Reading the annual hokum about the Orange Prize for Fiction which is only available to female authors, I question why we have to have a politically correct award available just for women.
I see no sexism in the reading habits of the British and have never heard of anyone turned down by a publisher because they were a female author. Ask J K Rowling or even Jackie Collins about the fact that no one reads their books because their are written by a woman.
Why the British media, especially the usual suspects like the Guardian/Observer crowd, become so obsessed about it shows how much political correctness is taken as read these days. As usual with this ideology, it creates a victim class when no such victims exist. There is no point asking for a man's award as that just perpetuates the artificial division that political correctness wants.
In fact the award actually belittles and patronises women because the award is almost saying that they can't win against men, which is not true. Any aspiring male authors of course, have to be content with competing against everyone no matter their gender.
An interesting debate was had here (link) in 2003 on the BBC.
It is time to scrap this silly PC award.
Comments