Agency Quote by Joanna Russ
“The techniques are all means of dealing with one simple idea: She wrote it. (That is, the "wrong" person--in this case, female--has created the "right" value--i.e., art.) Denial of Agency: She didn't write it. Pollution of Agency: She shouldn't have written it. Double Standard of Content: Yes, but look what she wrote about. False Categorizing: She is not really she [an artist] and it is not really it [serious, of the right genre, aesthetically sound, important, etc.] so how could "she" have written "it"? Or simply: Neither "she" nor "it" exists (simple exclusion).”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Female Man” by Joanna Russ, 1975
The quote critiques how society denies women agency in art, labeling their work as invalid or attributing it to a “wrong” gender.
In simple terms: Society often dismisses women's creative contributions.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and value women's artistic agency.
Themes
gender bias
artistic agency
double standards
cultural criticism
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic discourse
- art criticism
- media analysis
Key Concepts
feminist theory
authorial identity
social construction
Questions to Reflect On
- How does gender perception shape artistic value?
- Can we separate creator identity from work?
A Different Perspective
The argument may overlook individual merit in favor of gender focus.
![“The trouble with men is that they have limited minds. That's the trouble with women, too." [ "Existence" (1975)]” quote by Joanna Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/056/joanna-russ-7942_feminism_the-trouble-with-men-is-that-they-have-l_202328.jpg)
![“We have no clear ideas of the agency of [demonic] spirits, nor is it necessary. The Scripture says little to satisfy our curiosity; but tells us plainly that he is always watching us, and desiring to sift us as wheat. I believe we give him no more than his due, when we charge him with having a…” quote by John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c75/john-newton-6629_abundance_we-have-no-clear-ideas-of-the-agency-of_2907.jpg)
