So it’s hard to believe that the whole guest-blogging experience is over. This past week really just flew by. Being back on my home turf, I’m not really sure whether to be sad or relieved.
[For those of you who missed it, all of my posts from Feministing can be found here.]
Guest-blogging was definitely more time consuming and stressful than writing on my own blog. You’d think that simply being a guest would entail fewer responsibilities– not the case when you’re going from a little blog like this one to a massive forum like Feministing. The volume of readers and comments was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before.
By far, the best part of the experience was feeling as though I was actually contributing to feminist and liberal discourse. I was shocked and pleased when AlterNet picked up my Air Force post and when The Nation acted on my post about Dr. Tiller. The Dr. Tiller story was definitely the most rewarding. If a single donation gets to his clinic as a result of my post, I definitely feel proud and accomplished.
The exposure was also pretty damn kick ass. The Curvature got above average hits every day this week, without posting any original content. I’m obviously hoping that I’ve picked up new readers. Then there’s the increased networking ties within the blogging community. Having all of the Feministing women know who I am sure as hell can’t be bad!
It wasn’t all fun, though; I learned a lot, and I was forced to learn it very quickly. It was quite humbling, in many ways. I definitely faced more criticism than ever before. Some of it was anti-feminist garbage, which I can handle. One poster on Feministing (who I really hadn’t ever noticed before) seemed to enjoy following me around to every post just to make a comment about how stupid the post was. It tried not to take that one personally, but it sure felt personal. And there was also a lot of genuine, thoughtful criticism and disagreement, too. In the end, I actually think that was a good thing. I have never had particularly thick skin. This experience definitely helped me to learn to stop taking criticism so personally and to stick by my views, even when they’re unpopular.
By far, the most difficult post to deal with was the one about Hillary Clinton calling herself a “girl.” I anticipated that it was an issue that would stir lively debate. What I didn’t anticipate was that the debate would be so one-sided . . . against me. I still stand by that post 100%, though in retrospect, I might have chosen my wording more carefully for the audience. I still think that I was right. The fact that I did get several comments that actually thanked me for the post solidified that certainty. Though, as I’ve said, I think I might have been able to choose better wording, I think that my biggest mistake in that area was of misjudging my audience. Feminist analyses of language, I think, receive a better reception among more radical feminist audiences (for the record, I consider myself neither a liberal nor radical feminist, but a combination of the two). Feministing is, pretty inarguably, a more mainstream/moderate feminist group. That’s why, disappointingly, conversations about race (and a whole host of other issues) don’t seem to over very well, there. I think that there are a lot of other forums where the post, though it still would have sparked debate, would have gone a lot better and where readers would have taken it less personally.
Anyway, enough with the navel gazing. It was an all around good and valuable experience. Thanks to everyone for their support throughout the week, and I’ll start blogging here again (for real) tomorrow!
{ 14 comments }
I really enjoyed your guest blogging week myself! I hope you’re invited to guest blog over there again. It’s harder to comment there than in most blogs, because of the sheer volume of commenters. Partly, it’s that someone has usually said whatever I can think of to say, and partly it’s that if I have an original thought, and post it, it gets ignored because no one knows who the hell I am. Which is fine, but it does make it less rewarding to comment there than in the smaller books blogs I’m used to.
I’ve been reading and occasionally commenting on your blog since shortly after it started, and I was happy to see you guest-blogging at Feministing, and I enjoyed your posts.
And, I do think that you are spot on in your “Girl Power” post. Calling an adult woman a “girl” turns my stomach.
I really appreciated everything you posted at Feministing (including the post about Hillary Clinton being called/calling herself a “girl,” ew,) and have followed you back here to add your blog to my news feed.
Consider yourself one reader stronger!
I enjoyed your guest-blogging too! I liked your post on Clinton and the word girl. I’ve only seen it pointed out before that “girl” vs. “man” puts women one down, power-wise, but you pointed out that women like to be thought of as young, which is another issue that plays into it. I think language matters, but there are a lot of people who just don’t. I tell people it’s sexist that God is called He in Christianity and other religions, and a lot of people don’t understand why I think it makes a difference.
I will echo the “I enjoyed your guest blogging” sentiment. And ditto Dewey’s comment about there being too many comments on the larger sites for much interaction. Sometimes I do have something very different to say, but the comments have already taken their direction and my comment goes over like a thud. That or I’m just a thud commmenter. ;) But thanks for what you did and now back to our regularly scheduled program.
I haven’t been commenting much lately, but I was really glad to see your posts on feministing. It sounds like your experiences guest blogging weren’t completely different from my own. It’s definitely an eye-opening experience, isn’t it?
It certainly is. I do think that you managed to cause more of a shit storm than I did, though ;)
I’m a regular reader but never commenter on Feministing, and I greatly enjoyed your guest stint over there. I’ll be adding your own blog to my regular reading.
I had already added your blog to my feed before you guest-blogged on feministing last week, and I find your posts always very thoughtful and insightful. Sometimes the posts at feministing are quite short, essentially just links (which is fine, since I wouldn’t come across those links otherwise, and since there are so many commenters that they will discuss the content in depth), whereas your posts usually contain more analysis and discussion, which I appreciate. Thank you!
cara, i was pretty fascinated by the way the Hillary post comments seemed totally bifurcated – either “you are SO overreacting” or “i HATE HATE HATE when anyone calls a grown woman girl ever.” funny. i mean, feminism is such a broad-based movement/idea at present, i found it interesting to see something that divided (most) people into such stark categories.
also, i agree about the lack of tolerance over there for more “theoretical” considerations. i wonder if that’s the third-wavy, pop feminism-y thing coming into play? (and hey, i’m a third wave pop culture fascinated feminist, so i don’t mean to throw stones.) i do wonder about that sometimes.
Maybe it is. I consider myself a third wave feminist with a lot of second wave tendencies. And I’m also fairly pop culture obsessed– but you know, so is Bitch Magazine, and they’re also PLENTY theoretical. I’m sticking with my original assessment of Feministing being “mainstream” feminist, for the time being.
. . . er, or at least the Feministing READERS, anyway. There are at least several bloggers at Feministing that I would not think of as “mainstream” feminists.
Ooo…Cara, I think that’s a perfect way to frame yourself. Mostly because I think that’s me too. 3rd wave, but also very 2nd wave. I love reading Feministing, but gotta stay out of the comments most of the time.
That’s how I think of myself, too, only maybe I’m more second wave with third wave tendencies.
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