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IN THIS ISSUE by Takács Bogi Continuity Imperative by Sonya Taaffe The Firebird’s Revenge by Rich Mark by Timmel L. Duchamp Celebrating Guin K. Le Ursula Tiptree Jr. Symposium: James The Second Annual by Anya DeNiro present emotional weight After theElection: Anever- by Simone Zelitch Judenstaat Patrick Sharp B. edited by Lisa Yaszek and Women of Science Fiction Sisters of Tomorrow: First The by Padmanabhan Manjula IslandThe of Lost Girls by Alexis Pauline Gumbs Feminist Fugitivity Spill: Scenes of Black by Cordelia Fine Sex, Science, Society and Testosterone Rex: Myths of Before Helicopter-Heads Arrived F B e atured ook Janet Essley E P ssays R o ems e A vi r e ws tist

$5.00 WilhamKath Arts Editor TimmelL. Duchamp Features Editor Nisi Shawl Reviews Editor Arrate Hidalgo Managing Editor In This Issue Cover banner collagraph of theCascadia subduction zone byMarilyn Liden Bode Electronic singleissue:$3 $10 peryear Electronic Subscription(PDF format): Print singleissue:$5 Print subscription:$16/yr; www.thecsz.com Subscriptions andsingleissuesonlineat: Testosterone Rex: Myths of Sex, Science, Society and Spill: Scenes of Black Feminist Fugitivity by Alexis Pauline Gumbs Sisters of Tomorrow: First The Women of Science Fiction After Election: the Anever-present emotional weight The Second AnnualThe James Tiptree Jr. Symposium: The IslandThe of Lost Girls by Manjula Padmanabhan edited by Lisa Yaszek Patrick and Sharp, B. with aConclusion by Kathleen AnnGoonan reviewed by Nancy Moore Jane reviewed by Maria Velazquez reviewed by Steven Shaviro reviewed by Rixon Joanne

reviewed by Takács Bogi Before Helicopter-Heads Arrived by L. Timmelby L. Duchamp Celebrating Guin Le Ursula K. Judenstaat V by Takács Bogi by Sonya Taaffe by Anya DeNiro The Firebird’sThe Revenge by Mark Rich Continuity Imperative Janet Essley ol F B e . 7N

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Social Security. Of Of Security. Social and Medicare, ACA, as protagonists. as

with young trans women women trans young with particularly hiding the desires to gut the the gut to desires the hiding particularly

writing young adult novels novels adult young writing publican Congress, for example, isn’t isn’t example, for Congress, publican

elsewhere. She is currently currently is She elsewhere.

- Re The 2016. in traction gained has

, and and , Visions Persistent

the usual cavalcade of plutocrats that that plutocrats of cavalcade usual the

Story, One Teen Story, Story, Teen One Story,

this alliance of white nationalists and and nationalists white of alliance this

Strange Horizons, One One Horizons, Strange

to making this happen. happen. this making to

tainly had its intentions laid bare with with bare laid intentions its had tainly

Asimov’s, Asimov’s, in appeared has

cis, who are committed committed are who cis, and trans writers,

- cer has capitalism of skein global our

Minnesota. Her work work Her Minnesota.

tem of readers, reviewers, publishers, and and publishers, reviewers, readers, of tem

, and and , revealing a also is it — of destruction of is a writer who lives in in lives who writer a is

- ecosys an requires all This them. need

An apocalypse is not just a moment moment a just not is apocalypse An Anya Johanna DeNiro DeNiro Johanna Anya

to be actually found by the readers who who readers the by found actually be to

nections are coherent in their own right. right. own their in coherent are nections

need to be distributed, and they need need they and distributed, be to need

- con these that sure make moreover, and

these lifelines need to be written, they they written, be to need lifelines these

to make connections in a variety of ways; ways; of variety a in connections make to

fraught with violence against them. So So them. against violence with fraught

skills skills writing and thinking critical these

situations that might feel hopeless and and hopeless feel might that situations

way around the globe. We need to use use to need We globe. the around way

lines for trans and non-binary people in in people non-binary and trans for lines intentions laid bare.… laid intentions

- half cause common make can we whom

stories, then stories, - life potential are these —

has certainly had its its had certainly has

our neighborhoods, and for people with with people for and neighborhoods, our

happen here as well. These aren’t just just aren’t These well. as here happen global skein of capitalism capitalism of skein global

to our most vulnerable populations in in populations vulnerable most our to

is also a revealing, and our our and revealing, a also is the last few years to realize that it can can it that realize to years few last the

sorely needed as we tend to ourselves, ourselves, to tend we as needed sorely

it it — destruction of moment gins and shadows) in Putin’s Russia in in Russia Putin’s in shadows) and gins

and this adeptness is a skill that will be be will that skill a is adeptness this and

An apocalypse is not just a a just not is apocalypse An - mar the in thrives amazingly, still, it

the macro to the micro very quickly, quickly, very micro the to macro the

has been brutally suppressed (though (though suppressed brutally been has

is telescoping historical moments from from moments historical telescoping is

has to see how quickly LGBT culture culture LGBT quickly how see to has

that speculative fiction is really good at at good really is fiction speculative that

lations appear as subhuman. One only only One subhuman. as appear lations

of mindfulness and activism. One thing thing One activism. and mindfulness of

- popu nonbinary and transgender make

daily practices, different constellations constellations different practices, daily

of basic rights and fear mongering, all to to all mongering, fear and rights basic of

1 answers. All I really have are processes, processes, are have really I All answers.

the brunt of this) for legislative rollbacks rollbacks legislative for this) of brunt the

I certainly don’t have any easy or pat pat or easy any have don’t certainly I

trans people of color are going to bear bear to going are color of people trans

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what’s happening to us now? now? us to happening what’s

people are an easy target (and as usual, usual, as (and target easy an are people

rent events, then how do we read through through read we do how then events, rent pen in the age of Trump is stark. Trans Trans stark. is Trump of age the in pen

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unfold around us. If speculative fiction is, is, fiction speculative If us. around unfold that actually resemble the contours of of contours the resemble actually that

difficulty sleeping from the events that that events the from sleeping difficulty audience that is desperate for stories stories for desperate is that audience

friends and peers reporting anxiety and and anxiety reporting peers and friends ers to reach a full, healthy audience healthy full, a reach to ers an an —

— — al weight of this Trumpian moment Trumpian this of weight al - writ trans for lifting heavy the doing

- emotion ever-present the is noticed I’ve meaning). This means finding room and and room finding means This meaning).

matter how many times it’s said. What What said. it’s times many how matter spectacle for cis readers, however well- however readers, cis for spectacle

saying this. But it’s a difficult moment no no moment difficult a it’s But this. saying trans and non-binary people (not just as as just (not people non-binary and trans

I don’t think there’s anything new in in new anything there’s think don’t I of published stories out there there out stories published of other other for

novel gone off the rails. rails. the off gone novel and author, I’m acutely aware of the lack lack the of aware acutely I’m author, and

is like something from a science fiction fiction science a from something like is More specifically, as a trans woman woman trans a as specifically, More

needed.… “feel” and texture of our current moment moment current our of texture and “feel” brutality already. already. brutality

skill that will be sorely sorely be will that skill about to come with a clear head. The The head. clear a with come to about and voices who have reckoned with this this with reckoned have who voices and

and this adeptness is a a is adeptness this and

solutions that assesses the chaos that is is that chaos the assesses that solutions read extremely closely extremely read those stories stories those —

to the micro very quickly, quickly, very micro the to

made, and (2) craft forward-looking forward-looking craft (2) and made, and and — ongoing, and we need to honor to need we and ongoing,

moments from the macro macro the from moments

protect the progress we have already already have we progress the protect of time. The revelation has always been been always has revelation The time. of

is telescoping historical historical telescoping is

from there, how to both (1) nurture and and nurture (1) both to how there, from the matter for an equally long amount amount long equally an for matter the

fiction is really good at at good really is fiction

the pike from a Trump regime. And And regime. Trump a from pike the color, have been speaking the truth of of truth the speaking been have color,

One thing that speculative speculative that thing One

figure out what might be coming down down coming be might what out figure for a long time, particularly people of of people particularly time, long a for

lative fiction author, I’ve been striving to to striving been I’ve author, fiction lative with these kleptocratic and racist forces forces racist and kleptocratic these with

- specu a and woman transgender a As course, people who have been battling battling been have who people course,

DeNiro Anya by y After the Election: An ever-present emotional weight emotional ever-present An Election: the After Before Helicopter-Heads Arrived Mark Rich

