The question of whether "hard sf" can be feminist, or is it oxymoronic,
all depends on what you mean by "hard sf", of course. Everything is a
question of language. If you mean highly technological sf, then there are
some feminist hard sf around. In addition to Nicola's Slow River
(congrats on the award Nicola), I would also recommend Melissa Scott's
Trouble and Her Friends. One of the things I love about Trouble is
Scott's resistance to the usual isolated individualism in most
high-tech-future or cyberpunk sf. In Trouble collective identities and
social bonding around identities still exist.
Bonedance by Emma Bull is another favourite. Never have I been so
uncertain as to a central character's sex or sexuality, it is extremely
well crafted.
Joan Vinge's Catspaw would certainly also qualify.
Two other series by women come to mind, The Revolution's Shore trilogy by
Alis A. Rasmussen, and Wilhelmina Baird's trilogy including Psykosis.
Whether I would consider these feminst works I'm not sure.
Enjoying the list as always,
Robin Gordon
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"I am the wall with the womanly swagger."
Judy Grahn
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