<< We've got, sort of, definitions of feminism. Great. Anybody want
to define, succinctly, postfeminism and throw out a grenade or two on how
that'd relate to SF?
In her book, Feminism and Science Fiction, Sarah Lefanu (1989) notes that
Some writers take upon themselves, and bestow upon their female
characters the mantle of authority that until now had been reserved for
heroes and their male authors. Some might call this "post-feminism"--we
can all be heroes now--but I would not. (p. 87)
Lefanu does not offer a new label for these heroes, and perhaps labels are not
necessary. However, I find that feminist heros often have that authority but
use it in non-violent or cooperative ways. Those heros that use a more
traditional heroic approach, say using brute strength to save someone, seem to
me to be liberal feminist, not post-feminist.
Emilie
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