Philip,
Yest there are all these things on TOP of the gender problem, I agree. It's odd this stuff about accessibility since the poets I rate most don't seem to factor this in as an issue when they right, and some of the work is more or less accessible. In fact, I think "performance poetry" (although I get fed up with these designations - Simon Armitage is a "performance poet"!) is a lot more read and heard by more people, perhaps because there still exists this fear of things more difficult.
As for creativity linked to academic excellence, I don't think so my myself. So, perhaps my model will hold true for "non-creative" kinds of work (I suspect we'll differ in our definitions here) but the one area it won't hold true will be the creative one, proving once again that women are less creative/talented.
Regardless, if my model DOESN'T hold true according to this ogic I'm developing, this will then provide yet more evidence that gender is a factor. At which point I guess the argument can be refined conveniently!
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