Before helicopter-heads arrived whatever pictures took shape we walked dull pavement, shared space in among the seeming disconnections. with slowed cars, and then made traffic I had read so many bold-font bold lies be our own, alone. Our feet that each newspage word claimed avenues and intersections reflected on my deadened eye, and their crumpled wrappers, wheel-scraped coins, not eye on word. Sweet soporifics and worn-short city grasses, green in cracks. wafted around sofa, bed, and desk. We spread ourselves as lightly as we could, Always, a plastic table-muse with bending knees beneath breasts heavy revived old tunes, to drone them dead again. with but single heart apiece When friends said, “Walk with us, from all that beat within and help us fill our city’s streets,” this many-hearted beast I humored them and their small gathering, that, salamandrine, had crawled forth this day. then found myself within a milling, For fire, some say gunfire, massing flow — and lost myself in thoughts had brought about its birth. that played between those round-about. To rhythms set by footfalls I floated like twig caught and turned murmurs passed between us, by stream-eddies. I woke to how sharing struggles taking in our undirected shiftings, back and forth the news. Soapboxers called out antidotes and to and fro, might alter scores to morning buzzbox toxins on tally sheets and balances in ledgers, that fat wallets paid even when such truths, or otherwise, to have sleek whitemasks kiss into our ears. behind high-rising steel and glass facades, H Long banners rippled soft percussion, had been filed in secrecy, at each breeze-touch. Hand-scrawled sealed with bureaucratic earwax, 2 placards flapped. Words stitched us and, in public, overlooked into this unlikely quilt in smiling ways by those who oversee. that crept with unexpected life. Our motions, if commencing in in-common thoughts, may write upon the world, A patchwork piece, I entered a space if only in ink shoe-scuffed onto black roads. where senses unmoored. A mist rose, While we learn from indecisive strayings, for a heartbeat. Just behind me when a moment coalesces I heard doors close — not that any forms our small, separated strengths loomed near save walking ones like mine. combine and concentrate. Yet in that passage, in that throng, And what abides, and can be called abiding? a girl appeared, as through a doorway, Only what coheres lone but seemingly unlonely. when all else falls apart. How she then acquired a parent These thoughts rose, as my child and I who had never had a child moved through this unchaotic non-confusion and never thought to have one, I cannot say. in which neither one felt cast adrift — When this child’s eyes and mine met, not she, not I. a binding strand stretched instantly, making me gasp as I grasped it When eyes lock into outward outlooks, like thing forgotten. Guarding against losing inward focusings, frays or holes within this shifting weave a frailty may arrive, like leaf on breeze — we intertwined our fingers. in manner unlike blow from fingers fisted on a matter Years had passed since I last that escaped us times before; pulled out childhood crayons in manner, rather, like a whisper

to draw lines between points carrying what fist might clench

pressing on the space I called my life, but tensed not quite with anger. and then to color in n

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Life and Works of a Science Science a of Works and Life

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dropped, we unresistingly where and

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rest to came fragments fleshy bruise-blued our

piles, twitching to Reduced

ground. to whirled chattel-prodding, at head, My

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ease at ill seemed pedestrians

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scatters pieces seeking places. seeking pieces scatters

flat ear one haze, red Through turned. now an old wholeness, cracking, wholeness, old an

helicopter-heads the flow, the within When a child creates a parent, a creates child a When

coalesced had who those Upon

and is in quiet. in is and

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somewhere float might leaf a though As fill might it that grows and stretches

to turn their gazes back within. back gazes their turn to

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that men, and, some say, women, too, look through look too, women, say, some and, men, that brushing-past the like much —

shields glass behind eyes burning with force a by moved if

stare down from nighttime skies, nighttime from down stare

Others forego such reliance, such forego Others

domes faceless their seen have all Yet in times when smaller souls impose on larger. on impose souls smaller when times in

Some streets may never hear their loud descent. loud their hear never may streets Some

stridency on rely Some y The Second Annual James Tiptree Jr. Symposium: Celebrating Ursula K. Le Guin by L. Timmel Duchamp

“Lesson from Ursula Le Guin: Lesbian Lecture Alexis Lothian was Sometimes if you don’t fit in the scheduled to give that afternoon at four. world, the world has to change.” Glum and grumpy, I posted the situation — Karen Joy Fowler to Facebook, and Alexis generously of- fered to send me a copy of her paper. This Despite its academic “Symposium,” like “conference,” is a setting, the University of dry word liable to conjure an image of call-and-response was a sign of what was Oregon Libraries’ second philosophers in suits lecturing one an- to follow. Tiptree Symposium from other, not Plato’s depiction of beauti- Although we missed Alexis’s lecture, beginning to end was all ful young males in short tunics lolling we arrived in time to have dinner with a about affect and ethos, on divans, sipping wine as they argue score of friends. No one mentioned the not high theory or the with Socrates about the meaning of election or speculated about life in the arcane intricacies of near future. As proved to be the case all literary criticism. Some goodness, beauty, and love. These days, it usually denotes a conference with a weekend, some of the hugs I shared were of that difference was long, silent communications. Perhaps due to the people present primary topic and a single track of pro- because the table was so long (and a few and the schedule of gramming everyone can attend. Despite programming, some of its academic setting, the University of people had to sit at an overflow table), it due to the unforeseen Oregon Libraries’ second Tiptree Sym- the conversation couldn’t be general and timing of the event. posium from beginning to end was all involved a lot of tête-à-têtes. I began the about affect and ethos, not high theory evening benumbed and dull, but extend- or the arcane intricacies of literary criti- ed conversation with Brian Attebery, cism. Some of that difference was due to seated beside me, woke me. I knew, then, H the people present and the schedule of that I would be “up” to the symposium, programming, some of it due to the un- no matter my feeling that a cold, heavy 4 foreseen timing of the event. boulder had taken up permanent resi- When Kath and I set out for Eu- dence in my belly. gene Thursday morning, car loaded with The next morning, as the UO Book- Aqueduct Press books, I — imagining a store set up their tables in Straub Hall, in funereal gathering of friends and associ- the lobby outside the auditorium where ates in pain — harbored a dull wish that the symposium would be held, I helped we were not committed to attend, while Kath and other Aqueductistas set up Kath — imagining the comfort and re- Aqueduct’s tables and occasionally not- newal to be had from being with friends ed and sometimes greeted arrivals, most and associates facing fear and struggle of whom made a beeline for the coffee with fierce determination — declared she urns arranged nearby. I’ve no idea what was looking forward to a convergence the actual attendance figure was (the No one mentioned the that could, she felt, be only energizing. auditorium being too large for our gath- election or speculated Shortly after we entered heavy I-5 traf- ering), but I think, contrary to my expec- about life in the near fic, we learned that the southbound lanes tations, that it was lower than last year’s. future. As proved to be ahead had been blocked for hours, and Since Aqueduct’s sales had plummeted the case all weekend, in mid-October, I had no idea whether some of the hugs I would be for hours more. No feasible shared were long, silent detour was possible. When we stopped we’d sell any of the books we’d brought. communications. at the rest area just short of the back- (We did. Including all the copies of Nisi up of traffic, we ran into Eileen Gunn, Shawl’s Everfair she’d brought for sale.) and I realized that many others driving The symposium’s organizers allowed down from Seattle were in the same dis- ample time for attendees to get coffee mal boat. Clearly, misery doesn’t always and circulate. The social atmosphere was love company, for it gave me no comfort much as I’d expected. Anya DeNiro’s

to discover that I would not be the only phrase (in her essay in this issue) charac-

one to miss the Sally Miller Gearhart terizes it perfectly, heavy, as it was, with n

n

ment that allows some of us, who are are who us, of some allows that ment with this stuff. I can try to do that.’” that.’” do to try can I stuff. this with

Cont. on p. 6 p. on Cont.

- ele safety a “There’s Karen: triumphs.” sfnal world. ‘Oh, that’s what you can do do can you what that’s ‘Oh, world. sfnal

hero who single-handedly survives and and survives single-handedly who hero tional), stories about communities in an an in communities about stories tional),

flip side is the sf novel with a unique unique a with novel sf the is side flip - explora or imperial, mechanical, not are

to support you, it’s easier.” Vonda: “The “The Vonda: easier.” it’s you, support to ent kind of fiction (sf about things that that things about (sf fiction of kind ent

one asked. Debbie: “If you have others others have you “If Debbie: asked. one - differ a for there out readership actual

tion between community and freedom?” freedom?” and community between tion mainstream success told me there was an an was there me told success mainstream

- connec the is “What too. panel, this in was a bombshell for me. Its Its me. for bombshell a was Darkness of

Members of the audience participated participated audience the of Members The Left Hand Hand Left The “ , remarked Suzy fiction.

to change and reconsider.” and change to encounters with Ursula and with Ursula’s Ursula’s with and Ursula with encounters

things. It gives one freedom, as a writer, writer, a as freedom, one gives It things. Each panelist talked about their first first their about talked panelist Each

reading her is seeing how she’s rethought rethought she’s how seeing is her reading how to write women,” Julie observed. observed. Julie women,” write to how

her earlier books. “The great pleasure of of pleasure great “The books. earlier her sula K. Le Guin has done is think about about think is done has Guin Le K. sula reconsider.”

another, her later books reconsidering reconsidering books later her another, - Ur things important most the of “One a writer, to change and and change to writer, a

sula’s books are in conversation with one one with conversation in are books sula’s It gives one freedom, as as freedom, one gives It did indeed “figure out how to do that.” that.” do to how out “figure indeed did

she’s rethought things. things. rethought she’s - Ur how and conversation, in is sf how that.” And of course, as we know, Ursula Ursula know, we as course, of And that.”

reading her is seeing how how seeing is her reading tives of aging.” Karen said that she loves loves she that said Karen aging.” of tives that she had to “figure out how to do do to how out “figure to had she that

“The great pleasure of of pleasure great “The - perspec on focusing job spectacular a said, replied that she didn’t know how, how, know didn’t she that replied said,

Planet of Geriatrica.” “Ursula has done done has “Ursula Geriatrica.” of Planet write much about women. Ursula, Julie Julie Ursula, women. about much write

at WisCon 20, titled “Report from the the from “Report titled 20, WisCon at class she asked Ursula why she didn’t didn’t she why Ursula asked she class

to recall Ursula’s Guest of Honor Speech Speech Honor of Guest Ursula’s recall to ago, when Ursula talked to her college college her to talked Ursula when ago,

protagonist.” Which prompted Debbie Debbie prompted Which protagonist.” lated an anecdote about how, decades decades how, about anecdote an lated

story I read with an elderly woman as the the as woman elderly an with read I story - re Julie Gloss. Molly and McIntyre, N.

