Those Long Dead White Dudes Did It . . .
Back in the beforetime, before short skirts or yoga pants. Before American woman had the “right” to vote, or own homes, or for that matter, ourselves, women were writing.
In fact, “Female journalists were among the first to record, comment on, and publicize the events leading up to the Revolutionary War,” noted curators of the National Women’s History Museum exhibit, “Women with a Deadline.” But . . . did those white dudes buying and reading the papers want to read what they had to say? Not so much.
“When Charlotte Bronte’s poetry received the feedback stating ‘literature cannot be the business of a woman's life’ from poet laureate Robert Southey, she changed her name—as did her sisters. Thus Charlotte, Anne & Emily became published authors, Currer, Acton and Ellis Bell.
“Literature cannot be the business of a woman’s life”
Unlike the Bronte sisters, Ann Rule and Joanne Rowling, who published under male pseudonyms for publication (the Bronte's to fool the publisher; the others because the publisher hoped to fool readers), the decision for Mary Anne Evans, aka “George Eliot,” was completely her own. Or was it.
Evans used a pen named because she wanted to separate “Her own work from that of her peers, both in terms of genre and gender.” She made this decision after voicing her disgust of the romantic fluff female authors of the time wrote, in a “scathing essay ‘Silly Novels by Lady Novelists.’”
In light of Southey’s feedback to Charlotte Bronte, the question that begs asking is:
Were 19th Century women authors publishing “Silly Novels” because that was all they wrote?
Or was it because “Silly Novels” is what the male-dominated publishing industry felt women should write? . . . And read?
Cover of Godey's from Jan. 1857
At least one American male publisher, Reverend John Blake asked himself that same question. And in 1828 he answered it by inviting author Sarah Hale to edit The Ladies' Magazine.
In hopes that, as editor, she could “aid in the education of women, ‘not that they may usurp the situation, or encroach on the prerogatives of man; but that each individual may lend her aid to the intellectual and moral character of those within her sphere,” Hale served as, by the title she preferred “editress.” from 1828-1836 when it was acquired by Godey's.
Once the door was opened—and held open by that Long Dead White Dude and others like him—women poured into publishing. And while males still hold most of the journalism jobs according to a 2014 Washington Post article in response to Jill Abramson’s firing, “with 63.7 percent of the gigs, while women have 36.3 percent," that is not the case in all publishing.
Kekla Magoon noted in her April 2014 article, Vida VIDA Count: Children’s Literature: "Do Women Truly Dominate?"“All areas of Young Adult and children’s publishing is not only friendly to women writers—it is often considered to be female-led, since women occupy the majority of jobs in the industry, as authors, editors, agents and more.”
Back in beforetime, if Mary Anne, The Bronte Gals & Louisa May had gotten together, considering the demographics of publishing back then, I'm thinking their topic of concern would have been the same as that of today. Diversity does matter. Inclusion is necessary and important, and it totally sucks to be locked outside, wanting to join the party, knowing you have something valable to offer, and not being allowed in--or even on the invitation list!
Those long dead white dudes did it—for whatever reasons—and look how far we've come!
In the same way John Blake bucked the system by inviting Sarah Hale to become the first American female magazine editor, we can open our doors wider and reach out by inviting, encouraging & including diverse writers, artists, editors & readers.
Long Dead White Dudes Playlist:
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Honor the Super Moon
Today, dawn to dawn, the moon will be closer to the earth than it has been since Jan 26, 1948 and will be again until 2034.
In honor of the Super Moon, I've put together a playlist to put you in the mood to moongaze.
If you're inspired to try to capture the moon take a tip from NASA Photographer, Bill Ingalls:
“1. Include landmarks in the picture
Make sure you put something in the same frame as the moon, perhaps a building or some other land-based object. Without any other object for reference, Ingalls said, the shot won’t stand out among the pack.
”It can be a local landmark, or anything to give your photo a sense of place,” he said. This will likely mean you’ll be shooting the moon while it’s closer to the horizon. This also works in your favor because the moon appears larger at the horizon; the reason for that phenomenon is a matter of debate”
Science Blurb: If you are wanting to do more than just gaze at the moon, click over to NASA's blog for the scoop on the Supermoon Phenom from Dr. James Garvin.
IN PRAISE OF THE SUPER MOON Playlist:
- Moonlight in Vermont by Willie Nelson
- Paper Moon sung by Ella Fitzgerald
- Silvery Moon sung by Doris Day & Gordon MacRae
- Moon Shadow by Cat Stevens
- Shine on Harvest Moon sung by Ethel Waters
- Moon Glow sung by Tony Bennett & KD Lang
- Harvest Moon by Neil Young
- Stardust Memories sung by Willie Nelson
- Dancin' in the Moonlight sung by King Harvest
- Bad Moon on the Rise (or as we sang it, "There's a bathroom on the right") by Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Major Tom by David Bowie
- Moondance by Van Morrison
- Moon Over Miami sung by Guy and Rayna
- Fly Me To The Moon sung by Frank Sinatra
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Who’s Pres Isn’t Everything . . .
Buzz aside, who will be our 45th president might not be the most important item on our ballot (Especially considering the governmental stalemate we’re now experiencing.) So in case you're considering not voting...
Freak Out time is now! Next Tuesday, November 8, 2016, the 45th President of these United States, a new "Leader of the Free World", will be elected. Although most of the freaking being done is over which of the two primary candidates will win the presidential election, these are not the only 2 candidates on the ballot— 4 other candidates (and in some states more) are also running for President. What more, GASP . . .
Buzz aside, who will be our 45th president might not be the most important item on our ballot (Especially considering the governmental stalemate we’re now experiencing.)
What does matter is every other item: local, state & federal representatives, judges, propositions, issues, tax changes, initiative, etc.—on our Nov. 8th ballots!
So, in case you are one of those who are considering not voting because:
You don’t like either candidate . . .
You're too busy to vote . . .
Or, what difference does it make to you, really. . .
Consider this:
ONLY 6% of the population voted in that first U.S. Presidential election, held April 30, 1789. Popular as he was, did good ole’ George Washington represent the majority voice of this new nation? Heck no! In that first election, only 6% of the population voted because only “our Forefathers” i.e. White. Male. Landholders were allowed to vote.
- What Year Did Women Get the Right to Vote? 1920
- What Year Did Asians Get the Right to Vote? 1952
- What Year Did Native Americans Get the Right to Vote? 1957
- What Year Did African Americans Get the Right to Vote? 1965
- What Year Did Adults over 18 Get the Right to Vote? 1971
- What Year Did non-english speaking citizens Get the Right to Vote? 1975
- 1765: One Huge Reason “The Colonies” now the USA went to war with England? Taxation without Representation aka “The Stamp Act.”
- Here's more on our 341++ year-long fight for Voting Rights: US Voting Rights Timeline
