Dawn Atkins (anthropologist)
Encyclopedia
Dawn Atkins is an American
author
of nonfiction and fiction
, as well as an activist and educator.
She has had in influence in a number of diverse areas including journalism
, anthropology
, body image
, science fiction
and fantasy
, feminism
, lgbt
activism, gender and sexuality studies, and Neopaganism
.
Atkins' first published poem was at age nine, first award for writing at age eleven, first paid publication at age twelve and first fiction published at age fifteen. As a teenager, Atkins was a student journalist who won awards as a writer and editor of both the school newspaper and literary journal.
Before even finishing high school, Atkins also began Shadows Of..., a science fiction and fantasy magazine which ran from 1979–1982, and helped launch the careers of a number of authors and artists. In addition to demands of both these publications and school, Atkins worked part time at the local professional newspaper,The Moore Monitor (1980–1981). Work in all these areas earned Atkins a journalism scholarship to the University of Oklahoma
. After starting OU, she also worked for The Norman Transcript
(1981–1982).
In 1984, Atkins left school to accept a full time position as Managing Editor at Locus Magazine (The Magazine Of The Science Fiction & Fantasy Field). While there, Atkins redesigned the magazine and earned a Hugo Award
(1985). Atkins left Locus and returned to college in 1986, completing Bachelor of Arts (double major) in Professional Writing and Anthropology from the University of California, Santa Cruz
(1989), while also working part time as both a writing instructor at UCSC and a journalist with several local publications, including popular weekly newspaper, The Sun.
Atkins is the daughter of feminist activist, Mary E. Atkins, and with her mother had been a member of several activist organizations in both Oklahoma and California, including the National Organization for Women
. Atkins and her mother were part of a movement to raise awareness of body image issues such as appearance discrimination and eating disorders. In 1988, their work led to NOW officially recognizing the need to address body image issues.
Atkins activism on anti-discrimination led to several years as founder and chair (1989–1994) of a body image education organization, the Body Image Task Force. Atkins was responsible for all the BITF publications and workshops, speaking to the media and other operations. She was featured on such television programs as Larry King Live
and The Oprah Winfrey Show
. She gave lectures and workshops on body image at high schools, colleges, community organizations and other venues. Atkins was also one of the co-authors and primary organizers behind the Santa Cruz City Anti-Discrimination Ordinance (1992), which added "sexual orientation, gender, height, weight and physical appearance" to the protected categories and became a model for other anti-discrimination law in other cities.
In 1994, Atkins was accepted to the doctoral program in Anthropology at the University of Iowa
. Atkins completed a Masters in Anthropology in 1996. While studying at UI, Atkins also presented papers at conferences, taught classes, was assistant to the Director of Women's Studies, the editor of three books and contributing editor to several academic publications. Atkins was guest editor of special editions of the Journal of Lesbian Studies, Journal of Bisexuality
and International Journal of Sexuality and Gender Studies
.
Atkins was working on a dissertation for the doctoral program when traumatic injury prevented completing the program. While recovering from the injury, Atkins spent several years as owner of on-line used and rare book store before returning to writing. Atkins' injury developed into a chronic pain disorder (fibromyalgia
) which prohibited a return to anthropology or journalism. Fiction, a first love, became the new direction for Atkins' energy. Atkins writes fiction full time now, and has published several novels under pen names.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of nonfiction and fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
, as well as an activist and educator.
She has had in influence in a number of diverse areas including journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
, anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
, body image
Body image
Body image refers to a person's perception of the aesthetics and sexual attractiveness of their own body. The phrase body image was first coined by the Austrian neurologist and psychoanalyst Paul Schilder in his masterpiece The Image and Appearance of the Human Body...
, science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
and fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
, feminism
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
, lgbt
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
activism, gender and sexuality studies, and Neopaganism
Neopaganism
Neopaganism is an umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of modern religious movements, particularly those influenced by or claiming to be derived from the various pagan beliefs of pre-modern Europe...
.
