The upcoming carnival on October 18 is No 25, and on a twice-monthly schedule, that means that it the first anniversary edition. It was one year ago (give or take a few days) that I started the carnival, and I thought it was reasonable enough to host my second one on this anniversary.

It will be the first repeat of host – testimony to the delightful enthusiasm with which the carnival has been embraced. For that I can only say an enormous thank you to everyone has hosted – and everyone who has nominated, commented and otherwise participated.

I’ve tried to organise the carnivals with a very light hand – because I think the great value of blog carnivals is the different angles and approaches that each host brings to each carnival; otherwise they are likely to become rather monotonous, covering the same ground among the same clique. (This is one reason why I haven’t – although it has been suggested – started an email list reminding previous contributors about each submission deadline.)

There have been a few controversies and rows – perhaps inevitably – but not nearly so many as I had feared. We sometimes get worried about the tendency of the feminist blogosphere, as with feminists more broadly, to get caught up in internal arguments, but experience of the carnival suggests healthy conversation and debate is entirely possible, and indeed the norm.

I’ve got a few regrets – I’d love to see an African blogger volunteer to host a carnival (or indeed a South American – those are the two main parts of the world we haven’t visited); I sometimes think I should do more promotion work, but struggle to find the time – but not many overall.

Carnival No 25 will have one special theme, which seems appropriate, – “feminist blogging”. You might care to reflect on your experience with the carnival (in any role, from reader to host), or more broadly on what feminist blogging can, or can’t achieve, or what it has meant to you.

BUT nominations on any other feminist subject are also highly welcome.

As ever – please help to spread the word about this!

Work commitments mean it may be late on Wednesday night before I can post the carnival, so I’ll be leaving nominations open until Tuesday night. But that doesn’t mean you HAVE to leave it to the last minute…. Please email me on natalieben AT gmail DOT com, or use the Blog Carnival nomination form.

Thanks!

Break out the streamers – the Carnival of Feminists No 24 is now up on F-Words. As you might have expected, there’s a great round-up of views on the now-hot niqab/burqa debate, a collection of responses to the meme “what has feminism done for me?”, and lots, lots more. Sara has done a great job. But don’t waste time here – go over there and check it out!