I’m stunned by this comment of Curtis Faville’s in a comment he made on Ron’s blog (re: Alli Warren’s book):
“Lady poets need our encouragement”
Do people still really say things like this? I mean, “lady poets”????
And to what extent, I muse, is it true?
Certainly, I would write without male encouragement. But how would my efforts at externalizing my writing differ? I wonder? I mean, I’m here in Brooklyn typing this as a result of male encouragement. But is it really a necessity? Do women (straight women, anyhow) really have a bottomless need for reassurance, as I recently read in a column about “how to relate to women” in some men’s magazine (was it called Razor? Yes, I think so) at my doctor’s office.
Does women’s need for reassurance differ from men’s? Is it because women are less likely to get it? Are they less likely to get it?
Why would anyone need reassurance from someone like Faville who presents himself as so hopelessly judgmental and pompous?
Other women, haven’t you come across a thousand times in your writing life unsolicited patronizing “advice” from already soi-disant pre-validated men? Is that really something you welcome and that keeps you creative?
I welcome the responses of both male and female peers equally, I am sure, and abhor the condescension of “encouragement.”
Otohime 
Perhaps there is another way to see the original comment. When I grew up, it was considered polite to defer to women, at least in public–which meant, in all senses, holding the door for them. Traditionally, that politeness no doubt contained inside it a kind of condescension which, while granting women a place of “honor” also obviously placed them in an inferior position vis-a-vis perceived strength, intelligence, privilege, rights, etc. Aside from the physical, I don’t think I ever subscribed to any of those prejudices. Ron makes a lot of effort to be politically correct in posturing on behalf of perceived minorities or the disadvantaged. Would you disagree with this tendency in his agenda? I mean, in taking sides, would you advocate the “discouragement” of women poets? I hope not. My remark was partly tongue-in-cheek. Your response to it sounds defensive and overly earnest. With respect to your frontal assault–“Faville…so hopelessly judgmental and pompous”–I would argue that we’re all judgmental and pompous, especially when we’re expressing our opinions. Everyone judges; I do so freely, and without embarrassment. Most of my opinions aren’t very radical. And as for pomp, I don’t think my style or manner exhibits much pomp, either. Pretty straightforward, I’d wager. If you’re a good writer, you have my encouragement, whether you’re male, or female, or straight or gay, or black or white or other. If you’re not, then maybe my encouragement is simply a form of politeness. You’re quite right about encouragement. You don’t need it from anyone, least of all from patronizing pre-validated men. I would like to know how one becomes pre-validated; is it like prepping for surgery? Or getting a mortgage pre-approval to bid on a piece of real estate? Please tell me, because I could really use some official validation. Would it guarantee me appearances in The New Yorker? The Paris Review?P.S. How shocking pink your blog column is!All Best,