Rosie Boycott

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Rosel Marie Boycott (born 13 May 1951), better known as Rosie Boycott, is a British journalist and feminist. She was educated at Cheltenham Ladies' College and read mathematics at the University of Kent.

After working briefly for the radical magazine Friends in 1971,ibiblio: [Friends magazine: Rosie Boycott] Boycott was responsible, with Marsha Rowe, for founding the feminist magazine Spare Rib in 1971.

In 1973 she co-founded Virago Press, with Carmen Callil and Marsha Rowe, a publishing concern committed to women's writing; Calill had originated the idea the previous year.

From 1992-96, she was editor of the men's magazine Esquire.

Boycott was the first female editor of two national broadsheets, heading The Independent and its sister publication the Independent on Sunday (1996-98). While editing the Independent on Sunday in 1997, she campaigned for the decriminalisation of cannabis use by individuals,News briefs: [British Newspaper, the Independent on Sunday, Calls for Marijuana Decriminalization], earning her the nickname "Rizla Rosie"BBC News: [Boycott's climb to the top]. She addressed the Decriminalise Cannabis rally in London's Trafalgar Square on 28th March, 1998.[Rosie Boycott's speech in Trafalgar Square, 28 March 1998]

She was also editor of the Daily Express (May 1998 - January 2001), leaving when the newspaper was bought by Richard Desmond (responsible for various pornographic ventures).

Boycott has made several appearances on Newsnight Review and other cultural and current affairs programmes, where the fact that she is a recovering alcoholic has been discussed, and has also presented the BBC Radio 4 programme A Good Read. Boycott has sat on judging panels for literary contests, notably chairing the panel judging the 2001 Orange Prize for Fiction. She is also a media advisor for the Council of Europe.http://www.newstatesman.co.uk/nma2002judges.htm

In March 2002, she denounced the New Labour government as "more reminiscent of a dictatorship than a free healthy democratic system"BBC News: [Mowlam turns up heat on Blair], and announced her support for the Liberal Democrats. She is rumoured to be considering becoming a Parliamentary candidate.

Publications

• Batty Bloomers and Boycott: A Little Etymology of Eponymous Words, Peter Bedrick Books, 1983, ISBN 0911745122
• All For Love, Fontana Press, 1989, ISBN 0006176984
• A Nice Girl Like Me: A Story of the Seventies, 1988, ISBN 0330301039
• The fastest diet, London : Sphere, 1984. ISBN 0722119607

External links

• [Knight Ayton Management page]
• ["Sisterhood Revisited"], Open Democracy public meeting at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, March 7, 2002
• [Rosie Outlook] (Media Guardian)

Notes