fore the Revolution’ is probably the first first the probably is Revolution’ the fore McKee Charnas, Debbie Notkin, Vonda Vonda Notkin, Debbie Charnas, McKee

- be Day “‘The recalled: Molly yourself.” tured panelists Karen Joy Fowler, Suzy Suzy Fowler, Joy Karen panelists tured

seeing.” Julie: “But you can’t do that by by that do can’t you “But Julie: seeing.” - fea Phillips, Julie by moderated tion,” 5

lens so that you can see what others aren’t aren’t others what see can you that so lens - Fic Science Feminist of Field the and

Suzy: “You have to take control of the the of control take to have “You Suzy: i The first panel, “Ursula K. Le Guin Guin Le K. “Ursula panel, first The

ally, the poem is by Marilyn Hacker.) Hacker.) Marilyn by is poem the ally, the programming. programming. the

- (Actu women.” at look to learning about the first day, but did not participate in in participate not did but day, first the

1978) opens with a poem by Marge Piercy Piercy Marge by poem a with opens 1978) Le Guin was present in the audience for for audience the in present was Guin Le

(ed. Virginia Kidd, Kidd, Virginia (ed. Women Millennial “ da Long for organizing the event. Ursula Ursula event. the organizing for Long da

was incredibly important.’” Debbie: Debbie: important.’” incredibly was us - Lin thanked who Stabile, Carol by tion

The The us. to doing been you have ‘What it. - introduc an with off kicked symposium

of armor and then realizing I didn’t need need didn’t I realizing then and armor of The The ). tor.com/author/brian-attebery/

“It was all about getting out of that suit suit that of out getting about all was “It http://www. ( Tor.com at online available

women characters to work from. Suzy: Suzy: from. work to characters women address, has already made his paper paper his made already has address,

write. She had wonderful models of of models wonderful had She write. Attebery, who gave the closing keynote keynote closing the gave who Attebery,

worldview preceded her beginning to to beginning her preceded worldview first Tiptree Symposium), and Brian Brian and Symposium), Tiptree first

feminism and its rearrangement of her her of rearrangement its and feminism podcasts of them (as they did with the the with did they (as them of podcasts

western where a woman was the hero; hero; the was woman a where western detail; the University will likely provide provide likely will University the detail;

women,” Julie observed. observed. Julie women,”

a a — to write the novel she wanted to read to wanted she novel the write to

scribe all the panels and talks in extensive extensive in talks and panels the all scribe think about how to write write to how about think

(in the 1980s) because she wanted wanted she because 1980s) the (in Creek panelists and speakers said, I won’t de won’t I said, speakers and panelists - K. Le Guin has done is is done has Guin Le K.

commented that she wrote wrote she that commented The Jump-off Jump-off The Though I will note a few of the things things the of few a note will I Though important things Ursula Ursula things important

ized what had been done to her. Molly Molly her. to done been had what ized tioned the election. election. the tioned “One of the most most the of “One

a period of intense fury when she real she when fury intense of period a - home. Again, no one explicitly men explicitly one no Again, home. -

as sf.” Vonda said that she went through through went she that said Vonda sf.” as to immediately board another plane plane another board immediately to

was a problem in literary fiction as well well as fiction literary in problem a was that morning had had the powerful urge urge powerful the had had morning that

lack of real women characters in books books in characters women real of lack disembarking from the plane in Eugene Eugene in plane the from disembarking

ries about women.” Karen added: “The “The added: Karen women.” about ries armed into coming by their spouse and, and, spouse their by coming into armed

where there was a huge potential for sto for potential huge a was there where - and said, simply, that they’d been strong- been they’d that simply, said, and

but that “sf was this place place this was “sf that but — could not summon up a smile for me me for smile a up summon not could real women real

our very exhalations. One old friend friend old One exhalations. very our enties sf writers found it difficult to write write to difficult it found writers sf enties

“the ever-present emotional weight” in in weight” emotional ever-present “the - sev and sixties the in that noted Julie James Tiptree Jr. less brave, to go forward.” Suzy: “Susan each. To paraphrase Karen’s passion- Symposium Wood made the crucial act at WorldCon ate reflections: Second-wave fem­inism of saying that women have things to say (cont. from p. 5) was profoundly revolutionary, directed to one another.” Harder questions from at overturning everything, completely the audience: “Please talk about how incompatible with capitalism and impe- and why so many people were excluded rialism, which it knew would end. Ev- in the ’70s and ’80s from the feminist sf erything would be different, from the community; also why were feminist sf family outward. Reading Ursula was a spaces so white?” The responses to these powerful part of that whole opening of were pained and halting. Another person my mind. Ursula’s work gave me a sense asked about the distinction between fan- of a larger reality — making me feel the Harder questions from the tasy and sf and their gendering. My final careful thinking that went into creating a audience: “Please talk notes for the panel record Molly saying about how and why so larger reality. I want there to be moments “I’ve written my last novel — I don’t have many people were excluded in my fiction in which the world itself is in the ’70s and ’80s from anything left to say through fiction,” and speaking for itself. the feminist sf community; Karen saying that she will keep writing Karen went quickly from Ursula’s also why were feminist for as long as it’s fun. work to that of other women writing sf spaces so white?” The The symposium broke for lunch, fol- sf — Vonda N. McIntyre, Joanna Russ, responses to these were lowed by book signings, and resumed at Kate Wilhelm, Suzy McKee Charnas — pained and halting. two with a panel of Edmond Chang’s inspired by their brilliance. She read Ur- students discussing The Word for World Is sula backwards, starting from Left Hand. Forest, moderated by Philip Scher. I was “I could see her coming to the same issue particularly interested in their discussion I’d come to in a parallel development. of passages in the novel illuminating the All of that was fundamental to me. I no- issue of whether the discourse of science ticed what a useful tool sf was for ask- has the potential to be used for empathy ing questions.” Karen first met Ursula at H as well as for objectification. UC Davis — at Ursula’s request. “I don’t At 3:30, Pat Murphy introduced Kar- think I’ve ever been happier than I was 6 en Joy Fowler, who delivered “Ursula Le that day.” She was completely charmed Guin and the Larger Reality,” a key- by Ursula. “We did not talk about sales, note talk. If one wanted a subtitle for publishers, etc. [as other writers she had this talk, it might be “Ursula Le Guin’s Influence on the Work and Thought of met did almost exclusively]. I was much Karen Joy Fowler.” Since I find the work reassured that Ursula was a successful and thought of Karen Joy Fowler deeply writer whose children weren’t suffering fascinating, the subject of Ursula’s influ- because of it.” ence on them can only be absorbing and The next part of Karen’s talk related Ursula notices where she irresistible. “The idea of a larger reality “things I think I know about Ursula” and is. She’s very alive to the is something I take from Ursula,” Karen “some of the things in her work that I’m natural world. She has a declared. She amplified: “I love Ursula thinking about now.” Karen talked about thoughtful relationship Le Guin’s insistence on the imagination Ursula’s enormous courage and great en- with animals. She talks and the need to include it in the larger re- thusiasms, and her strong opinions. She to birds; birds talk back observed that although she sometimes to her. ality of our lives.” Le Guin is inextricably bound up with who Karen is. “I wouldn’t likes books Ursula doesn’t, she knows be the same person I am if I had not that if Ursula likes a book, she will too. read Ursula’s work.” In the 1970s Karen Ursula is witty and has a lively mind. “A was an anti-war activist and a student of lot of her wit is language-based.” Ursula political science in area studies; she read is a very noticing person. Ursula notices political philosophy to find a grand the- where she is. She’s very alive to the natu- ory to explain the world. Into that mix ral world. She has a thoughtful relation- came second-wave feminism. She noted ship with animals. She talks to birds; that she shares with Ursula the privilege birds talk back to her. She is a great am-

of being the daughter of an academic bassador for fantasy and science fiction.

father, such that much was expected of And Karen has learned from Ursula, n

n

magical intersection moved me to tears. tears. to me moved intersection magical - gen a into parents force institutions

Cont. on p. 8 p. on Cont.

fforts, societal societal fforts, ­ e and attitudes individual fested decades later; more than once that that once than more later; decades fested

child together, was that regardless of one’s one’s of regardless that was together, child - mani reality a and speculation tional

labor. What they learned, when having a a having when learned, they What labor. - fic between intersection magical that

there would be no gendered division of of division gendered no be would there than once thrilled me with a sense of of sense a with me thrilled once than

He and his partner, both trans, assumed assumed trans, both partner, his and He and Tuesday Smillie, a panel that more more that panel a Smillie, Tuesday and

(after Joanna Russ’s novel), two years ago. ago. years two novel), Russ’s Joanna (after panelists Aren Aizura, micha cárdenas, cárdenas, micha Aizura, Aren panelists

birth to a daughter, named Kittatinny Kittatinny named daughter, a to birth ,” featuring featuring ,” Darkness of Hand Left The and

been on testosterone for 12 years, he gave gave he years, 12 for testosterone on been by Alexis Lothian, “Speculative Gender Gender “Speculative Lothian, Alexis by

Aren Aizura noted that although he’d he’d although that noted Aizura Aren The day opened with a panel moderated moderated panel a with opened day The

gendered division of labor. labor. of division gendered

as a model for radical progress. progress. radical for model a as what Kath had been expecting all along. along. all expecting been had Kath what

force parents into a a into parents force

a collective process. We look to Le Guin Guin Le to look We process. collective a

emotional, and energizing: that is to say, say, to is that energizing: and emotional, efforts, societal institutions institutions societal efforts,

made, and concluded: World-building is is World-building concluded: and made, reflective, the second day was powerful, powerful, was day second the reflective, individual attitudes and and attitudes individual

sitions, showed slides of collages she had had she collages of slides showed sitions, day tended to be retrospective, sober, and and sober, retrospective, be to tended day was that regardless of one’s one’s of regardless that was

