Here are her responses to my questions:
1. Are there challenges that female magicians encounter that their male counterparts do not? If so, what are they?
I think in the magic community, the male magician is going to be taken more seriously in the beginning than the female magician. It's not uncommon for me to hear male magicians say about a female magician "She's pretty good, for a girl." My take is... she's either a good magician or she's not. Taking into consideration whether the magician is male or female shouldn't be an issue. I am a magician first. The fact that I am a woman is secondary.
Most magic books are written for men. Not because the writers are trying to exclude women but because the writers are men and they are writing what they know. Tricks are designed using suit jackets and wallets and pant pockets. So if you're a woman and want to do these tricks but don't wear a suit or carry a wallet, you'll have to figure something else out.
Most patter is written for men. Again, not because the writers are trying to exclude women, they are just writing what they know. This shouldn't matter in the long run because as an entertainer you should be able to make the trick your own, but in the beginning, it's good to be able to work with patter that has been tested. And if it has a "male" feel to it, the women won't be able to pull it off as well as their male counterparts. The female magician almost needs to work from scratch when it comes to patter.
I think female magicians are going to be hit on more than male magicians. I've had some inappropriate things said to me that if I were a man, wouldn't have been said. I've had men try to pull me down onto their lap and put their arms around my waist. My guess is if I were a man, that wouldn't have happened.
2. What can magic organizations do to be more welcoming to female magicians?
That’s a hard one for me because I don't belong to any magic organization other than the Magic Castle and they are very welcoming. I've been performing for so long now and the local magic community would love it if I would join their club and attend their meetings so to me personally, they are very welcoming. I just can't give up a night of work to go to the meetings.
3. Anything else that comes to mind?
I like to focus on the advantages rather than the disadvantages. I think woman magicians can actually have an easier time with the general public because I think women are more disarming than men in general. Not intending to say anything bad about men, mind you.
Just saying that society allows women to be less confrontational and if that's what they want their style to be then I think women can pull it off better just because we are women.
I think women can flirt in ways that don't come off creepy but if a male was to act that way... well ... it comes off sort of creepy. I can touch people physically in ways that would be, maybe, crossing some boundaries if I was a man.
It's easier for me to be "sweet". Men socially don't get to be sweet. They have to be tough or edgy or fake con men or something like that like. I don't know that they get play in the same way women can.
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