrayed."
The founder operated the website as "Paula Brooks," and pretended to be a lesbian, as well as deaf to deflect suspicion about being unable to use the phone to talk to journalists. In 2011, after revealing Amina Abdallah Arraf al Omari
Amina Abdallah Arraf al Omari
Amina Abdallah Arraf al Omari was a fictional character or hoax persona created and maintained by American Tom MacMaster. The identity was presented as a Syrian-American blogger, identifying herself as a lesbian on her weblog A Gay Girl In Damascus and blogging in support of increased civil and...
to be a hoax by Tom MacMaster, "Brooks" revealed himself as Bill Graber, a retired construction worker from Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
After the hoax was revealed, reaction from the lesbian community was negative. Judy Dlugacz, the founder and owner of Olivia, a travel company catering to lesbians, described the hoax as an "outrage." Suzanne Goldenberg said that the lesbian community on the internet was "a small world" and that "there are relatively few general news sites run by lesbians, and for some writers LezGetReal offered a chance to break into writing. Within those close circles, a number of people said they felt betrayed."