Professional biography
Dawn M. Atkins, MA, Anthropology, (born February 13, 1962) has written dozens of published non-fiction works in journalism and anthropology and is the editor/author of three non-fiction books in sexuality studies – Looking Queer, Lesbian Sex Scandals, and Bisexual Women in the Twentieth Century.Atkins' first published poem was at age nine, first award for writing at age eleven, first paid publication at age twelve and first fiction published at age fifteen. As a teenager, Atkins was a student journalist who won awards as a writer and editor of both the school newspaper and literary journal.
Before even finishing high school, Atkins also began Shadows Of..., a science fiction and fantasy magazine which ran from 1979–1982, and helped launch the careers of a number of authors and artists. In addition to demands of both these publications and school, Atkins worked part time at the local professional newspaper,The Moore Monitor (1980–1981). Work in all these areas earned Atkins a journalism scholarship to the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
. After starting OU, she also worked for The Norman Transcript
The Norman Transcript
The Norman Transcript is a daily newspaper published in Norman, Oklahoma, USA, covering Cleveland and McClain counties, in the southern suburbs of Oklahoma City. It is owned by Community Newspaper Holdings Inc....
(1981–1982).
In 1984, Atkins left school to accept a full time position as Managing Editor at Locus Magazine (The Magazine Of The Science Fiction & Fantasy Field). While there, Atkins redesigned the magazine and earned a Hugo Award
Hugo Award
The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...
(1985). Atkins left Locus and returned to college in 1986, completing Bachelor of Arts (double major) in Professional Writing and Anthropology from the University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Santa Cruz
The University of California, Santa Cruz, also known as UC Santa Cruz or UCSC, is a public, collegiate university; one of ten campuses in the University of California...
(1989), while also working part time as both a writing instructor at UCSC and a journalist with several local publications, including popular weekly newspaper, The Sun.
Atkins is the daughter of feminist activist, Mary E. Atkins, and with her mother had been a member of several activist organizations in both Oklahoma and California, including the National Organization for Women
National Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
. Atkins and her mother were part of a movement to raise awareness of body image issues such as appearance discrimination and eating disorders. In 1988, their work led to NOW officially recognizing the need to address body image issues.
Atkins activism on anti-discrimination led to several years as founder and chair (1989–1994) of a body image education organization, the Body Image Task Force. Atkins was responsible for all the BITF publications and workshops, speaking to the media and other operations. She was featured on such television programs as Larry King Live
Larry King Live
Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was CNN's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly....
and The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
. She gave lectures and workshops on body image at high schools, colleges, community organizations and other venues. Atkins was also one of the co-authors and primary organizers behind the Santa Cruz City Anti-Discrimination Ordinance (1992), which added "sexual orientation, gender, height, weight and physical appearance" to the protected categories and became a model for other anti-discrimination law in other cities.
In 1994, Atkins was accepted to the doctoral program in Anthropology at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
. Atkins completed a Masters in Anthropology in 1996. While studying at UI, Atkins also presented papers at conferences, taught classes, was assistant to the Director of Women's Studies, the editor of three books and contributing editor to several academic publications. Atkins was guest editor of special editions of the Journal of Lesbian Studies, Journal of Bisexuality
Journal of Bisexuality
The Journal of Bisexuality is a peer-reviewed academic journal published quarterly by the Taylor & Francis Group under the Routledge imprint...
and International Journal of Sexuality and Gender Studies
International Journal of Sexuality and Gender Studies
International Journal of Sexuality and Gender Studies was a peer-reviewed, scholarly journal. Prior to year 2000 this journal was published as the Journal of Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Identity. It ceased publication after the October, 2002 issue....
.
Atkins was working on a dissertation for the doctoral program when traumatic injury prevented completing the program. While recovering from the injury, Atkins spent several years as owner of on-line used and rare book store before returning to writing. Atkins' injury developed into a chronic pain disorder (fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a medical disorder characterized by chronic widespread pain and allodynia, a heightened and painful response to pressure. It is an example of a diagnosis of exclusion...
) which prohibited a return to anthropology or journalism. Fiction, a first love, became the new direction for Atkins' energy. Atkins writes fiction full time now, and has published several novels under pen names.