Reflections of a Former Editor

My first issue as Editor of Letras Femeninas: A Journal of Women and Gender Studies in Hispanic Literatures and Cultures was also an anniversary issue: Volume 41.1 (Verano 2015). Against many odds, a publication that had begun as a dozen mimeographed pages stapled to green or purple covers had become an internationally recognized academic journal celebrating its fortieth anniversary. That special issue, numbering 391 pages, was a fitting testament to the journal's vitality. When I first held the published volume in my hands, I remembered what Adelaida López de Martínez (editor from 1988 to 1999) had said on the journal's twentieth anniversary, borrowing the slogan from Virginia Slims cigarettes marketed to women in the 1970s and 1980s: “We've come a long way, baby.” By 2015, smoking had thankfully declined in many parts of the world, but the journal was stronger than ever.I approached the opportunity to write my first editorial column with a mix of excitement and trepidation. Re-reading that “Editor's Preface/Mensaje Editorial” a decade later, I realize I managed to edit away the signs of anxiety—but I hope it still conveys the excitement I felt. Looking back at the issues published during my tenure as editor, I am proud of what we accomplished. And by “we,” I mean the many people who made each issue possible: my associate editor who meticulously managed formatting and kept a record of submissions; an outstanding, collaborative editorial board; hundreds of dedicated ad-hoc reviewers; invited editors of special issues; and the many contributors whose articles enriched the journal. I am also grateful for the book review section—thoughtfully curated by Diane Marting—which expanded the journal's reach through reviews of monographs, edited volumes, and translations. I subtitled my first editorial “Between Continuity and Innovation” and outlined six objectives I had shared with the (then called) AILCFH Executive Committee when applying to be considered for Editor. Among them were: a) bringing the journal into the digital era by launching an online version;b) gradually transitioning from the rubric of Letras femeninas while recognizing some members’ desire to preserve the original name;c) maintaining and frequently consulting active editorial board;d) ensuring a balance between essays by senior scholars and emerging voices; ande) increasing parity between studies of Peninsular and Latin American authors, and between contemporary authors and those from earlier eras.Some of these goals were fully realized; others remained aspirational. Beginning with issue 41.1, every issue appeared both in print and online, and the digital version soon became the preferred format among members—partly for reasons of accessibility and cost. While some long-standing members of AILCFH opposed removing the original title, we compromised with a new design that emphasized the initials “L” and “f” in vivid colors against a black background, accompanied by the subtitle A Journal of Women & Gender Studies in Hispanic Literatures & Cultures. In retrospect, the subtitle was too long, and I was glad to see the name later simplified. The cover—designed in collaboration with my sister, St. Louis artist and musician Jackie Niebylski—featured a stylized female symbol (♀) containing words representing the journal's areas of focus: crítica, cultura popular, literatura, and cine. Were I designing it today, I would likely use the inclusive gender symbol (⚧), but at the time many members and journal subscribers still wanted a visible commitment to women authors, filmmakers, and feminist theory.Although I had not proposed this in my initial application, I chose to write an introduction to every issue under my editorship, even when the issue was guest-edited. These introductions offered readers a bird's-eye view of the publication and its scope. During this period, we also began publishing interviews with women authors—though not as regularly as I had hoped.I relied heavily on the editorial board for both peer review and advice. With two former editors on the board, I benefited from their institutional memory and expertise. Carmen de Urioste was always generous with guidance, and Ksenija Bilbija often reminded me, wisely, that with a full-time teaching load and no course release, my editorial time was necessarily finite. Like many editors before me, I was unable to obtain a course release for my work on the journal. Fortunately, my department assigned me a graduate assistant, Alejandra Marín-Pineda, whose organizational skill and formatting expertise were indispensable. Later, Alejandra continued as editorial assistant under Rocío Quispe-Agnoli's editorship. I was also grateful for the contributions of graduate assistants Amalia Cantisán Muñoz and Aránzazu Rodríguez Gago.As my graduate students will attest, I have always been a hands-on editor. I read every submission upon arrival, deciding whether to return it for revision or send it for review. Roughly two-thirds of submissions were reviewed, and more than half of those were eventually published. When reviewers were unanimous in recommending publication, I carefully reviewed the final version multiple times for technical accuracy. When reviewers disagreed but I saw promise, I sent detailed feedback to authors and often reviewed up to three revised drafts. My editorial intuition was not infallible—some essays I accepted might have been declined, and vice versa—but maintaining the highest scholarly standards was always my guiding principle. I believe the same rigor should apply to book reviews.My predecessor, Ksenija Bilbija, established the practice of publishing every other issue as a special, guest-edited number. When I became editor, however, the backlog of already-accepted articles was so large that I reduced special issues to every third publication. Although I have since lost track of how often the journal continues this practice, special issues have always been the most eagerly anticipated by readers and the most frequently requested back issues. Their thematic cohesion is a strength the journal should continue to cultivate, perhaps through more internally coordinated thematic issues even without guest editors.Like many editors, I found that my work on the journal often encroached on time set aside for my own research. Future editors should be aware of this. Yet the intellectual rewards were immense. Editing Letras Femeninas exposed me to new authors, methodologies, and perspectives, enriching my own scholarship in ways I had not anticipated.Despite repeated efforts, I was not able to significantly increase submissions from senior or well-established scholars. By the time I heard their papers at conferences, most had already sent them elsewhere or reserved them for forthcoming books. I continue to believe this is a worthwhile goal, as greater participation from established scholars would enhance the journal's ranking and visibility. Similarly, I was only partly successful in attracting articles on earlier historical periods, though submissions on film and women filmmakers grew steadily. Additionally, while the online version may have expanded membership in the U.S., it did not do so outside of the U.S., as I had hoped. I especially lamented that even with the online version, we were not able to attract more members and submissions from Latin America.Most tier-1 and tier 2 journals are published by university presses. Aware of this, during my tenure, I approached the University Press of Kentucky about publishing the journal, but the financial costs proved prohibitive. I was therefore especially pleased when my successor, Rocío Quispe-Agnoli, was able to secure publication with the Michigan State University Press—an important milestone in the journal's evolution.One of the most rewarding experiences of my term was hosting the 28th Annual AEGS Meeting in September 2018. Organizing the conference required months of preparation—advertising, securing institutional support, selecting and inviting plenary speakers, reviewing over 300 proposals, and coordinating three days of panels—all with the help of two graduate students during the planning stage (during the conference several colleagues and members of AEGS gave generously of their time). The effort was considerable, but seeing participants arrive and the conference come to life was unforgettable. I encourage other members to consider hosting future meetings; the experience is both challenging and deeply gratifying.The uncertainties currently facing humanities departments and journals are undeniable, and they pose real challenges for the continued vitality of publications like the Journal of Gender and Sexualities. Yet I take heart in remembering the formidable obstacles faced by the journal's founders in the early 1970s, when, as Carmen de Urioste wrote in Volume 41.1, the study of women's writing by Hispanic women was doubly marginalized—by its focus on women and by its focus on Hispanic authors. That the journal not only survived but flourished and expanded its reach over five decades is cause for well-deserved celebration. Both the journal and the organization that sustains it are in very capable hands, so here's a toast to the next decade!