Female Ripperlologists

[Mascara & Paranoia]

Haha.

I always assumed it to be because she thought her stuff would be stolen if she left them at whatever lodging house(s) she was staying at.

[LTowell]

On a personal note, I have to share that the Ripper class I'm teaching has 19 students this time--18 female. When I proposed teaching the class, I was told I probably couldn't get many women interested...Hopefully, they will add to the number of serious students of the case.

Also, someone mentioned the thought that men may be embarrassed to discuss certain aspects of the case with women. I don't find that true, although I think it's more a product of generational openness than a worry about what's appropriated in "mixed company."

Now, when does one become a Ripperologist? Many on here demur when answering whether or not they are one. Is there a ritual, complete with kneeling and swords?

[Chava]

The problem with the bread pudding theory is that you need an oven to cook it in. You can't steam bread pudding, it goes all strange. And as far as I know, #13 Millers Court didn't have a range...

(Just one small female comment!)

It's true, though, about menstruation. I made a comment once about how unpleasant it is to get blood on your hands, and how sticky it gets really quickly. This was in the context of the Eddowes' apron piece. I pointed out that the women on the board would understand what I meant but the guys might not. Boy, did the guys get squeamish about that one! However, when it comes to the handling of blood, women get on with it because we have to. And men go all quiet and start thinking 'ick'. So we do have that perspective which most normal--ie non serial killing--men don't have. And in the context of the Ripper, I think it's an important perspective!

By the way, I'm female, which was news to at least one poster. And I've been on the case since 1973...

[Captain Hook]

It's funny how no one is ever curious why Ripperologists are damn near without exception WHITE. Yes, I know....Eduardo Zinna...but a rare exception.

Tom,

I am neither black nor oriental nor Native American. I am of Spanish, Italian and English descent. I was listed as white in the censuses carried out in the USA in the years when I lived in New York, although a category created specifically for Spanish-speakers, Hispanic, exists. Perhaps Oklahoma has stricter rules. I think what confuses you is that I often have a suntan - which is not difficult considering I divide my time between Kenya and Southern Spain.

Cheers
Eduardo

[BLUE WIZZARD]

The word Ripperologist, simply means the study of the Ripper.
Anyone can be a Ripperologist if you study the Ripper.

BW

[BillieHoliday]

Billie,

Yes, I CAN speak for every reader. Whether I'm right on every account is another matter. But for the average Ripper student, having politics shoved down your throat when you buy a book for investigative history is, in fact, annoying. Having facts changed or ignored to suit a political agenda goes beyond annoying for most of us, and that's precisely what you will find in any and all histories written with a feminist slant. Just like Nazi propaganda. That's why they call them feminazis.

Tom Westcott, stop being capricious over wording. Of course you're not right on every account - I haven't read the books you quote, but someone somewhere is enjoying them. Got to agree about changing facts though - that's not on.

As for Eddowes belongings - yes 20 odd years ago when I saw the list, I immediately saw how they were essentials in her life.

The 12 pieces of slightly bloodstained rag I knew immediately were her home-made sanitary towels and the triangular piece of fabric she would have used as a makeshift pair of drawers to keep the napkins in place. She would have washed out the napkins and re used them, as women, whatever their wealth did in those days. Hence the term: 'On the rag' for a menstruating woman.

[truebluedub]

I've stayed of this thread up to now as I was licking my wounds from the murder porn thread.
I don't think that there would be any empirical difference between the males and females in the second and third questions Chris Scott asked at the start of this thread.
The only qualifier I'd but on this is that traditional masculine ripperologists may be more interested in suspect ripperology than more feminine ripperolgists who may be more interested in social and cultural aspects or with emphatising with the victims. But this is based more on traditional gender characteristics rather than the sex of the individual.

Chris Lowe

[Robert]

Kate was the only one who had all these things, so I'm still puzzled as to why the others didn't.

[Glenn Lauritz Andersson]

The only qualifier I'd but on this is that traditional masculine ripperologists may be more interested in suspect ripperology than more feminine ripperolgists who may be more interested in social and cultural aspects or with emphatising with the victims.

Well, Chris, I think that may be an erronous take on things. It certainly doesn't apply to me, who received very positive reviews for focusing on the victims and the social conditions. But then again, my windows are dressed with curtains!
It shall also be added that the earlier books by male researchers like Paul Begg and a few others has focused very much on the lives of the victims and the social conditions. And then of course we have Neal Shelden Stubbings who has devoted his whole research to the victims.
To further crush the above myths we also have Patricia Cornwell, whose book was one of the most suspect-oriented in a long time.

All the best

[Sam Flynn]

Kate was the only one who had all these things, so I'm still puzzled as to why the others didn't.

Rob - interesting point. New thread on the subject started here, with a "starter for ten" from yours truly.

[truebluedub]

Well, Chris, I think that may be an erronous take on things. It certainly doesn't apply to me, who received very positive reviews for focusing on the victims and the social conditions. But then again, my windows are dressed with curtains!
It shall also be added that the earlier books by male researchers like Paul Begg and a few others has focused very much on the lives of the victims and the social conditions. And then of course we have Neal Shelden Stubbings who has devoted his whole research to the victims.
To further crush the above myths we also have Patricia Cornwell, whose book was one of the most suspect-oriented in a long time.

All the best

Sorry, I'm using gender the same way I use it in class, as in characteristics which are socially constructed as presumed prerequisites for being masculine or feminine, for example, boys are genderised (to steal the term my undergrads make up) to take on expected characteristics of masculinity with "oh what a strong boy" or "big boys don't cry". At the same time we have so called metro-sexuals of which a certain David Beckham is the usual example who are seen as caring emotionally connecting individuals in contrast to traditional masculinity which treats men as the rational intelligent public individual. Actually these days gender norms are seen as breaking down for example Becks or ladette culture.
So thats a very long winded way of saying that I'm not talking about sex (e.g. male female) but gender. Of course I accept I may be completely out to lunch on this topic.

Chris Lowe

[Tom_Wescott]

Howard,

Just now saw your response to me. You have taken me way, way out of context. Perhaps this is because your definition of 'romantic' is far different from mine. I intended it in the 'fanciful' sense, with suspects such as Maybrick, Sickert, Royals, etc. Perry's book on Barnett is actually a rare exception.

Eduardo,

So you're Captain Hook, ey? Thanks for the reply. No disrespect was intended. I just remember at some point in the past when someone asked why all Ripperheads are white, your name came up three times as an example to the contrary.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Supe]

Chris,

David Beckham is the usual example who are seen as caring emotionally connecting individuals

Ah, but his "caring" would not seem to extend to honoring contracts, would it?

Don.

[Neal Shelden]

Chris,

David Beckham is the usual example who are seen as caring emotionally connecting individuals


Don.

Johnny Wilkinson could be considered similar to David, except that he can win a World Cup and not wear a skirt or act girly

[John Bennett]

The only qualifier I'd but on this is that traditional masculine ripperologists may be more interested in suspect ripperology than more feminine ripperolgists who may be more interested in social and cultural aspects or with emphatising with the victims. But this is based more on traditional gender characteristics rather than the sex of the individual.

Chris Lowe

As far as I can tell, the majority of posters on these boards who refer to the victims by their first names (or even familiar versions such as 'Kate' or 'Liz') appear to be female.