Two nights ago I watched the CNN special, "Finding Amanda" about this autistic woman, Amanda Baggs, and it stayed with me all yesterday and into today. In the spirit of WAM!, Amanda is an example of how people are using the media in their activism. And this is also wholly new take on autism. It's not too different from conversations I've heard play out between other groups of people who don't get each other. And here's Amanda saying, "Don't dismiss my experience" by allowing people into her world.
---B
Friday, April 4, 2008
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Seal and women of color
I feel compelled to go public here since there has been a lot of important, though discouraging, conversation going on over at Blackamazon, and because of Angry Black Woman's comment to yesterday's post, which is off-topic there, but fits here.
Right now I am the sole acquiring editor at Seal. Krista is the publisher. The two of us are Seal editorial, and that's all we got. I wrote yesterday, in response to Anonymous's comment: "Seal's got nothing on WOC" that we want WOC. I get now that I misunderstood the comment, that I took it literally to mean we've got no books on WOC. Of course, it's not true. We have books, though mostly anthologies. Hijas Americanas, Voices of Resistance, and Shout Out are recent acquisitions that feature work for and about women of color. Seal is known for Colonize This! Young Women of Color on Today's Feminism. Regardless, I want to clarify and try to rectify this whole nasty thing that's happening over there because I didn't intend to offend so many people. I was writing off the cuff in response to the comment FUCK SEAL PRESS, which yes, I took personal offense to. The comments that follow the post are even harsher, and yet, what I really intended to say with my comment was this: Seal wants to publish women of color and issues that matter to women of color.
What I wrote in a later comment was that publishing is NOT AS MUCH ABOUT outreach AS IT IS about getting submissions from people who want to write for us. That doesn't mean I don't do outreach. I do and I have. But again, as the sole acquiring editor, there's only so much I can do. I have to rely on people who want to get published, and who approach me. Right now I am doing outreach in the form of specifically acquiring for the Seal Studies academic series we're launching, and I've been going about looking for women to write books on queer feminism, women of color and feminism, feminism and religion, and on and on and on. All this for books that we think matter, but which probably won't sell very many copies in the grand scope of things.
I'm writing here today because I don't want to be boycotted by people who took offense to my comments yesterday. Seal is actually barely surviving. This press, which has a thirty-year history of publishing books that no other house wanted to publish, means a lot to me and to Krista and to a lot of women. Seal has changed over the years because we've had to. We could not survive publishing only the types of books that Seal used to publish. There's been a constant push to be more commercial, and we've responded to that. When it's try or die, I opt for trying. I've been involved in the new direction the list has taken, and Seal is more mainstream than it's ever been. And for better or worse, this is what's allowed us to stay in existence. This doesn't mean that we don't care, or that we're not open to hearing where we're doing wrong, or where we could do better. And so even though I feel angry about the comments over at Blackamazon, and I admittedly posted somewhat defensively, the intention behind it was, "Hey, let's work together to get published more of what you want to see." It doesn't even mean that can or will happen. I have higher-ups to answer to, it's true. But it doesn't change the fact that Krista and I are not intentionally fostering a "wall of whiteness" here.
So the fact that my writing "We want WOC"---yes, it was crass and quick, but I meant "Seal wants to publish WOC"---resulted in such backlash says to me that yes, people were offended, and I do apologize for that. I want to open up this discussion and do so productively. I do want to cultivate WOC authors. I always have. If I haven't been successful or able it's not for a lack of trying or ignorance to the situation out there. Which is why I appreciate Angry Black Woman writing something that opens up a space to have a productive conversation.
Signing off,
Brooke
Right now I am the sole acquiring editor at Seal. Krista is the publisher. The two of us are Seal editorial, and that's all we got. I wrote yesterday, in response to Anonymous's comment: "Seal's got nothing on WOC" that we want WOC. I get now that I misunderstood the comment, that I took it literally to mean we've got no books on WOC. Of course, it's not true. We have books, though mostly anthologies. Hijas Americanas, Voices of Resistance, and Shout Out are recent acquisitions that feature work for and about women of color. Seal is known for Colonize This! Young Women of Color on Today's Feminism. Regardless, I want to clarify and try to rectify this whole nasty thing that's happening over there because I didn't intend to offend so many people. I was writing off the cuff in response to the comment FUCK SEAL PRESS, which yes, I took personal offense to. The comments that follow the post are even harsher, and yet, what I really intended to say with my comment was this: Seal wants to publish women of color and issues that matter to women of color.
What I wrote in a later comment was that publishing is NOT AS MUCH ABOUT outreach AS IT IS about getting submissions from people who want to write for us. That doesn't mean I don't do outreach. I do and I have. But again, as the sole acquiring editor, there's only so much I can do. I have to rely on people who want to get published, and who approach me. Right now I am doing outreach in the form of specifically acquiring for the Seal Studies academic series we're launching, and I've been going about looking for women to write books on queer feminism, women of color and feminism, feminism and religion, and on and on and on. All this for books that we think matter, but which probably won't sell very many copies in the grand scope of things.
I'm writing here today because I don't want to be boycotted by people who took offense to my comments yesterday. Seal is actually barely surviving. This press, which has a thirty-year history of publishing books that no other house wanted to publish, means a lot to me and to Krista and to a lot of women. Seal has changed over the years because we've had to. We could not survive publishing only the types of books that Seal used to publish. There's been a constant push to be more commercial, and we've responded to that. When it's try or die, I opt for trying. I've been involved in the new direction the list has taken, and Seal is more mainstream than it's ever been. And for better or worse, this is what's allowed us to stay in existence. This doesn't mean that we don't care, or that we're not open to hearing where we're doing wrong, or where we could do better. And so even though I feel angry about the comments over at Blackamazon, and I admittedly posted somewhat defensively, the intention behind it was, "Hey, let's work together to get published more of what you want to see." It doesn't even mean that can or will happen. I have higher-ups to answer to, it's true. But it doesn't change the fact that Krista and I are not intentionally fostering a "wall of whiteness" here.
