Jane Austen – from feminist icon to embarrasing figure of colonialism in 5 years.

I didn’t say this first, but I wish I had. It is a tweet from Colin Brazier of GB news.

In 2017 feminists successfully campaigned to have Jane Austen added to the £10 note. Now, she’s been cancelled by those who want to ‘decolonise the curriculum’. From icon to embarrassment in 5 years.

From the Guardian, June 2013

Jane Austen has been confirmed as the next face of the £10 note in a victory for campaigners demanding female representation – aside from the Queen – on the country’s cash.

Mark Carney, confirmed on Wednesday that she would feature, probably from 2017.

“Jane Austen certainly merits a place in the select group of historical figures to appear on our banknotes. Her novels have an enduring and universal appeal and she is recognised as one of the greatest writers in English literature,” the new governor (of the Bank of England) said.

He also announced that the Bank would carry out a review of the process for selecting the historical figures who appear on banknotes, to ensure that a diverse range of figures is represented.

Caroline Criado-Perez, co-founder of feminist blog the Women’s Room, who led the campaign, and was called in to discuss the issue with Salmon, said the Bank’s announcement marked a “brilliant day for women”. “Without this campaign … the Bank of England would have unthinkingly airbrushed women out of history. . . To hear Jane Austen confirmed is fantastic . . . a particularly apt choice given the context. .. She was an incredibly intelligent woman. She spent her time poking fun at the establishment. All her books are about how women are trapped and misrepresented. It is really sad that she was saying that 200 years ago and I am still having to say that today,” the campaigner said.

Stella Creasy MP, who helped organise a letter from 46 Labour MPs to David Cameron in support of the campaign, said: “Britain has many women in its history of whom we should be proud, and today’s decision is part of creating a culture of expectation that there will be many more in our future too.”

From the Telegraph April 2022

Jane Austen dropped from university’s English course to ‘decolonise the curriculum’

The author of Pride and Prejudice has been replaced by Toni Morrison, an writer known for works about the African American experience, as the focus of an English module at Stirling University. Swapping the Regency author for Morrison would also “contribute to increased diversity” on the syllabus, The changes to the course come following a commitment made in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, with Stirling University Principle Prof Gerry McCormac saying the institution must “support an anti-racist agenda in higher education”.