Hello!
I’m Tom Speaker, a senior at Miami University. I am currently doing an independent study with Catherine Wagner about how women’s poetry blogs are affecting notions of gender in literature and society. I was wondering if you are interested in answering some questions pertaining to this subject? It’d be much appreciated, and if you reply, I’ll send the results your way once the research is completed. What would also be helpful is posting this to your blog and informing others that I’m looking for responses, or forwarding posts where you’ve written about poetry-blogging to me.
I need responses by November 1st. Questions are below. Thanks!
1. Have you ever published in a women’s only anthology/website/forum or other venue? Why or why not?
2. Are women’s poetry blogs changing notions of gender? In literature? In society? If so, how?
3. What are your own personal motivations for placing your poetry in your blog or online magazine?
4. On the internet, has women’s poetry helped to advance any feminist causes? Give examples if possible.
5. Do you perceive any sexist biases on the Internet, and what do you perceive these to be? Is there pressure on the Internet for women to conform to “masculine” poetry standards? Are these pressures are greater or lesser than in the past? Give examples if you can.
6. Do you see the aspect of anonymity inspiring more sexist vitriol on the web in poetry-related forums? Has anonymity helped to spread anti-feminist perspectives? Give examples if you can.
7. Do you think there is any connection between gender and the formal (not subject-oriented) aspects of poetry? If so, can you describe the connection?
PLEASE. THIS IS LIFE OR DEATH.
Not really. But it’s pass or fail. And that counts for something. To me, anyway.
—
Tom Speaker
Amusement Editor (not as cool as it sounds)
Inklings Writing Director (it wasn’t my choice, I swear)
President of The Petting Zoo Goats Collective (I promise I won’t put this on my résumé)
Three-time winner of the Tom Speaker Award for Excellence in Journalism
speakete [at] muohio.edu