- po political shifting of trajectory Guin’s having a child together, together, child a having Saturday, was something else. If the first first the If else. something was Saturday,

Tuesday expressed deep interest in Le Le in interest deep expressed Tuesday What they learned, when when learned, they What The second day of the symposium, symposium, the of day second The

gendered division of labor. labor. of division gendered but never addressed the biological binary. binary. biological the addressed never but

adrienne maree brown maree adrienne —

assumed there would be no no be would there assumed

(most notably the vexed usage of “he”) “he”) of usage vexed the notably (most

experimenting.” enough do

partner, both trans, trans, both partner,

Guin addressed some of these problems problems these of some addressed Guin

Experimenting is crucial is Experimenting we don’t don’t we —

Aren Aizura…and his his Aizura…and Aren

Gender Necessary? Redux” (1976), Le Le (1976), Redux” Necessary? Gender

emergent. is right is “What

the gender-neutral pronoun. Later, in “Is “Is in Later, pronoun. gender-neutral the

is is “he” that insist to continued she though

hosted a party. party. a hosted

ative with the structures of government, government, of structures the with ative

that evening, the Tiptree Motherboard Motherboard Tiptree the evening, that

- cre more been have could she that sion

and manuscript pages under glass. Later Later glass. under pages manuscript and

- conces Guin’s Le in resulting problems,

its displaying Ursula’s drawings, letters, letters, drawings, Ursula’s displaying its

criticized the first and fourth of these these of fourth and first the criticized 7

- exhib special the and d’oeuvres hors

e feminists at the time time the at feminists e ­ -wav second that

held. There attendees feasted on yummy yummy on feasted attendees There held.

ment institutions. Tuesday noted that that noted Tuesday institutions. ment i

Reading Room, where a reception was was reception a where Room, Reading

- govern and societal uncreative tive,

moved to the Knight Library’s Paulson Paulson Library’s Knight the to moved

- unimagina its and heternormativity,

The symposium then then symposium The Guin. Le K. sula (sex) binary rather than a spectrum, its its spectrum, a than rather binary (sex)

- Ur of Worlds of trailer inspiring lizing, neutral, its assumption of a biological biological a of assumption its neutral,

- tanta a by followed was talk Karen’s its use of “he” as gender- as “he” of use its — of the novel the of

tance ( Jan. 15, 2017). 2017). 15, Jan. ( tance noted some of the problematic aspects aspects problematic the of some noted

- Resis of Day Cruz’s Santa at it from which would be simply human.” She She human.” simply be would which

” She plans to read read to plans She ” Planes. Changing is eliminated gender to see what was left, left, was what see to gender eliminated

“The book of Ursula’s I reread the most most the reread I Ursula’s of book “The feminist text and quoted Le Guin: “I “I Guin: Le quoted and text feminist

Karen’s talk concluded with this: this: with concluded talk Karen’s

as a proto-trans proto-trans a as Hand Left claiming by present. present.

not irritatingly present. present. irritatingly not tive slides of collages. Tuesday began began Tuesday collages. of slides tive dead and not irritatingly irritatingly not and dead

that all the first-wavers were dead and and dead were first-wavers the all that all the first-wavers were were first-wavers the all - evoca by accompanied was read she

so respectful of “first-wave” feminists is is feminists “first-wave” of respectful so wave” feminists is that that is feminists wave” can’t really be described, since the paper paper the since described, be really can’t

were so respectful of “first- of respectful so were reason “second-wave” feminists were were feminists “second-wave” reason sented first. The entire effect of her talk talk her of effect entire The first. sented

“second-wave” feminists feminists “second-wave”

us. Perhaps, Karen wryly observed, the the observed, wryly Karen Perhaps, us. and transnationality forthcoming, pre forthcoming, transnationality and -

observed, the reason reason the observed,

tors who’ve done interesting work before before work interesting done who’ve tors

artist, who has a book on transgender transgender on book a has who artist,

Perhaps, Karen wryly wryly Karen Perhaps,

- ances forgotten on calling writers nist Tuesday Smillie, a trans woman and and woman trans a Smillie, Tuesday

the male anxiety of influence with femi with influence of anxiety male the - society or community of today.” today.” of community or society

would be better for us. Ursula compares compares Ursula us. for better be would periment not a representation of trans trans of representation a not —

ing to create a way of telling stories that that stories telling of way a create to ing “It’s a thought ex thought a “It’s Darkness, of Hand Left -

- try fiction, of bag carrier Ursula’s about lent effect.) Alexis began by noting of of noting by began Alexis effect.) lent

tive,” Karen said. So she’s been thinking thinking been she’s So said. Karen tive,” favor of emphasis and clarity, to excel to clarity, and emphasis of favor -

- narra war the of power the about upset sacrificed some of her prepared text in in text prepared her of some sacrificed

“Ever since the Iraq war, I’ve been been I’ve war, Iraq the since “Ever they spoke so quickly; micha, I surmise, surmise, I micha, quickly; so spoke they

the world has to change.” change.” to has world the Alexis, Aren, and Tuesday said because because said Tuesday and Aren, Alexis,

(Unfortunately, I missed some of what what of some missed I (Unfortunately, “Sometimes if you don’t fit in the world, world, the in fit don’t you if “Sometimes James Tiptree Jr. dered division of labor. Aren reviewed a ness? It’s wrong, micha said, to say that Symposium few of the ways in which the pressure to transgender people are “new.” She noted accommodate the needs of the highest- that instances of sex reassignment sur- (cont. from p. 7) paying job in the couple resulted, in spite gery occurred in Germany in the 1930s; of all their strong, conscious intentions, in Berlin in 1931 Dora Richter became in creating a gendered division of labor the first known person to undergo vagi- between them. With this in mind, Aren noplasty. Other operations followed. Sex went back to look anew at Gethen, the hormone treatment in the US dates from presumably genderless society found 1948. Nevertheless, in 1973, a trans ac- in Left Hand of Darkness. He begins by tivist speaking at an LGBT event had to noting that on Gethen, everybody gets force her way onto the stage. Micha cited time off to have sex, “which is amazing.” Emi Koyama’s “Transfeminist Mani- But having sex itself isn’t mentioned festo” proposing transfeminism, and she Institutional structures much in the novel and is described in mentioned a couple of the trans women are all gendered, actively a heterosexual way. The work of caring who have long been active in sf, Rachel devaluing the work of is not devalued by Gethenians, while it Pollack and Jessica Amanda Salmonson. caring. The structural is by Genly-Ai. Genly-Ai doesn’t un- Although micha worries that Left Hand changes, Aren concluded, derstand Estraven’s altruism. Genly-Ai could contribute to the invisibility of ac- are up to us. sees Estraven as feminine, and Estraven tual transgender people, she praised Le sees Genly-Ai as masculine. In short, Guin as a visionary in a line of gender Aren argues, despite the lack of desig- theorists. “My own work resonates with nated gender, one can nevertheless see Aren’s discussion,” she said. “Doctors tell the operations of gender on Gethen. trans women that if you want babies, Throughout history particular couples don’t take hormones. The medical estab- have always figured out ways of relat- lishment tell trans women they will be ing that aren’t gendered (in the sense of sterile. This is a lie.” Trans women, she H division of labor). But what individual concluded, need to be scientists. The -fi couples do is embedded in a structural nal image on the screen was of sperm on 8 context that insists on a gendered divi- a slide under the microscope. sion of labor. Institutional structures are A second panel was squeezed in Sat- all gendered, actively devaluing the work urday morning, “Le Guin’s Fiction as of caring. The structural changes, Aren Inspiration for Activism,” moderated by concluded, are up to us. Joan Haran, featuring Grace Dillon and As micha cárdenas delivered her pa- adrienne maree brown. The first speaker, per, lines of poetry appeared on the adrienne, who possesses a vibrant en- After the election, she screen above and behind her. (The pow- ergy that ran through the audience like found herself asking: How erful, moving poetry, of which we were a jolt of glucose mainlining straight into do we flex the muscle of imagination to get us shown a fragment, can be found in her our brains, introduced herself as from through this moment? hybrid poetry/bioart project, “Pregnan- Detroit, “a post-apocalyptic city where We have to become even cy: Reproductive Futures in Trans of brown and black peoples have been ex- more vigilant in asserting Color Feminism” in TSQ 2016 Vol. 3, perimenting in post-capitalist living,” our world view. We need 1-2; a pdf of the project can be found and identified herself as a scholar, not an to take wisdom from the at http://tsq.dukejournals.org/content/ academic, who has worked on Octavia natural world: how are 3/1-2/48.abstract). Le Guin imagines Butler, and a Star Trek fan. She found species surviving and a world without rape and without war, Octavia Butler’s work transformative. flourishing? “Go roaches!” micha said, while in our world a serial Later, she discovered Le Guin. “Le Guin she cheered. rapist has just been elected POTUS. The is someone like me,” she said. “Someone year when gender-queer, as on Geth- who wanted to challenge everything en, is the norm is still in the future. To about the world, the way I do.” As an imagine people who change gender, Le activist in direct-action, nonviolent dis- Guin had to imagine another world. obedience, and in electoral politics, she Did Le Guin know that people were read sf in the closet because she didn’t

already receiving gender treatment at know how to tell other political activists

the time she wrote Left Hand of Dark- to read sf. She wanted particularly to tell n

n

know. Right is emergent. Experimenting Experimenting emergent. is Right know. - con communicates that material living

Cont. on p. 10 p. on Cont.

