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A new hashtag has cropped up on Twitter that for many female writers is almost too painful, too relatable to read. The tag, #thingsonlywomenwritershear, has amassed thousands of tweets and started trending on Twitter, chronicling the pervasive sexism women in creative industries battle on a day-to-day basis.
In a world that has given us J.K. Rowling, Virginia Woolf, Jane Austen, and thousands more, one would think that by now women writers would have gained as much respect in an already-challenging industry as men. One would, sadly, be wrong.
Chocolat author Joanne Harris began tweeting using the hashtag to describe some of the comments and behaviors she has battled as a female writer all of her career. The hashtag caught on with the speed of a white male correcting a woman’s opinion online, and the entries are both illuminating and disheartening. Everyone from Wild author Cheryl Strayed to Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Emily Nussbaum shared their stories.
If you’re a woman writer and you’ve ever (ever) answered the question “So what do you do?” at a bar, chances are you have a few anecdotes you could add to this. (I know I do.) So, a few guidelines.
- Don’t assume only men are published authors.
Premiere of CHOCOLAT. Famous (male) author pushes past me without a glance to congratulate my (male) publisher. #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear
— Joanne Harris (@Joannechocolat) April 17, 2017
From a quite famous (male) presenter: "You can't come in here. I'm about to interview an author." #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear
— Joanne Harris (@Joannechocolat) April 17, 2017
2. Don’t assume women only write as a hobby.
Me: I'm a writer.
Him: Oh cool, you want to be a writer?
Me: I'm published? #thingsonlywomenwritershear— Leah Williams (@mymonsterischic) April 18, 2017
3. Don’t… ever say anything like this, ever.
"I'm surprised such big words came from such a little girl!"
Verbatim. #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear— Larysia ☕ (@Larysia) April 18, 2017
4. Don’t value men’s words over women’s words.
Being told a man's unsubstantiated opinion carried more weight than my own deeply researched, cited work. #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear
— Summer Brennan 🌈 (@summerbrennan) April 20, 2017
5. Don’t tell women to hide.
"Have you considered using a pseudonym so people don't know you're a woman?"
Because it's 1842 & I'm a Bronte. #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear
— Emma Olson (@jonesing4words) April 18, 2017
6. Don’t push them into boxes.
(Before 2016): "So you're a mommy blogger?" "Nope. Just a blogger. No kids." *So…a lifestyle blogger?" #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear
— Rachel Held Evans (@rachelheldevans) April 19, 2017
“Will you be writing about mothering now?”/“I liked your piece. Did you write it when the baby napped?” #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear
— Emily Nussbaum (@emilynussbaum) April 18, 2017
Male radio hosts say they love my books, then once we're on the air they say I write "great books for women." #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear
— Cheryl Strayed (@CherylStrayed) April 18, 2017
Making writing into a career is hard as hell. Making it as a woman is harder, and these anecdotes illuminate exactly how much.
