_The Gate to Women's Country_ thread seems to have run its course, but I'd
like to talk a little about heroism in the book. I've been looking at
heroism in feminist sf a lot lately, and I can't figure out what is heroic
about Stavia, who, after all, is Tepper's protagonist. Even when I strech
the traditional concept of heroism to include more than typical "male"
heroism, I can't see Stavia as particularly heroic. She doesn't do much in
the book except tell the story of her life in Women's Country. I can argue
that as a doctor Stavia behaves heroically. Stavia gives Chastity birth
control even though Stavia could get in big trouble for doing so, and Stavia
offers to come back to that distopian community (can't find the name) with
birth control for all the women. But that's about as far as Stavia's heroism
reaches. She, in fact, ends up getting rescued from the dystopian
community--by men, of course!
Perhaps Stavia isn't supposed to be a hero or is some sort of anti-hero.
Maybe the group of women who run Women's Country can be considered a group
hero. Any thoughts?
Joanna
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