|
While I think this kind of subconscious (I hope) sexism is declining, it's worth keeping in mind that it hasn't been that long since explicit sexism was condoned: when Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg graduated first in her class at Columbia, Felix Frankfurter turned her down for a job as a clerk, stating that he didn't want to hire her because she was a woman. It wasn't until the mid 60's that it was illegal to have a salary schedule for men and a (lower) salary schedule for women, and into the 70's courts were still overturning various state laws that permitted discrimination against women.
While that is mostly before my time, it's easy to see why female writers like Andre Norton (who wrote in the 60's) and others might feel safer with a male or neutral pseudonym.
And of course who can forget the classic plot of "Remington Steele?"
|