Adrienne: “We don’t know. We don’t don’t We know. don’t “We Adrienne: commensals. Mitochondria are a sort of of sort a are Mitochondria commensals.

can be turned to hate. to turned be can mothers, through ova. We’re colonies of of colonies We’re ova. through mothers,

vs the love that that love the vs — nition and generosity and nition gen. And mitochondria come only from from only come mitochondria And gen.

- recog — difference between radical love radical between difference - oxy for them on dependent completely

And by the the by And Dispossessed. The in pleasure their own DNA and RNA; but we’re we’re but RNA; and DNA own their

struck by the importance of love and and love of importance the by struck are part of us, but also are not. They have have They not. are also but us, of part are

]. I’m really really I’m ]. Dispossessed The [ text erful point of intertextuality. Mitochondria Mitochondria intertextuality. of point

- pow a in found they joy the expressed Circulation, he argued, is part of the the of part is argued, he Circulation,

Joan: “Both panelists independently independently panelists “Both Joan: “The Karen Joy Fowler Book Club”). Club”). Book Fowler Joy Karen “The

Common Era. Era. Common overwhelmingly, as in Nike Sulway’s Sulway’s Nike in as overwhelmingly,

ics originating in the first century of the the of century first the in originating ics (which is endlessly allusive, sometimes sometimes allusive, endlessly is (which and the guards black. guards the and

- hieroglyph of form a — written language written proposed a new metaphor for reading sf sf reading for metaphor new a proposed in her planet prison white white prison planet her in

order to learn the history of her tribe’s tribe’s her of history the learn to order found at the link provided above.) Brian Brian above.) provided link the at found making all the prisoners prisoners the all making

such that she began by by began she that such -century history in in history -century Grace studied 16 studied Grace Theory of Fiction.” (The paper can be be can paper (The Fiction.” of Theory

th

was “cowardly,” “cowardly,” was Planet seat of imaginative power and visions. visions. and power imaginative of seat Tiptree Jr. Book Club: A Mitochondrial Mitochondrial A Club: Book Jr. Tiptree

Bitch Bitch in race to approach the the — In her tribe, the heart is in the head the in is heart the tribe, her In Attebery, who read his paper, “The James James “The paper, his read who Attebery,

told of how her first first her how of told

“is entangled with practice at all times.” times.” all at practice with entangled “is Next, Julie Phillips introduced Brian Brian introduced Phillips Julie Next,

Kelly Sue DeConnick… DeConnick… Sue Kelly

tremendous appeal. tremendous said, she theory,” “Our protectors. water

have arisen in the comics, a feature with with feature a comics, the in arisen have for need widespread the about spoke

appealed strongly to her. She She her. to strongly appealed possessed which women write about issues that that issues about write women which

- Dis The community, anarchist pacifist, the comic is a 14-page feminist zine, in in zine, feminist 14-page a is comic the

so no concept of Star Trek. Living in a a in Living Trek. Star of concept no so through. She noted that at the back of of back the at that noted She through.

” That formulation helped carry her her carry helped formulation That ” er. theaters, or television no had She noe.

- writ a as you trust “I her told Danielle - ca birch-skin a build to how father her

timidity about writing women of color, color, of women writing about timidity lots of candles and fire. She learned from from learned She fire. and candles of lots 9

of white women. When she expressed expressed she When women. white of with plumbing, sans woods, the in up

are incarcerated at three times the rate rate the times three at incarcerated are growing described Grace Anishinaabe.) i

who informed her that black women women black that her informed who and English juxtaposed Grace talk, her

Then she was confronted by Danielle, Danielle, by confronted was she Then (Throughout “Hello.” means tongue, tive

- na her Anishinaabe, in which you,” in planet prison white and the guards black. black. guards the and white prison planet

began with the greeting, “I see the light light the see “I greeting, the with began gan by making all the prisoners in her her in prisoners the all making by gan

and intense, gentle and insistent. She She insistent. and gentle intense, and - be she that such “cowardly,” was Planet

Grace Dillon’s presence was both calm calm both was presence Dillon’s Grace Bitch Bitch in race to approach first her how of

form our concept of pleasure? pleasure? of concept our form as all about rage. She told told She rage. about all as Planet Bitch

- trans we do asked, she How, surable. time.) Kelly characterized her work on on work her characterized Kelly time.)

- plea work justice make and inviting, to for me, they ran well over the allotted allotted the over well ran they me, for

for water protectors. water for change, we need to switch from shaming shaming from switch to need we change, Feminist Science Fiction.” (Fortunately (Fortunately Fiction.” Science Feminist

about the widespread need need widespread the about

” she advised us. To create create To us. advised she ” yes, on learns ders’s conversation “New Directions in in Directions “New conversation ders’s

strongly to her. She spoke spoke She her. to strongly

a “love and pleasure activist.” “The body body “The activist.” pleasure and “love a Kelly Sue DeConnick and Ben Saun Ben and DeConnick Sue Kelly -

appealed appealed Dispossessed

vidualism!” She characterized herself as as herself characterized She vidualism!” that we missed the first two-thirds of of two-thirds first the missed we that

The The community, anarchist

- indi rampant the with “Stop creatures. tional threads), talking at such length length such at talking threads), tional

Living in a pacifist, pacifist, a in Living

Roaches are collaborative collective collective collaborative are Roaches we picked up our on-going conversa on-going our up picked we - gentle and insistent.… insistent.… and gentle

flourishing? “Go roaches!” she cheered. cheered. she roaches!” “Go flourishing? lunch with Julie Phillips (during which which (during Phillips Julie with lunch both calm and intense, intense, and calm both

world: how are species surviving and and surviving species are how world: infused with positive energy. I went off to to off went I energy. positive with infused Grace Dillon’s presence was was presence Dillon’s Grace

need to take wisdom from the natural natural the from wisdom take to need The remainder of the symposium was was symposium the of remainder The

concluded, “I survived, I adapted.” adapted.” I survived, “I concluded, We view. world our asserting in vigilant

of right vs. wrong is no longer useful. She She useful. longer no is wrong vs. right of more even become to have We moment?

ing of reform.” She warned: the paradigm paradigm the warned: She reform.” of ing this through us get to imagination of

you’re with is laughing. “We’re slowly dy slowly “We’re laughing. is with you’re - self asking: How do we flex the muscle muscle the flex we do How asking: self

lying. We don’t need to laugh if someone someone if laugh to need don’t We lying. - her found she election, the After dom.”

said. We need to stop lying. We’re always always We’re lying. stop to need We said. free complete achieve to takes it what -

menting.” We need to start smaller, she she smaller, start to need We menting.” of picture a presenting job beautiful a

we don’t do enough experi enough do don’t we — Dispossessed, The about them - “does which is crucial is James Tiptree Jr. tinually with the organism around it and audience knowledgeable about organiz- Symposium shares needs and purposes with its host. ing conferences and conventions, some It remains itself but is part of its host. concrete suggestions for organizational (cont. from p. 9) A single act of reference, Brian declared, strategies were offered. Among those is a negotiation, a history, a set of con- experienced hands, Jeanne Gomoll said, nections. He noted: works of feminist sf “You have a community here that would thicken one another through such refer- like to get involved; the Tiptree moth- ences. To which I can only say: Amen. erboard would love to take over your The symposium continued for an hour publicity” (which was frankly subpar this longer with an intense discussion by the year). And Grace Dillon offered to bring audience, moderated by Carol Stabile, Portland State University resources into L. Timmel Duchamp about the future of the Tiptree Sym- the picture. is the author of the posium; a considerable portion of the By the end, I knew that most of those Marq’ssan Cycle, Love’s audience participated in this. The discus- present considered the Tiptree Sympo- Body, Dancing in Time, and sion touched on resources (which Carol sium not supplemental, but of vital sig- Never at Home. Her new said were drying up), publicity, organi- nificance. Thank you, Linda Long and novel, The Waterdancer’s World, was released last fall. zational structure, and two questions: the University of Oregon Libraries. What didn’t get said? And what should we do next year? Since there were nu- merous people of great experience in the

Continuity Imperative by Bogi Takács H Engineer a coughing sound 10 hands untying neural tubes tentacles scraping on the edge of straps the human — the ship must fly; unqualified the bindings must hold without certifications make do; clasp together matching ends; someone else’s weep fingers shaking field of expertise unfold flaps but the ship must — pick out delicately, from the gore a kernel that remains biological material later they will thank be grateful Bogi Takács is a connect; fuse yet it is now Hungarian Jewish pray always the now. agender trans person and bite skin on lips a resident alien in the fuss / cuss because the ship must United States. Eir fiction pretend to know and poetry has appeared improvise a non- in a variety of venues permanent solution like Strange Horizons, Apex, Clarkesworld, and translucent blood flowing Lightspeed. You can gathering in puddles find em on Twitter as @ smears on the fabric

bogiperson, and e also of coveralls; blogs at http://www.

bogireadstheworld.com. n

n

. Horizons Strange

senior poetry editor for for editor poetry senior

She is currently a a currently is She Signs.

