It was a poor choice of words in the initial call for submissions. I understand why it upset some people. I imagine some writers may choose not to submit because of it but I doubt they’ll lack subs.

And I’m not writing it off as women just not submitting problem. I suspect in some markets that is part of the problem. But it’s not all of it. Far from it.

In any case, I remain supportive of the move from Realms of Fantasy. I think it’s a positive move, not a negative one.

Not if you call us “girls”.

This isn’t feminist knee-jerk; it’s female knee-jerk. I don’t take kindly to being called a girl. Neither do various of the writers who responded.

> Part of the reason female writers are under-represented in various anthologies and magazines may be that they are under-represented in the number of submissions.

In one of the most recent imbroglios, “The Mammoth Book of Mind-Blowing SF”, an anthology that was all-male, the anthologist admitted that when two invited women had turned him down, he had not solicited any more. That was an invited anthology; the number of submissions had nothing to do with it.

Another example would be the recent ” British Fantasy Society’s In Conversation: A Writer’s Perspective; Volume One: “, that interviewed only male writers. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/sep/22/horror-sexism-fantasy-society.

I’m afraid you can’t write it off as “well, women just don’t submit.”