>On Tue, 17 Jun 1997, Anny Middon wrote:
>
>
>> On a broader scale, why did it take science fiction so long to embrace a
>>view
>> of the future in which women and men were equals?
>
Anny,
I'm not sure it did take very long. Top statement seems like a
very 'glass if half-empty' approach. If you look at it from the opposite
view, you can compare the SF world to society in general and say, 'you
know, proportionally speaking, it didn't take SF all that long.' I mean,
it took a while, but there are, I think, other literatures that still
adhere to traditional male/female behavioral models.
Myself, I, as I said, agree that it took a while, but it's here now
and we should enjoy it. Intellectually, though, I can see why one would
ask this: to understand. If I were to posit an 'intellectual' answer, I'd
point to society in general and say that, as SF is reflective of society
both good and ill (attitudes of society are reflected in SF and it is with
this view that one tempers the other view that SF is some sort of utopia
where people are terribly progressive and stuff), it makes sense that SF
had to wait until women either had enough interest in SF to write or were
encouraged/empowered enough (referring partially to Nalo's point). Or both
(interested and encouraged/empowered--and not necessarily by males).
Translation: because it took society this long.
-Sean
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