OK, so I had to jig this title around a little to make it fit for the A to Z blogging challenge. The Orange has now been renamed the Women’s prize for fiction.
The now renamed prized was created following an all male shortlist for the Booker award in 1991 and was launched in 1996 .
As both a female and a new writer, I’m not quite sure how I feel about an award specifically created for female authors, and I’m sure this is a blog post that will invoke strong views in both camps, so I’m steeling myself for the comments. I’m even more steeled up than I was for my Marketing post on Monday!
You see, my problem is, although I’m a feminist in the way a female believes in equality, I find it difficult to swallow the fact that I may need an extra distinction for being female. After all, there isn’t technically a Male fiction prize and argument on the side for having the previously named Orange prize, will say that’s exactly what the Booker was in 1991. My stance is, it happened, it may or may not have been steeped in prejudice, but it isn’t a male award.
The second problem is, as I’m writing this, I’m actually researching it, and I have the figures, and it’s not particularly good. From 1991 onward we have 22 winners of the Booker award. Do you want to know the how many were men and how many were women? (You have to say yes here.)
There have been 15 male recipients of the prize and 7 female winners. 2 to 1 in favour of the men. Hardly giving me grounds for a solid argument for fairness and equality is it? But that’s the thing. The word equality. It makes me grit my teeth in annoyance that something like this is needed in today’s world. As women, are we not shooting ourselves in the foot, trying to stand on level ground at the same time as saying we need a leg up, or at least a distinction for gender?
I’m sure there are a lot of very intelligent people who can put it into words why something like this is both necessary and important, I just don’t get it. I think fabulous women writers should keep fighting for their right to be up there with the men, not segregating themselves and suggesting it’s OK not be listed because they have their own prize anyway. And please don’t think I only believe this about the literary world. I see the same thing happen in the workplace and I still don’t like it. I want to get where ever I’m going on my work alone, regardless of which side I fasten my jeans. This may make me naive and idealistic, but it feels quite ingrained in me.
What are your thoughts on gender orientated prizes in the literary world, or anywhere for that matter?
Annalisa Crawford says
It seems especially archaic now that the only person to have won the Booker twice is a woman, Hilary Mantel! I think we pretty much agree. In my opinion anything that can’t legitimately have a male-only version is wrong. Male-only toilets, great! Male-only fiction prize, uproar and outrage,,, mostly by women, probably 😉
Rebecca Bradley says
I know, an actually named male only prize wouldn’t go down well with us would it. Not a nationally recognised one anyway.
fcmalby says
I couldn’t agree more and I had the same uncomfortable feeling when I read the title yesterday. I don’t think segregation is a way forwards. While I can understand why it was formed, I can’t see how it helps women in the path to equality and I long for the day when gender is no longer an issue. Thanks for your brave posts, Rebecca. They seem to give voice to many of my own thoughts.
Fiona
Rebecca Bradley says
Thanks Fiona. I wondered if I was going to be slated for this post to be honest. I know the Orange, as it was, is important now it’s there, but as I’ve said. I don’t get it. We’re voluntarily segregating ourselves. How can that be good.
Joanne Phillips says
Brilliant post, Rebecca. I know exactly what you’re saying, and I also get an uncomfortable feeling when I read about women only shortlists. There was a place for them to break down barriers in male-dominated jobs, just to show people that the world wouldn’t fall apart if there were lots of female MPs, say. But as your other commenter says, as it’s a woman who’s won this prize twice, it makes it seem silly. Maybe a guarantee of fairness would be total anonymity, or maybe they have this already?
Rebecca Bradley says
I think anonymity would be difficult. These aren’t new authors. They have series out, their own styles and may have been read by the judges before even being put forward. I don’t think voluntarily segregating ourselves is the answer to anything though and sets us back several hundred years.
Peter Domican says
Most of the major literary magazines review a far higher proportion of books written by men than women and there’s a coherent argument for these prizes. I’d argue though that there is a problem with elitism in the industry rather than just sexism e.g. the comment yesterday by John Freeman, editor of Granta about Sunjeev Sahota “…he lives in Leeds, completely out of the literary world.”
I’ve no problem with women only prizes, but I can’t say I take much more than a passing interest in the lists and results even though I probably read more books by women than men. I just want to read good books. However I can usually find them myself rather than have someone tell me what is a good book.
The long term future of these prizes will be determined more by the sponsorship and whether companies think it creates sufficient interest and return. If Hilary Mantel keeps winning every competition, then that’s probably going to kill this one off.
Rebecca Bradley says
There’s an awful lot of snobbery about in the business and I don’t just mean those technically in the business, but between authors themselves as well. I thought because we wrote about life and people and real emotions, we understood things better, but it would see not.
He lives in Leeds so he’s out of literary fiction?! (Insert swear words of choice) Geography does not decide on your understanding of language, prose, observation, human understanding and the ability to put it all down well into a novel.