Ghost Ghost is collection recent

in multiple venues. Her Her venues. multiple in

you know it is yours to keep. to yours is it know you

poetry have appeared appeared have poetry

boy, Long-lived

fiction and award-winning award-winning and fiction

douse it like a candle, put it out like a living eye living a like out it put candle, a like it douse — Sonya Taaffe’s short short Taaffe’s Sonya

you, from it take to

icons peeling of faces the in God Pray

skin. your on gaze my

dreaming more, no sleep you until

light endless the only

ashes, nor fire neither with

skull a like burns house your day and Night

bones. your through X-ray like streams

furnace, a of roar pure the with air the fires It

smoke. winter-caged of soot the and

shutters wind-locked of cracks the

11

rivers, freezing and fields stubbled

mountains, and forests through i

burning feather my see can I

boy, Far-sighted

with sons and soldiers, his hand on the heart of the world. the of heart the on hand his soldiers, and sons with

someday king a

man, a of strength the takes

feather firebird’s a steal To

bride. future your even not

not the bone-cracking witch your sisters played at being, at played sisters your witch bone-cracking the not

shoes, mud-trodden her in mother your not

playbook, her into

ear your turns woman no

Listen to the princess? Bold boy, Bold princess? the to Listen

and the king with too many daughters and not enough wives. enough not and daughters many too with king the and

tail its on fire of eyes with bird the and

apples golden of orchard the of

So you heard the stories, clever boy, clever stories, the heard you So

Sonya Taaffe Sonya The Firebird’s Revenge Firebird’s The y Long-Lived King Testosterone Rex: Myths of Sex, Science, and Society, by Cordelia Fine, W.W. Norton & Co., January 2017, 272 pp., $26.95 reviewed by Nancy Jane Moore

Cordelia Fine could have had a great career as a humor writer or stand-up comic if she had not become a psycholo- [O]nce we realize that gist. In Testosterone Rex: Myths of Sex, testosterone isn’t the Science, and Society, she not only disman- problem, she concludes, tles the myth that hormones are destiny, for his conclusion” that female reproduc- the issue becomes but also provides her readers with witty tive success didn’t increase with promis- whether we really want observations, some of which can be put cuity. In fact, Fine tells us, if he’d done sexual equality. to good use in puncturing misogynists. the same analysis himself, he could have For example, she reports that, when she been the first to show reproductive ben- is identified as the author of a book on efits from female promiscuity. how the brains of men and women don’t Then there’s a point very relevant to differ much (Delusions of Gender), people the current fight to protect women’s usually look startled and ask her if she’d reproductive rights in the U.S. Human deny that there are other differences be- sex is not just about reproduction. Fine tween the sexes. quotes anthropologist Jonathan Marks “I’m always tempted to fix my inter- on that subject: rogator in the grip of a steely gaze and pronounce briskly, ‘Certainly! Testes are To confuse human (cultural) sexu- ality and (natural) reproduction merely a social construction.’” is classically pseudo-scientific. Of Her sense of humor coupled with her H course sexuality is for reproduc- excellent writing makes it easy for read- tion — if you’re a lemur. If you’re a ers to grapple with the serious science 12 human, sexuality is far more than she discusses in Testosterone Rex, sci- for reproduction; that is what evo- ence that thoroughly debunks the myth lution has done for human nature. that the greater presence of testosterone in man explains inequities between the According to Fine, Marks goes on to ob- sexes in society. And once we realize serve, “if you imagine sex to be biological that testosterone isn’t the problem, she rather than bio-cultural, you’re probably concludes, the issue becomes whether not going to have much of it.” Not only we really want sexual equality. While she is Fine funny on her own; she also has a says she’s never heard anyone say, “we’ve gift for finding humor in other scientists. had sex inequality for thousands of years In her chapter on sex differences and I kind of like it,” I suspect she knows in the brain, Fine points out that even that is the real reason the testosterone “quite marked” ones seem to have little myth has such staying power. effect on actual human behavior. She The “men can’t help their biological observes that “sexual differentiation of destiny” explanations are rooted in junk the brain is proving to be messier, more science, and Fine systematically points complex, and variable than previously to the research that destroys them. She appreciated.” Moving on to risk-taking, starts with a fruit fly experiment con- she discusses how many studies “reflect ducted by Angus Bateman in the 1940s implicitly gendered assumptions about that purported to show promiscuous what risk taking is.” In a given culture, male flies had more reproductive suc- some activities could well be much risk- cess. This was considered the gold stan- ier for women than for men. Further, dard for explaining promiscuous men/ many of the survey questions used in Reviews monogamous women for a half century. conducting such studies are focused on

But a recent re-analysis of Bateman’s risky activities more commonly associ-

data found “no serious statistical basis ated with men. n

n

. . Color in and White, Black, book Spillers’s cracks in dry earth where they meet the the meet they where earth dry in cracks

Cont. on p. 14 p. on Cont.

ems as an engagement with Hortense Hortense with engagement an as ems of the colonial era. Rivers are faint, like like faint, are Rivers era. colonial the of

- po of collection this describes Gumbs light the Gold, Slave, and Ivory Coasts Coasts Ivory and Slave, Gold, the light

of theory. theory. of refraction a also is Spill - high to seems map iented -or ­ southern

glass and gritty sand. sand. gritty and glass map of the western coast of Africa. This This Africa. of coast western the of map

where the magic emerges from blood and and blood from emerges magic the where wide open, vomiting forth a colonial colonial a forth vomiting open, wide

ster. It’s a grimoire of #blackgirlmagic, #blackgirlmagic, of grimoire a It’s ster. shape to the third’s face, and one mouth mouth one and face, third’s the to shape

- trick female a of survival bloody-minded ing, one mouth whose breath gives gives breath whose mouth one ing,

the spiritual, the elemental, the stubborn, stubborn, the elemental, the spiritual, the - scream mouth one with figure, female

of Salem. It’s a set of poems reflecting on on reflecting poems of set a It’s Salem. of , the painting features a triple-faced triple-faced a features painting the , Way

watchful guardianship of the Black witch witch Black the of guardianship watchful This Done: Your Way, Their Way, or My My or Way, Their Way, Your Done: This

of poems, assembled under the the under assembled poems, of flection Now There Are Three Ways to Get Get to Ways Three Are There Now Entitled

- re a poems, of collection a is This body. series. series. Tituba artist’s the of part is and

present, and future natures of Tituba’s Tituba’s of natures future and present, art is provided by Kenyatta A.C. Hinkle Hinkle A.C. Kenyatta by provided is art

oceans when they encounter the past, past, the encounter they when oceans on escape, beginning with its cover. The The cover. its with beginning escape, on

edges of the map and then sprawl into into sprawl then and map the of edges establishes itself as a meditation meditation a as itself establishes Spill

Velazquez Maria by eviewed r

Duke University Press, 2016, 184 pp., $22.95 pp., 184 2016, Press, University Duke

Gumbs, Pauline Alexis by Fugitivity, Feminist Black of Scenes Spill:

Pouring Poetry Pouring

y

because that king is dead.” is king that because

our global military coup.)” This isn’t just just isn’t This coup.)” military global our

time to stop blaming Testosterone Rex, Rex, Testosterone blaming stop to time

Secret Feminist Meetings where we plot plot we where Meetings Feminist Secret

books on gender. gender. on books

one as an excuse. Or, as Fine puts it, “It’s “It’s it, puts Fine as Or, excuse. an as one

a possible solution. (Not even in the Top Top the in even (Not solution. possible a 13

herself reading a lot of of lot a reading herself

- testoster use can they when past long

“castration has never been mentioned as as mentioned been never has “castration

with women, she finds finds she women, with

proach gender inequality, the time is is time the inequality, gender proach

increase sexual equality in the workplace, workplace, the in equality sexual increase i

traditionally associated associated traditionally

- ap societies how of regardless But

Fine notes that in discussions of how to to how of discussions in that notes Fine

fit comfortably into roles roles into comfortably fit

new ways,” Fine points out. out. points Fine ways,” new

effect on the brain.” the on effect As someone who never never who someone As

easily torn apart and reconstructed in in reconstructed and apart torn easily

extremely crude guide to testosterone’s testosterone’s to guide crude extremely numerous short stories. stories. short numerous

just how robust they are. “They’re not not “They’re are. they robust how just

measured by most tests “is likely to be an an be to likely “is tests most by measured several novellas, and and novellas, several

though the term “construction” implies implies “construction” term the though

, , Weave The novel fiction

to measure.” The amount of testosterone testosterone of amount The measure.” to

dered behaviors are social constructions, constructions, social are behaviors dered

the author of the science science the of author the

the one that happens to be the easiest easiest the be to happens that one the

- gen Most uniform.” than rather diverse,

Nancy Jane Moore is is Moore Jane Nancy

— — part of a highly complicated system complicated highly a of part

different; conditional on text, not fixed; fixed; not text, on conditional different;

culating in the bloodstream is just one one just is bloodstream the in culating

ping and mosaic, instead of categorically categorically of instead mosaic, and ping

- cir testosterone of amount “[T]he plex.

- overlap -essential: non be to behavior

- com is things these of interaction the

ing the differences in men’s and women’s women’s and men’s in differences the ing

hormonal activity to raise the point that that point the raise to activity hormonal

ferent reproductive systems “while allow “while systems reproductive ferent -

Fine provides a detailed discussion of of discussion detailed a provides Fine

development is how sex creates the dif the creates sex how is development -

conservative, Fine notes. notes. Fine conservative,

the point that the real puzzle in human human in puzzle real the that point the

were rich, well-educated, and politically politically and well-educated, rich, were military coup.)” coup.)” military In her concluding chapter, Fine makes makes Fine chapter, concluding her In

cavalier about risks” were the ones who who ones the were risks” about cavalier where we plot our global global our plot we where act badly; it’s culture. culture. it’s badly; act

Secret Feminist Meetings Meetings Feminist Secret the “white males who were particularly particularly were who males “white the havior. It’s not hormones that make men men make that hormones not It’s havior.