So the fact that my writing "We want WOC"---yes, it was crass and quick, but I meant "Seal wants to publish WOC"---resulted in such backlash says to me that yes, people were offended, and I do apologize for that. I want to open up this discussion and do so productively. I do want to cultivate WOC authors. I always have. If I haven't been successful or able it's not for a lack of trying or ignorance to the situation out there. Which is why I appreciate Angry Black Woman writing something that opens up a space to have a productive conversation.
Signing off,
Brooke
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
We're back!
Well it was more difficult than I anticipated to do live blogging at WAM! Namely because we were intensely interested in each and every panel we went to. Now it's true, I pride myself on multi-tasking, but I have a hard time listening and trying to write at the same time. It's a flaw. The panels were good, the comments were interesting. WAM! 2008 was a success. Thanks to all who made it happen, namely our own author, Jaclyn Friedman, the CNW Program Director.
Other WAM attendees have blogged about how inspiring it was to be surrounded by so many other feminists, and I hate to be a follower. But it's true. Not only did we have several Seal authors to connect with in one place (always a good thing), but there were many WAMmers there who may be future Seal authors. This was a group of intelligent, activist, passionate women who want to change the world. There's not much more inspiring than that.
I blogged ever so briefly about the last panel of the conference--the panel about election coverage of Hillary Clinton, and it was fascinating, if not also depressing. We looked at the media's inability to actually cover the content of her speeches, choosing instead to focus on everything from her blouse (there wasn't actually any cleavage visible), her laugh (called a cackle by the cable media), and her conveyance of emotion (or lack of it, according to some pundits). Meanwhile, when you review the media coverage of McCain, reporters and pundits practically had to refuse to comment on his appearance, which is often the elephant in the room (I looked for one of those unbelievable facial tumor pictures to put here but had trouble finding one--still looking), in order to push through to talk about the real issue: the content of his speeches or what he says during debate. It's amazing when analyzed side by side, and for anyone who believes sexism in this country is a nonissue, (yes, these people are all around us), it's a current and larger-than-life example to review.
The overarching questions at the panel were what do we do about this? And it is clear that the most important thing is to keep bringing it up. Talk about it. Let's not assume this is OK because we're used to it. Let's not assume anyone is tired of hearing about it. Let's not give in. If you have to sit down with a friend and show them YouTube videos back to back to prove your point, do it.
If Hillary is not our nominee, when will we have another woman running for Commander-in-Chief? It could be a long freakin' time. It's OK to tell that to people too. She was well poised for this campaign. And if she couldn't make it happen with her experience, money, connections, intelligence . . . who can?
More to come as my brain thaws after being in the very cold Cambridge. Maybe I'm wimpy when it comes to cold. I'll admit to that, but I sure am glad to be home. Hello Bay Area. You are the best.
K.
Other WAM attendees have blogged about how inspiring it was to be surrounded by so many other feminists, and I hate to be a follower. But it's true. Not only did we have several Seal authors to connect with in one place (always a good thing), but there were many WAMmers there who may be future Seal authors. This was a group of intelligent, activist, passionate women who want to change the world. There's not much more inspiring than that.
I blogged ever so briefly about the last panel of the conference--the panel about election coverage of Hillary Clinton, and it was fascinating, if not also depressing. We looked at the media's inability to actually cover the content of her speeches, choosing instead to focus on everything from her blouse (there wasn't actually any cleavage visible), her laugh (called a cackle by the cable media), and her conveyance of emotion (or lack of it, according to some pundits). Meanwhile, when you review the media coverage of McCain, reporters and pundits practically had to refuse to comment on his appearance, which is often the elephant in the room (I looked for one of those unbelievable facial tumor pictures to put here but had trouble finding one--still looking), in order to push through to talk about the real issue: the content of his speeches or what he says during debate. It's amazing when analyzed side by side, and for anyone who believes sexism in this country is a nonissue, (yes, these people are all around us), it's a current and larger-than-life example to review.
The overarching questions at the panel were what do we do about this? And it is clear that the most important thing is to keep bringing it up. Talk about it. Let's not assume this is OK because we're used to it. Let's not assume anyone is tired of hearing about it. Let's not give in. If you have to sit down with a friend and show them YouTube videos back to back to prove your point, do it.
If Hillary is not our nominee, when will we have another woman running for Commander-in-Chief? It could be a long freakin' time. It's OK to tell that to people too. She was well poised for this campaign. And if she couldn't make it happen with her experience, money, connections, intelligence . . . who can?
More to come as my brain thaws after being in the very cold Cambridge. Maybe I'm wimpy when it comes to cold. I'll admit to that, but I sure am glad to be home. Hello Bay Area. You are the best.
K.
go vote!
Another important voting opportunity prior to the election is here!
I posted a few weeks back urging you all to vote for your favorite female bloggers for the Women's Voices Making History contest.
And now two Seal authors, Helen Boyd (She's Not the Man I Married) and Jessica Valenti (Full Frontal Feminism and He's a Stud, She's a Slut) are in the Top 10.
So go vote!
And Helen and Jess, you two are awesome. Congrats and good luck!
---Brooke
I posted a few weeks back urging you all to vote for your favorite female bloggers for the Women's Voices Making History contest.
And now two Seal authors, Helen Boyd (She's Not the Man I Married) and Jessica Valenti (Full Frontal Feminism and He's a Stud, She's a Slut) are in the Top 10.
So go vote!
And Helen and Jess, you two are awesome. Congrats and good luck!
---Brooke
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