About this quote

Who gets a byline is a question of who had the freedom to claim their work. When many pieces circulate without names, whole groups disappear from view and our sense of what counts gets skewed. Ask yourself where your name appears and where it does not. If you teach, edit, or archive, credit carefully and check periodicals; note uncertain attributions instead of letting silence stand.

When to use it

• Editing a poetry anthology: Before we label these as anonymous, let's check letters and magazines, because some could be women we can credit.
• Teaching a 19th-century poetry seminar: I bring this up to push students to check bylines and footnotes instead of assuming a male default.
• Helping a niece with a history assignment: I told her to ask who couldn't sign their name and to note that in her citations.
• Working at a small academic press during attribution checks: I remind colleagues to flag anonymous pieces and try to trace possible authors before printing.