(Not even in the Top Top the in even (Not

eryone else.” That study also found that that found also study That else.” eryone - be male bad for poisoning” tosterone

solution. possible a as

a difference between white males and ev and males white between difference a -

be retired. We can no longer blame “tes blame longer no can We retired. be -

has never been mentioned mentioned been never has

seemed like a sex difference was actually actually was difference sex a like seemed

that a supposedly feminist joke needs to to needs joke feminist supposedly a that

ation ation “ workplace, the ­ castr

nonwhite men. What on first impression impression first on What men. nonwhite

makes clear clear makes Rex Testosterone Reading

increase sexual equality in in equality sexual increase

than it did to all other groups, including including groups, other all to did it than individuals involved.” involved.” individuals

discussions of how to to how of discussions

a significantly safer place to white males males white to place safer significantly a to the the to means situation particular a what

Fine notes that in in that notes Fine

thing very interesting: “Society seemed seemed “Society interesting: very thing interventions on status, experience, and and experience, status, on interventions

- some found and gender as well as ity instead suggests, are major and sustained sustained and major are suggests, instead

a study that looked at race and ethnic and race at looked that study a - work. “What would work, the research research the work, would “What work.

In discussing risk, Fine also brings up up brings also Fine risk, discussing In for ethical reasons; the truth is, it won’t won’t it is, truth the reasons; ethical for Pouring Poetry Spillers’s anthology collects almost three the tiny unstill life in black and (cont. from p. 13) decades’ worth of her thinking on slav- white. blurred glimpses of a dark ery and race as foundational American held world. the technician had myths, stories of rupture and dysfunction looked for phallic signs and failed. told over and over again via American fic- so he said it’s a girl.10 tion, public policy, and extrajudicial mur- The footnote here is significant; you der. Gumbs introduces Spillers as both could read Spill in one go, as I did, like Can you translate theory a theorist and a goddess-figure in her a linear descent through a family tree. into poetry, then back own right, whose work “made worlds… again? That question You’d encounter the footnotes and bib- invited affect…brought to mind name- itself presents a binary liography last, like seeing the aunties that Gumbs rejects. less women in unknown places who were and uncles waiting for your own arrival laughing and looking sideways at each as reader to this historical present. You other and a world that couldn’t under- wouldn’t find out the poems’ titles that stand them” (xi). Thus,Spill begins by in- way — the poems are simply there, abrupt voking Tituba, the Black Witch of Salem, and untitled on the page, each one a and Hortense Spillers, author of the key snapshot into another time and place. text “Mama’s Baby, Papa’s Maybe: An Or, you could follow each poem’s foot- American Grammar Book,” one of the notes, discovering that the poem entitled most cited articles in Africana Studies. “new female being” was written as a re- It then twists, bending theory and racial flection/refraction/response to Spillers’s myth into an invocation of the elements. 1983 essay “A Hateful Passion, A Lost Gumbs writes, “the ground shakes with Love.” Matching poem to title to theory us”; “the sky sings for us”; “the water waits becomes part of the work of the reader, for us”; and “the fire frees us” (xiv, xv). in the same way as that work means puz- Like any good theory, Then, for the element of spirit: “our work zling through the assonance and conso- Gumbs’s analysis grants here is not done” (xv). This interrupted nance that define Gumbs’s style. H explanatory power to stanza is taken up by the title itself. Spill Published a decade after Black, White, black women’s experience functions as a verb, a refrain, and a con- and in Color, Spill is ultimately a genea- 14 of everyday life. Like any ceit, simultaneously referring to Spillers’s logical project. Structurally, its fourteen good witch, Gumbs’s rite repertoire of work, and the many other sections layer spiritual and magical ref- (…write?) also bends meanings of the word. Spill could refer to the rules. erences to birth, family, and ancestry. water, the movement of people, kindling, Yemoja, a mother and water deity, is the the release of wind from a sail, or the act mother or foster mother of the fourteen of engaging with Spillers, here figured major Orishas. The Book of Matthew as a genealogical foremother of black describes fourteen generations between feminist theorizing. Gumbs’s playfulness the Babylonian exile and the birth of the with language functions as the element Messiah. Each poetic vignette explores of spirit in this invocation, evocative and family and reproduction as technologies intuitive and difficult to pin down with- that produce a particular kind of gen- out losing the magic of the phrase itself. dered subjectivity. They also explore the Can you translate theory into poetry, sneakily insurgent reflections of the un- Maria Velazquez received then back again? That question itself named narrators. Like any good theory, her doctorate in American presents a binary that Gumbs rejects. Gumbs’s analysis grants explanatory Studies from University of Gumbs uses the page to create an ee- power to black women’s experience of ev- Maryland, College Park. rie discordance, jamming her lines to- eryday life. Like any good witch, Gumbs’s Her dissertation focuses gether and leaving swathes of white rite (…write?) also bends the rules. This on belly dance and its use space untouched. The deliberate nature as an embodied political is why I describe Spill as both a reflection of her spacing choices — each section rhetoric post-9/11. When and a refraction of black feminist theoret- not thinking big thoughts announced by a definition of spill, each ical writing. Gumbs’s poetry takes up the connecting global politics word written in small letters yet bracket- detritus of the everyday that surrounds to American wellness ed by punctuation — challenge the reader theory — the affective social and political movements, she is an avid to engage with the materiality of the worlds in which black feminist theorists

reader, writer, and fangirl for text, to read actively. For example, one write — and bends it, splits it, like a prism

all things sci-fi and fantasy. poem describes an ultrasound image as, breaking a beam of light into a rainbow. n

n

and little to do with a person’s sense of of sense person’s a with do to little and body.” In this guise, the General sends sends General the guise, this In body.”

Cont. on p. 16 p. on Cont.

of gender have much to do with biology biology with do to much have gender of with “an anatomically correct woman’s woman’s correct anatomically “an with

In both cases, these determinations determinations these cases, both In surgeries that have made him a “transie” “transie” a him made have that surgeries

meaningful ways. meaningful ing ing ­ -alter gender the to submit to Youngest

body and that constrains his existence in in existence his constrains that and body The General is the one who forced forced who one the is General The

identification, because he has a female female a has he because identification, women from the rest of the globe. globe. the of rest the from women

away Youngest’s persistently male self- male persistently Youngest’s away on revenge and on the elimination of of elimination the on and revenge on

essential.

an, as one of them. And they handwave handwave they And them. of one as an, dio implants in their jaw bones, is bent bent is bones, jaw their in implants dio

is as mutable as it is is it as mutable as is

- wom a as identifies who “transie” a Aila, - ra via other each with contact constant

world of Island biology biology Island of world

person’s self. The Mentors easily accept accept easily Mentors The self. person’s eral, composed of hundreds of clones in in clones of hundreds of composed eral,

of self. However, in the the in However, self. of

land, the community gets input on a a on input gets community the land, - Gen the as known entity An regrouped. do with a person’s sense sense person’s a with do

- Is the On gender. defining of method The men of Youngest’s homeland have have homeland Youngest’s of men The with biology and little to to little and biology with

gender have much to do do to much have gender han’s exploration of an experience-based experience-based an of exploration han’s gendered violence of the outside world. outside the of violence gendered

…determinations of of …determinations - Padmanab to came it when appreciate of young women nearly destroyed by the the by destroyed nearly women young of

On the other hand, I found a lot to to lot a found I hand, other the On elders reconstruct the bodies and minds minds and bodies the reconstruct elders

gender binary was alienating. was binary gender are the only safe place for women; there there women; for place safe only the are

there for me an insistence on an oppositional oppositional an on insistence an me for except one, Meiji. The Islands Islands The Meiji. one, except —

ated after the genocide of every woman woman every of genocide the after ated this is perhaps not an unusual view, but but view, unusual an not perhaps is this

- obliter been has homeland Youngest’s in the end, pick a side. For many people people many For side. a pick end, the in

tainment and enrichment of the wealthy. wealthy. the of enrichment and tainment between one side or another, he must, must, he another, or side one between

- enter the for war perform teams four est may have some freedom of choice choice of freedom some have may est

world’s major land masses. In the Zone, Zone, the In masses. land major world’s death - Young like person a while and —

claves bar communication between the the between communication bar claves literal war, with blood and viscera and and viscera and blood with war, literal

There is a war between two genders two between war a is There - En Impenetrable rearranged. been has a a —

of options beyond Man and Woman. Woman. and Man beyond options of Post-cataclysm, the map of the world world the of map the Post-cataclysm, 15

ders in this book, there is a distinct lack lack distinct a is there book, this in ders spectives on gender and power. and gender on spectives

- gen between movement the all For - per Padmanabhan’s to food the in spices i

with all of Padmanabhan’s ideas. ideas. Padmanabhan’s of all with ven into the fabric of the book, from the the from book, the of fabric the into ven

ory, though I’m not entirely comfortable comfortable entirely not I’m though ory, - wo is split cultural This life. her of much

- the queer Western challenges that view New Delhi, India, where she has spent spent has she where India, Delhi, New

the opportunity to inhabit a point of of point a inhabit to opportunity the lives in both Newport, Rhode Island, and and Island, Rhode Newport, both in lives

own gender value system, I appreciate appreciate I system, value gender own contradictions. Padmanabhan currently currently Padmanabhan contradictions.