Pah!
beautifulorange says
No men have commented yet! Ha. Well here I am… and I know that whichever view point I take can be mis-interpreted. So instead, I just wanted to say that the short list really is of a super high quality this year… the women on it are among the best authors in the english language over the last 10 or so years. It’s a list that wouldn’t look too out of place for the Booker.
Rebecca Bradley says
I think you might have just missed Pete above you, probably both writing at the same time.
They should be on the Booker then and not in a voluntary segregated prize created in the nineties.
beautifulorange says
I completely agree.
Margot Kinberg says
Rebecca – You’ve raised a really, really important point here. I am not crazy either about anything that is divisive. That said though, I hope that women continue to take their place with confidence in a literary world that increasingly accepts them as talented writers. Perhaps that’s idealistic of me, but it is my hope.
Rebecca Bradley says
It’s my hope too Margot. It just makes me sad that we need our own section at the moment in order to feel validated.
Jacqui Murray says
The times that is different is when the project depends upon skills inherent to a man or a woman. Certain physical jobs–I studied male/female physiology and we aren’t built for some of the strength stuff men are so we can’t compete. Few women can hit a golf ball far enough for the Masters.
I don’t think writing falls into that category!
Rebecca Bradley says
Absolutely on the physiological stuff. And again on the writing one. Nothing to stop us competing in the same arena there is there.
Madeline Mora-Summonte says
I remember when I saw an award/shortlist for “30 Writers Under 30” or something like that and realized I could never be on it. Sigh. 🙂 (Not trying to be flippant, just trying to keep my head down and get my work done.) 🙂
Happy A-Z!
Rebecca Bradley says
Thanks for stopping by.
The problem is, The Women’s prize is a nationally recognised and nationally reported upon prize. It’s important, so I feel ok in questioning how I feel about that.
sharonsant says
I’m not surprised you have so many comments on this. It’s another excellent, thought provoking post and one that resonates with me. I agree that making the distinction just for women doesn’t seem like the way forward to equality. We compete on level terms and the victory is that much sweeter. This way only makes it hollow.
Rebecca Bradley says
Absolutely. Voluntary segregation. Didn’t we fight against this in the past?
TaMara says
Very thought-provoking post. I’m not a big fan of any award that specializes for women, just for the sake of equality. In essence, isn’t that then inequality for men?
TaMara
Tales of a Pee Dee Mama
Rebecca Bradley says
Absolutely. Can you imagine if there was an award for Male writer only?
Linda King says
This has been niggling at me, too. It’s almost sexist to me to suggest that we need a prize of our own – the implication perhaps being that female writers can’t compete with the men… although I don’t believe that was the thrust behind the prize. I love the whole idea of equality and still hope that some day workplaces will all achieve that (and pay-scales!) but unless there’s a prize for men only, why is there one for women only? Equality must mean equality – not extra rights for women! There’s a physical reason why women don’t play on men’s football teams, for example (although it would be amazing to see that change – might rid the men of some of their horrible habits!) but I don’t see any reason why men and women aren’t equal behind the keyboard. Great post, Rebecca – how do you have time to come up with all this thought-provoking stuff?!
Rebecca Bradley says
Love this sentence Linda
“Equality must mean equality – not extra rights for women!” Absolutely. I’m so glad I wasn’t alone after writing this post. I was slightly concerned.
As for time? I’m currently neglecting most other things! 🙂
C.B. Wentworth says
Someday we’ll stop looking for ways to divide humanity – I don’t know why we get so caught up in the differences between us.
Rebecca Bradley says
Frustrating. And sad.
melanie schulz says
For someone who claims they cannot put it into words, you said it quite well. It should be a nonissue, a writing award. The fact that they had to change the name makes an issue where there was none before.
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you Melanie. I’m never confident with my posts, but seem to get just enough out there.
I hope one day they decide its no longer needed
diannegray says
I was reading a post yesterday by a blogger who was questioning why a lot of the big $$$ literary prizes these days are for ‘under 30s’ and this is kind of the same thing. We can either write or we can’t and gender and age should not enter into it.
nancyrae4 says
I wish I didn’t agree with you, Diane!. Yet another prejudice to overcome – ageism. A great writer shines no matter sex, color, age, sexual orientation, religion or lack thereof – have I covered everything? 🙁
Rebecca Bradley says
Probably not Nancy! 😉
It’s sad though. I love writing. I’m just going to keep doing it.
diannegray says
Yes – I think you’ve covered it perfectly 😉
Rebecca Bradley says
The whole thing just frustrates me.
kirstyes says
Fairness and equality too from me – everyone else has already said what I would have wanted to so instead I have to ask something trivial – do men and women really do their jeans up in the opposite way – I hadn’t noticed ;o)