Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 (USS@Tek, v1.1) based on 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site teklds.UUCP Path: utzoo!lsuc!pesnta!pyramid!hplabs!tektronix!teklds!hankb From: hankb@teklds.UUCP (Hank Buurman) Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers,net.women Subject: Women in sf/fantasy summary Message-ID: <1660@teklds.UUCP> Date: Thu, 20-Feb-86 01:03:57 EST Article-I.D.: teklds.1660 Posted: Thu Feb 20 01:03:57 1986 Date-Received: Fri, 21-Feb-86 02:57:41 EST Reply-To: hankb@teklds.UUCP (Hank Buurman) Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton, OR. Lines: 124 Keywords: Part 1 Xref: lsuc net.sf-lovers:6064 net.women:4325 Well, it was a long time coming, but here is the summary of responses to my posting on female sexuality in sf/fantasy. The responses were not numerous (25), but were extremely interesting in that a lot of them were from some of the most thoughtful net posters. They also exhibited a wide geographical origin: United Kingdom, Sweden, El Salvador, Australia, and of course, the United States. As no one requested anonymity, I've included login names with quotes. CAUTION, I found out you can't infer gender by login handle. Several contributers revealed their sexual orientation, but I feel it would be a violation of net ethics to do that in this summary, so I've tried to keep that confidential. I've also limited the quotes to the first three questions. Questions 4-7 were sort of ho-hum to the responders and by and large a matter of indifference. So in the interest of brevity, I'll assume the same attitude. Also, due to length, I'm going to post the responses in three seperate postings. Thanks to all for some interesting correspondence. Enjoy. I did. >>Subject: Women in sf/fantasy >>Keywords: The new sexuality? >> There has been a great deal of discussion/debate in this group, >>and others about feminist Science Fiction writers, and strong female >>protaganists created by authors of either gender. As I find the whole >>subject of human sexuality fascinating, I have followed the discussion >>and read many of the authors mentioned such as Russ, Bradley, Lynn, etc. >>I must say that I have enjoyed each of their works very much. >>But it seems that a euphemism for "strong female protaganist" in their >>works, and in the various postings, is "Lesbian Protaganist" or >>"Bisexual Protaganist". >> OK. That doesn't bother me because some of the most interesting >>and intelligent women I have known in my life have been lesbian, or bi. >>I personally feel that a women's sexual preferences are part of her psyche, >>and immaterial (unless she's a sexual partner of mine) to our rapport. >>However, I seem to be finding women in science fiction more and more >>(also in general fiction) who are bi/gay. And sometimes unexpectedly by >>non-feminist writers. This gives one pause, and I would like to pose >>some questions to the readers of this group(s). >> >>1. Is this perceived by the majority as the future of female sexuality? >>2. Is this merely a reflection of todays "Bisexual Chic"? >>3. Can a female protaganist be physically/mentally superior to men >>without being bi/gay? >>4. Would you, as a reader, prefer your heroines be gay? Bi? Straight? >>5. Would you, as an author, prefer your heroines be gay? Bi? Straight? >>6. Would you prefer male heros to be gay? Bi? Straight? >>7. Will you continue to read novels about bi/gay female protaganists >>even when plainly detailed on the cover? >>If this topic interests you, answer by e-mail and I will summarize >>to the group(s) in about three or four weeks. **Is this [bisexuality] perceived as the future of female sexuality?** decvax!frog!wjr "Well, I wish I could see bisexuality as the general future,.... ...That is, bisexuality is, to me, normal in a way that heterosexuality/homosexuality isn't. I don't care whether a person is concave or convex, just whether SHe's good people. I wish I could believe that would someday become the norm, but I don't see it happening this week...." quint@caip(amqueue) "I do not know if one can even use the term `future of sexuality'. It seems an excessively artificial concept"..... ...."I dont think one can talk about the future of sexuality except in terms of the future of one individual's sexuality. It seems to me to be the next part of society to need a `breakthrough' in ideas and the freedom to talk about such things." ellen@reed "....The vast majority of the world is still quite homophobic; even if you are talking only about the US this is true. I hope it becomes a more accepted option, but at the moment I do not perceive it to be an inevitable progression for all women, only for certain individuals." Mary_Couse.osbunorth@caip "I don't think so. I believe that women probably have an easier time being bi- than men do, but most of the women I've known who call themselves bi have a much stronger leaning towards being gay." ccrdave@vega "I don't like any bi/gay stuff. I prefer logical, intelligent characters of all races, colors, planets of origon, etc., but I just don't like `that sick stuff.' I think a woman can be intelligent and straight. Just work at it." chuck@purdue "No. I think lesbians (and gay men) are appearing more in literature simply because they are becoming more visible in our society. Homosexuality is no longer something which simply isn't mentioned in `polite society,' as it once was. Changes such as this in society are noticed by authors and become part of those authors' works. Personally, I do not expect society to accept lesbianism or bisexuality as `THE' female sexuality (at least not in the foreseeable future). Whether the authors beleive that this is `the future of female sexuality' or not I can't say." davidl@teklds "I doubt it. I think it's just a quick way for an author to label a female character as `not just an old-fashioned girl'". kay@warwick "Not necessarily. However, I imagine (and hope) that it will become increasingly easy for women (and men) to live happily with a non-hetero sexuality." flory@zaphod "I, for one, think it is the future of *human* sexuality." continued Hank Buurman ihnp4!tektronix!tekla!hankb ================================================= "I'm not in the business....I am the business." -- Rachel, Nexus6 Replicant, Experimental =================================================