​Book Fair Attendees Weigh in on the Emmy's and Women Missing In Writing

Tonight's Emmy's awards celebrate another year of TV shows that consistently give us something to argue about with parents that isn't Donald Trump's head shape. This year's ceremony is also celebrating a decade of mostly just men. A ten-year review of Emmy nominations by Women's Media Center found that women make up just 22 percent of all nominees in 44 writing, directing, editing, and producing categories over the past decade. The writing categories were particularly egregious, as women represent just 13 percent of Emmy nominations for outstanding writing since 2006.

It's widely noted that women writers in print publishing are also reviewed less often than their male counterparts, even though women buy two-thirds of books sold. This weekend in New York, MoMA hosted its tenth annual art book fair, which seemed like as good a place as any to ask female bibliophiles about women's representation in creative fields - particularly in print publishing, and on screen. Also, did any of these book nerds watch TV?

Broadly: Do you have any predictions for the Emmy's tomorrow night?

Thalassa: I didn't even know they were happening.

Broadly: Do you think women writers are well represented in publishing or on screen?

Michelle: I think the way that women are represented on screen is, for the most part, telling of the role they play behind the scenes.

Broadly: What do you mean by that?

Michelle: I mean, every study you look at that does any kind of quantitative look at the representation of women in the media shows a gross discrepancy in representation of women. They're less often protagonists, they talk less, when they do talk it's about dumb shit.

Broadly: Does it surprise you that less than 25 percent of Emmy nominations for writing, producing, and editing go to women?

Michelle: No.

Broadly: Any Emmy predictions?

Michelle: I think Tatiana Maslany is going to take home an Emmy for her role in Orphan Black. Game of Thrones is the obvious favorite child, but I have a feeling that Mad Men might win.

Broadly: Do you have recommendations for women getting involved in creative fields or writing?

Diana: I don't see why, for me, it's not any different than being a young man. Just to be strong as you are and don't think that you should arrive with a fight.

Broadly: Does that apply to most creative fields for women?

Diana: Yeah, it applies but for sure it's harder if there are only men to get into fields. If you are a sculpture or something, maybe there will be more people working on big pieces of stone than women.

Broadly: Did you know the Emmy's are tomorrow?

Diana: Oh really? I don't know anything about it.

Broadly: How accessible do you think events like this for women publishers, writers, and creative?

Citron Kelly: I had the logistical challenge of having a stroller. When I was in there, I had a rant brewing in my head. I'm not used to being in places where people see a stroller or someone struggling, and usually people either get out of the way, or they help, but because of how crowded it is in there, I felt like people in there would see the stroller and be like, 'Oh shit, I don't want to get behind that stroller' and they would run in front of me, and I was getting cut off a lot and sort of stranded. Someone asked me at some point if they could help me get down the stairs and I said the thing that would be most helpful would be to go in front of me and just block. So that was an issue from me from a burdened mother's perspective.

In general I think that at least the people who I come here are very, very women-friendly and there are women-run publications and presses, but I don't know what slice that is of the bigger picture.

Broadly: Do you have any predictions for the Emmy's?

Citron Kelly: I have no idea, I'm completely out of that loop. Maybe Ursula has an idea.

Ursula: Stares blankly.