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A review by frances_frances
The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister by Anne Lister
4.0
Anne Lister's writing is an important queer and historical artifact. It provides insight into the lives of wealthy white women in 19th century England as well as how queerness was conceived of and experienced in that specific time and place in history.
Lister herself was a fascinating person who in many ways was ahead of her time. But I find it strange that so many reviewers wholeheartedly praise her. Lister was complex and had many problematic traits. Her masculinity was very much in line with the norms of her time, which is to say rather toxic. She belittles most women and sees herself as socially and intellectually superior to them. Basically, she's kind of misogynistic. Her own sense of self relies on putting other women down (perhaps the original "I'm not like other girls"). Her wealth was acquired through being a landlord (charging poorer people for shelter) and through coal mining (horrible for the environment and for workers). Lister did many things that could be viewed as progressive for the time. It's important to understand that she was able to educate herself, succeed in business, and engage in relationships with women largely because of her wealth and social status. Poorer women wouldn't be able to financially make it without a male breadwinner. And also, is it really progressive to emulate wealthy white men?
Lister's diaries are important and informative but also limited by her socioeconomic class. I thinks it's important to hold multiple truths at once. Like any human, Lister was complicated, contradictory, and flawed.
Lister herself was a fascinating person who in many ways was ahead of her time. But I find it strange that so many reviewers wholeheartedly praise her. Lister was complex and had many problematic traits. Her masculinity was very much in line with the norms of her time, which is to say rather toxic. She belittles most women and sees herself as socially and intellectually superior to them. Basically, she's kind of misogynistic. Her own sense of self relies on putting other women down (perhaps the original "I'm not like other girls"). Her wealth was acquired through being a landlord (charging poorer people for shelter) and through coal mining (horrible for the environment and for workers). Lister did many things that could be viewed as progressive for the time. It's important to understand that she was able to educate herself, succeed in business, and engage in relationships with women largely because of her wealth and social status. Poorer women wouldn't be able to financially make it without a male breadwinner. And also, is it really progressive to emulate wealthy white men?
Lister's diaries are important and informative but also limited by her socioeconomic class. I thinks it's important to hold multiple truths at once. Like any human, Lister was complicated, contradictory, and flawed.