Dear forum
Felt inspired to post my second ever contribution after reading Pam Shurmer-Smith's disclosure. I was
reassured that someone else felt uneasy about disclosure - I did too, and think it is all to do with my
self-perception of being relatively junior, a woman, someone not particularly 'critical' . And if I'm honest, I
guess I was intimidated by the thought of all those critical geographers out there being critical of me!! (and
yes, I probably would have perceived it as being critical of 'me' rather than what I had written.....perhaps this
is just my problem! or is it something other women academics feel?)
So I mentioned supporting Scunthorpe Utd as a means of making links to other contributions, seeking
membership I suppose. Then I felt bad about doing it, as if I was not being 'critical' enough, and was
'pretending' to be 'working class', 'one of the lads' etc.
Maybe the unease some women may feel is also to do with E mail as a means of communication?? I'm not
trying to be essentialist or say anything about all women and the way they communicate (this is soo scary
talking to critical geographers!) but sometimes I find E mail terrifying ! It's faceless, toneless in some ways,
not a spontaneous form of communication - after all it is taking me ages to write this! Also, the words have
some permanence, they are there to be judged and re-viewed unless the delete button is hit. It's not like a
conversation when you can respond immediately to other thoughts and feelings.
So there you have a personal view of my own sense of unease at disclosure. Don't know if it helps at all, but
there you go, I've chipped in (and now I don't have to feel guilty about 'lurking' either!).
Now I just have to pluck up the nerve to send this thing....
Moya Kneafsey
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