UK Female Christian Bloggers
@RevdLesley blogged about UK Female Christian Bloggers on her blog this morning http://revdlesley.blogspot.com/2011/01/top-uk-female-christian-bloggers.html
I was shocked to see that my little blog was included as one of only eight female Christian bloggers in the UK. How come there are so few? If someone as inadequate as me, with so little to say, why don't more women do similar?
Not long later @Boudledidge blogged her thoughts on why so few Uk women blog on Christian issues http://ontoberlin.blogspot.com/2011/01/female-christian-bloggers-rare-breed.html
She discusses various reasons including lack of profile for female bloggers perhaps female Christians blog about their lives in general rather than being focussed (multi taskers), lack of confidence, fear of seeming opinionated, women are less competitive over rankings so show less in blog rate lists.
Since then there have been a raft of Uk female Christian bloggers appearing, a friend of mine even launched her own blog (virtual-pilgrim.blogspot.com). So what are my thoughts?
I think there's a confidence issue. I blog, but constantly fear no one reads, or if they do then they don't really think much about my musings. I worry I appear egotistical or uninformed or theological incompetent or boring.
I also think there's a time issue. Blogging takes me about an hour a day, that's a lot of time in my already busy life. I'm happy to allocate that time, especially as my confidence to blog increases and the benefits of my reflections on my ministerial development become clear. I'm a mum, a wife, a minister, a daughter in law, a sister, a friend, a volunteer, a business woman and probably more besides. Time is not hanging around in my life and I doubt I'm the only woman in this position, so blogging is like an extra job, it's a time commitment.
So what do you think?
Hi Emma, I agree with your points really. Confidence and time are major issues for me that and the dilema of being open about who I am and where I minister makes blogging appropriately more challenging. If I'd realised quite how challenging I'd probably have had an undercover blog (maybe had 2 blogs and been public about my family and hobbies but that seemed to take more time and not hold as much integrity for me personally)...I have however committed to trying to be me and do so with integrity online so one day I'll perhaps figure out how to do it better (2011 sees my 4th year of blogging) and blog less about the non-religious aspects of my life and more about faith and church issues.
ReplyDeleteI'm now off to read your Kindle thoughts!
L
Emma, they are out there, but as you say, their profile seems to be a little low key. My other thoughts are about gender bias from some of the ratings agencies, I hope that I am wrong about that.
ReplyDeleteMy blog never gets rated, which I am happy about, as I would rather few read it and give me feedback, than loads who say nothing. Not that I get lots of feedback anyway.
I am a UK woman Christian blogger and my blog though not updated daily has a daily readership of between 3 and 400.
ReplyDeleteMy criticism of Rev Lesley and The Church Mouse is that they have concentrated on Anglican bloggers!
Sally - indeed, it has been lovely to discover female bloggers outside the anglican communion, we can learn and share thoughout the christian world.
ReplyDeleteUKViewer (to hold your anonymity)- I don't blog for rankings either, I blog for learning, reflection and entertainment for me; and to perhaps enlighten and encourage others.
L - 4 years, wow, that's a major achievement. I have to say when I blog about something less ministerial and more life related I wonder if it's the right place, but then if I'm OK sharing I decide it'll go up, people don't have to read it :)
Be encouraged! I'm very pleased to have found your blog. As to the subject, I think there's also the fact that ministry in the Churches (plural) is still largely male, so blogs that get highlighted often come from male writers.It had never occurred to me to list a blog on Wikio because rankings never seemed to matter. I write to stimulate thought, in myself and in others, so numbers genuinely don't matter.(By the way, I'm having to use an outdated profile to post this. Only used Blogger as a trial. "Colophon" was self-hosted for years as "iBenedictines" is now.
ReplyDeleteSally, i know what you mean. I am really keen to find blogs from women across a range of churches and over the past couple of days have managed to do so which has been great! Obviously we tend to find blogs or know bloggers from within our own denominations and church groups which is good, but it's nice to have variety :)
ReplyDeleteDigitsalnun via iBenedictines - it's nice to match your twitter name with your blog, that;s one good thing about using your "outdated" profile. I have today listed this blog on wikio which was a pain and a little pointless but hey, if that's where people look then I guess we should list.
ReplyDeleteHannah - isn't it great how the blog world has suddenly opened up, it can only help us all.