Female Ripperlologists

[Chris Scott]

I had a long and interesting (and unresolved!) discussion with a friend of mine last night. This, incidentally, was somewhat of a first in that most of my friends, when the dreaded topic of JTr is mentioned, become suddenly afflicted with a glassy eyed and vacant stare, apparently lose the will to live or suddenly remember a previously unmentioned urgent appointment! (I dramatise slightly!)

However, the topic of last night's chat was the role of women in Ripper studies and the perspective that they bring.
The questions on which I would value opinions are:
1) What percentage of serious students of the case (an unfortunate phrase, but I cannot think of a better) are female?
2) Are female students of the case better placed in some ways to study certain aspects of crimes that centrally involve brutal violence against women?
3) What insights into the case could a female researcher bring to bear that may differ from those of a male colleague?
4) Do male researchers of the case ever feel uncomfortable talking about certain aspects of the crimes to women?

I would value your opinions
Chris

[RonnieKray]

Hi...well it looks like I will be the first male to brave this subject....

I will say that I do not know what the percentage of women study JTR crimes but I see no barriers to prevent them from studying them should they wish to do so.

I see no reason to beleive that women are any better nor at any disadvantage in studying JTR.

As a man who has been a victim of domestic violence in the past I feel men can be just as sensitive as women on these subjects so I don't thimk women are better placed to investigate JTR crimes per se.

I personally would not have any difficulty whatsoever discussing any aspect of the crimes with a female.

To me it is a non-issue ALL are welcome to study JTR crimes, male, female, gay, black, white etc, etc.

[Robert]

Hi Chris

On No. 3 I would definitely say that female Ripperologists have a better chance than men have of divining the way the victims thought and the reasons for their behaviour. It might be that they are less well placed than men are to attempt an understanding of Jack himself, but there you go, that's why we need both the sexes on the case.

[Mascara & Paranoia]

I'm also male and not a Ripperologist (it's just an interest, though an addictive one); Jack the Ripper's definitely a 'female' case as much if not more than it is a 'male' one. Sure enough he was the killer, but without his victims he would've been nothing. Though I find everyone's views interesting in one way or another, be they male or female.

[Tom_Wescott]

That made no sense, Mascara.

As for female Ripperologists, I'd say there are maybe a handful (meaning five) who are actually worthy of the term. However, there are others who do a tremendous job organizing conferences and events or helping to run the journals, and they should not be overlooked. There's also a few female commentators on these boards who add much to the environment and would be sorely missed if they left.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Ally]

Female Ripperlologists?

Women who study people who laugh out loud at the Ripper?

[Mascara & Paranoia]

That made no sense, Mascara.

Call me Paranoia instead, or M&P, more manly. And it would've made a great deal of sense if I could word things properly.

[Stephen Thomas]

Women know more about men than men know about men.

[RJM]

Regarding question No. 1, Chris. If you look at Ripperologist 91, Don Souden and Jennifer Pegg performed a survey. It was a small sample but 34% of their respondents were female.

Despite what most guys say, there are certain topics when approached by women that will render men speechless. And let's face it, most of us guys have trouble buying feminine hygiene products for our ladies. And when a women starts discussing in intimate detail how many items can be used in lieu of a tampon for her menstrual cycle, I for one, am at a loss for words.

"2) Are female students of the case better placed in some ways to study certain aspects of crimes that centrally involve brutal violence against women?"

I had a girlfriend once who was unsure of the killer's handedness after Dr. Llewellyn's initial remarks that Nichols' murderer was left-handed. My girlfriend suggested we attempt to recreate the injuries by physically attempting several possible scenarios. She's a righty and I'm a lefty. I would work on her and she would work on me. Initially, I was a little apprehensive, finding it a touch macabre and weird. To make a long story short. The injuries were easier to perform by a right-handed person from both the side and between the legs of the body. As a lefty, it was a little awkward from the side but I could do it, and from between the legs was easy. I still believe the Whitechapel murderer was right-handed, but that's another topic for another thread. Her approach was inspired and certainly something I never would have thought of.

Robert

[aspallek]

Her approach was inspired and certainly something I never would have thought of.

Hmmm. That would seem a most elementary experiment for either a male or female to suggest. I assume that very thing has been enacted many times over the past 120 years in seeking an answer to just that question.

[Roy Corduroy]

Two of the top selling Ripper books were written by women.

[Tom_Wescott]

Women know more about men than men know about men.

Then why do they keep falling for our crap?

Regarding the 34% female respondents who replied to Rip's survey, that merely means 1) women are more likely to participate in surveys than men, not exactly a secret, and 2) A lot of women like to look at Don Souden, also not a secret. But reading Scientific American doesn't make you either a scientist or an American.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Supe]

Chris,

Regarding question No. 1, Chris. If you look at Ripperologist 91, Don Souden and Jennifer Pegg performed a survey. It was a small sample but 34% of their respondents were female. RJM

To continue on with Robert's comment, Jen and I actually conducted three surveys over the course of 12 months and in terms of sex the results were all about a 2-1 ration of male to femle Ripperologists. And while we did not mecessarily sort answers for respondents' sex, there were no apparent diffrences in the responses of men and women. Moreover, men and women in the surveys had been studying JtR for about the same amounts of time.

From my experience as an editor being a good researcher/analyst/writer has nothing to do with gender--you're good or you're not. That is certainly true of my two female colleagues at Ripperologist--Jane Coram and Jennifeer Shelden--who are both top of the heap.

Don.

[Supe]

Tom,

1) women are more likely to participate in surveys than men, not exactly a secret,

Not true in terms of the way we structured our last survey. And, in fact, even while eliminating that possible bias the 2-1 ration held.

And if you doubt our validity, remember our survey had McCain winning in a landslide.

Don.

[Tom_Wescott]

Okay, but I still stand by my statement that women subscribe to Rip just to look at pictures of Don Souden.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

P.S. Jennifer Pegg married Neal Shelden? Man, I have been gone a while.