This article from Salon.com is an interesting commentary on the lack of respect YA authors enjoy in the larger culture. Wanna lack prestige? Be a female writer. Wanna really lack prestige? Be a female writer of YA. Because what the article doesn't mention is that, while relatively few men write for the genre, those that do win more awards and yes, prestige within the children's writing community. Even male authors I know comment on this, with a little shrug of apology. What can you do?
But really, what do you expect? Our culture has come a long way, but women in general (and anything that smacks of "the feminine" - jobs, behaviors, etc.) enjoy less respect and prestige then do men and the the things that are masculine. I could write an essay on this, but I have to get back to writing my un-prestigious YA fiction.
