Judging Covers

There is one institution that puts on display the deeply ingrained sexism of our western culture in such a subtle manner, yet so ubiquitously, that it is subversively disturbing and disturbingly subversive. I am not talking about advertisements. They are really not subtle:

 

This was on the main page of the GAP website. Weak woman leaning on man's shoulder for comfort, man uninterested in her suffering...we see this pretty much everywhere. Google a brand and you'll see it. No, what I am talking about instead is this:

No way, you say. The Harry Potter series is absolutely not sexist! Without Hermione, Harry and Ron would have been killed by Professor Quirrell on their second day of school. (Exaggeration, but I am too tired and busy to verify exactly when Hermione first saved their butts--although it is true that the boys were responsible for saving Hermione's butt, as well.)

Well, I do agree with you, hypothetical arguer. I am not talking about the content of the books, though. I'm referring to the front covers, specifically to the two letters accompanying Joanne's surname. At least 400 million of these covers are in existence, and on none of the covers can you find any indication of Rowling's gender. (Or sex.) J.K. Rowling is the author of the Harry Potter books because we would not read a book by Joanne Rowling. I mean, sure, some people would. But I don't think the series would have become a modern classic if it had been written by a woman: the audience just wouldn't have been there.

No way, you say. The Harry Potter books were obviously written by a woman! She's got breasts and ovaries and a vagina! Well, I do not disagree with you, hypothetical arguer. But let's take me as a case study. I read the Sorcerer's Stone when I was eight. At that age, I thought men were the best authors and women were, well, dumb. It wasn't my fault: I just grew up in the United States of the late 20th century. So, upon reading "J.K." on the cover, I simply assumed those initials referred to male names (mascunyms?). It was not until after I had fallen in love with the Harry Potter universe that I found out J.K. Rowling was female. I shudder to think about how I would have reacted to the cover of the Sorcerer's Stone if the author's name had been Joanne Rowling. I guess I would never have gotten my letter.

Oh, crap. I think I just inadvertently revealed the identity of _____ College/University. That's right. It's not an undergraduate institution at all. I'm actually a high school-age witch.