A few posts back, I made a comment about F&SF that led to renewed skirmishing along the gender front. The debate made me question my own perception. On the one hand, when I see that six of fourteen slush pile survivors are women, I feel like it's a fair chance. But when so many women I respect tell me they feel unwelcome, I pay attention.

I emailed F&SF editorial assistant John Joseph Adams to make sure he saw the debate. While I was at it, I pointed out that the F&SF page on Myspace has all men in its Top 8. The wonderful and talented megmccarron said somewhere once that it didn't exactly make women readers feel welcome there, and I mentioned to JJA that, in light of the current discussion, maybe she had a point.

John came back with: "I know, I know! I'd be happy to mix some women writers in our top eight, but I was trying to keep recognizable professionals in there. What I'd *rather* do is have the top eight be all F&SF contributors, but I haven't found enough of them that are F&SF's friend. I think you're the only one!"

So this is a call out to F&SF contributors, especially the women. Jaye Lawrence? Yoon Ha Lee? Marjorie Liu? Don't tell me none of you are on Myspace. Go friend F&SF and send John a note so he can bump you up front. I hope there are so many of you, you knock me out of the Top 8 cause I'm not a big enough name.

My next plan is to test the women-can't-sell-to-F&SF idea. You know how a certain group of folks bombard Strange Horizons with subs on April 1st? Let's shoot for 100 subs by women writers to F&SF in a single day. Sarah Prineas should send in two. (And if they're in "The Red Cross Knight" vein, maybe three.) Bear? Chance? Sandra? Karin? Any of you in? The 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified on August 18th. That could be the mail-in date. If all of you are selling to other magazines or selling novels and none of you sell there, you'll have convinced me.

This idea is absolutely no-win for me and I'm going to regret suggesting it as soon as I hit post. None of you sell a story to F&SF and you all hate me. Gordon gets drowned in subs and hates me too. But let's find out.

ETA: All right, then. I'm still not regretting it yet. I'll post a reminder a couple times in advance, and one on August 17th. And thanks so far everybody!