Farah wrote:
>
> Whilst I am not challenging Scott's choice (I love the books) I *still*
> resent the increasing demand that we all be sexualised, and it is that
> I regret. Gender roles have opened up enormously, but we seem to
> have fallen into the trap that liberation equals sex.
>
I think the question of the sexualization of women in sf is interesting.
Of course women characters have been historically sexualized as objects of
male desire and exploitation in much hetero/sexist scifi. The metal
bikini stories we all know and hate.
Feminist sf, has followed the history of the feminist movement, it seems
to me, in terms of representing women's sexuality. In early works
sexuality was minimized, not important, except insofar as issues of
reproduction were concerned, particularly ideas about how to reproduce
without men. Some female characters, particularly in all female
societies, might have been portrayed as having loving companionships/
relationships with other women, generall the sexual part being downplayed.
(As the sexual part of lesbian relationships was downplayed by lesbian
feminists for a period). OR, more adventurous female characters, often in
heterosexual societies were largely desexualized.
In the last ten years feminists, and lesbians in a related but separate
debate, have paid more attention to female sexual desire and activity, and
attempted to integrate that into a vision of personal and political
liberation. Accordingly, more feminist writers address their female
characters sex lives, with men or with women.
I'm the first to agree that our society, including the lesbian and gay
comunity, is too obsessed with sex. Sex is not the most important thing
in life to me, not even close, and it's not even the most interesting.
But it is an important part of life. And my sexuality (including so much
more than just sex), particularly as a lesbian is an important part of my
life.
Desexualized female characters read to me as incomplete, and for the most
part, as closeted lesbians. Now, lesbian authors, such as Melissa Scott
and Nicola Griffith, are bringing those characters out! Their women
characters are not obsessed with sex, but are definitely explicitly
sexual, and lesbian.
I'd be interested to know, Farah, Joel or anyone else, what you feel is
lost with decreasing numbers of 'desexualized' female characters?
Robin
*************************
Dip me in honey and throw
me to the lesbians.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu May 25 2000 - 19:06:17 PDT