American queer deeply invested in my my in invested deeply queer American ist Manjula Padmanabhan, is a book of of book a is Padmanabhan, Manjula ist

boundaries can be transgressed. As an an As transgressed. be can boundaries - cartoon and author Indian from novel

of gender and the ways in which those those which in ways the and gender of the most recent recent most the Girls, Lost of Island The

Padmanabhan examines the boundaries boundaries the examines Padmanabhan land before her mind is lost forever. forever. lost is mind her before land

story of intrigue, biotech, and violence, violence, and biotech, intrigue, of story struggling to rescue Meiji from the Is the from Meiji rescue to struggling -

In addition to delivering a high-stakes high-stakes a delivering to addition In safety he knows, the Island. Youngest is is Youngest Island. the knows, he safety

to try to keep his daughter safe. safe. daughter his keep to try to a place for his daughter Meiji in the only only the in Meiji daughter his for place a

icately playing them against each other other each against them playing icately Youngest is risking everything to win win to everything risking is Youngest

navigate between two major powers, del powers, major two between navigate - ing refuge. Seeking freedom. Seeking refuge. ing

just physiologically but socially. He must must He socially. but physiologically just - seek man, a of ambitions and voice the

longer knows himself, his body alien not not alien body his himself, knows longer Youngest is a woman: body a vehicle for for vehicle a body woman: a is Youngest can be transgressed. transgressed. be can

which those boundaries boundaries those which The book opens here: Youngest no no Youngest here: opens book The the world’s last sanctuary for women. women. for sanctuary last world’s the

of gender and the ways in in ways the and gender of daughter as bait. as daughter from an empire of men, infiltrating infiltrating men, of empire an from

examines the boundaries boundaries the examines

Youngest to infiltrate the Islands with his his with Islands the infiltrate to Youngest Youngest is a man: the first invader invader first the man: a is Youngest

violence, Padmanabhan Padmanabhan violence,

intrigue, biotech, and and biotech, intrigue,

eviewed r Rixon Joanne by

a high-stakes story of of story high-stakes a

In addition to delivering delivering to addition In July 2015, 348 pp., $17.99, ebook $11.99 ebook $17.99, pp., 348 2015, July

India, Hachette Padmanabhan, Manjula by Girls Lost of Island The

Truth and Beauty, Lost and Found and Lost Beauty, and Truth

y Truth and Beauty self. However, in the world of Island bi- sexual assaults. I found them to be a (cont. from p. 15) ology is as mutable as it is essential. thoughtful part of Padmanabhan’s en- Padmanabhan’s writing style supports gagement with the reality of violence this. Much of the futuristic tech she’s in- against women, but some readers may vented is based in bioengineering. Her find them upsetting. descriptions are also very visceral, full of However, I do recommend this book multisensory, immersive details. These to anyone who is interested in global details, from the flavor of crab-and-sea- gender paradigms or who wants to read This isn’t the kind of weed soup to the feel of saltwater drying a vivid thriller. This isn’t the kind of feminist fiction that on skin, really make the book the gem feminist fiction that provides an escape provides an escape from a that it is. from a world that hates women, but for world that hates women, On the whole, Island is engaging and readers who can stomach it, there is both but for readers who can tightly paced. The ending, while satisfy- truth and beauty here. stomach it, there is both ing, feels rushed: the movement from truth and beauty here. intrigue into violence is only shown from the perspective of a single charac- Joanne Rixon lives in Seattle ter, where earlier events are shown from and has a BA in History from multiple perspectives. And Padmanabhan the University of Washington. doesn’t give much story space to the after- Her fiction has appeared in math, instead leaving room for a sequel. Crossed Genres Magazine. Another thing to be aware of is that there are many explicitly described

y To Boldly Go Where Women Have Gone Before Sisters of Tomorrow: The First Women of Science Fiction, edited by Lisa Yaszek and H Patrick B. Sharp, with a Conclusion by Kathleen Ann Goonan, 16 Wesleyan University Press, June 2016, 432 pp., $29.95 reviewed by Steven Shaviro

Sisters of Tomorrow is a pleasure to quest to find dissident and diverse voices read; but it is also crucial because it re- from before the 1970s, when feminist covers an important portion of science science fiction first emerged into pub- fiction history. As the recent Sad Pup- lic consciousness. Aqueduct Press has of pies controversies unfortunately remind course contributed to this process, with us, misogyny and racism are still alive its publication of books like The Merril and active in the science fiction com- Theory of Lit’ry Criticism, a collection of munity, as they are in America and the Judith Merril’s important science fiction world in general. Speculative fiction by criticism from the 1950s and 1960s. Sis- women, gays and lesbians, and people of ters of Tomorrow pushes back yet further color has exploded since it first became in time, collecting writings by (generally highly visible in the 1970s. Arguably, white) women that originally appeared such fiction is more plentiful, and more in the science fiction pulps of the 1930s easily available, today than ever before — and early 1940s. …the project of expanding which itself partly explains the Puppies Sisters of Tomorrow is both a book of the range of science fiction beyond the limited circle backlash. But the project of expanding scholarship and an anthology of early of white male voices is one the range of science fiction beyond the science fiction writings. Generous intro- that must look backwards limited circle of white male voices is one ductions by the editors recount both the as well as forwards. that must look backwards as well as for- overall history of women’s involvement wards. At the same time that the gates in early science fiction, and biographical

have opened for more varied and diverse and critical information on specific writ-

forms of expression, there has also been a ers. The book is divided into five sections, n

n

of the stories here use male protagonists protagonists male use here stories the of sexual fantasy. “Shambleau” is probably probably is “Shambleau” fantasy. sexual

Cont. on p. 18 p. on Cont.

scure their gender identity. Also, many many Also, identity. gender their scure - male-hetero conventional of root the at

- ob to order in initials, or pseudonyms possessive lust and misogynistic disgust disgust misogynistic and lust possessive

signed their work with with work their signed — brilliantly comments on the mixture of of mixture the on comments brilliantly James Tiptree James

reworking of the Medusa myth that that myth Medusa the of reworking Sheldon/ Alice before decades — others

a a ­ -oper space a “Shambleau,” Moore’s L. writers published openly as women; but but women; as openly published writers

male-only club. Some of these early sf sf early these of Some club. male-only story here that I had read before was C. C. was before read had I that here story

bell most notoriously) regarded sf as a a as sf regarded notoriously) most bell them rescued from obscurity. The only only The obscurity. from rescued them

- Camp W. John ( others but women; unfamiliar to me, and I was glad to see see to glad was I and me, to unfamiliar politics.

welcomed science fiction written by by written fiction science welcomed were were Tomorrow of Sisters in collected texts the concerns of gender gender of concerns the

romantic narratives with with narratives romantic editors (Hugo Gernsback, for instance) instance) for Gernsback, (Hugo editors the 1930s and 1940s, but nearly all the the all nearly but 1940s, and 1930s the

they infuse their deeply deeply their infuse they course, there were limitations. Some big big Some limitations. were there course, I am no expert on the pulp writings of of writings pulp the on expert no am I

instruct and delight, as as delight, and instruct isted and developed without them. Of Of them. without developed and isted thropology of the day. day. the of thropology

here do indeed both both indeed do here

- ex have scarcely could field the and - an the from outmoded) (now evidence

…the writings presented presented writings …the

volved right from the very beginning, beginning, very the from right volved 1940s by means of appeals to scientific scientific to appeals of means by 1940s

- in were Women be. to reputed been debunking white supremacy in the early early the in supremacy white debunking

male-dominated a genre as it has often often has it as genre a male-dominated the science popularizer L. Taylor Hansen, Hansen, Taylor L. popularizer science the

is that science fiction was never as as never was fiction science that is row the anthology, there are several articles by by articles several are there anthology, the

- Tomor of Sisters of lesson big The alien planet. In the journalists’ section of of section journalists’ the In planet. alien

issues in science fiction up to the present. the to up fiction science in issues ment of equality among the “races” of an an of “races” the among equality of ment

sequent history of misogyny and gender gender and misogyny of history sequent - establish the and hierarchy racial a of

- sub the to here recounted stories the ing “Out of the Void” depicts the overthrow overthrow the depicts Void” the of “Out

- relat overview, broader a with up things gender in these writings, although Stone’s Stone’s although writings, these in gender

clusion, by Kathleen Ann Goonan, wraps wraps Goonan, Ann Kathleen by clusion, Race is far less a subject of concern than than concern of subject a less far is Race

to be. be. to - Con book’s the culture; fiction science cerns of gender politics. politics. gender of cerns

has often been reputed reputed been often has

well-rounded portrait of women in early early in women of portrait well-rounded - con the with narratives romantic deeply

17

dominated a genre as it it as genre a dominated

onward). All in all, the volume gives a a gives volume the all, in All onward). instruct and delight, as they infuse their their infuse they as delight, and instruct

fiction was never as male- as never was fiction

journalist and editor from the mid-1940s mid-1940s the from editor and journalist writings presented here do indeed both both indeed do here presented writings i

is that science science that is Tomorrow

grina, but was also a pioneering lesbian lesbian pioneering a also was but grina, mad-scientist stereotype). All in all, the the all, in All stereotype). mad-scientist

Sisters of of Sisters of lesson big The

- Ti name the under poetry fiction ence misogyny at the root of the traditional traditional the of root the at misogyny

- sci published who Eyde, Edith notably Orchids,” for instance, emphasizes the the emphasizes instance, for Orchids,”

pioneers in different areas as well (most (most well as areas different in pioneers (Dorothy Gertrude Quick’s “Strange “Strange Quick’s Gertrude (Dorothy

exclusively in science fiction, others were were others fiction, science in exclusively tional genre stereotypes in unusual ways ways unusual in stereotypes genre tional

cussed in the volume were active almost almost active were volume the in cussed - conven inflect Others Century”). 28th

- dis women the of some although And der equality (Lilith Lorraine’s “Into the the “Into Lorraine’s (Lilith equality der

and the fanzines of more recent vintage. vintage. recent more of fanzines the and - gen on based societies utopian future of

zines” of early-20th-century modernism modernism early-20th-century of zines” F. Stone’s “Out of the Void”) or visions visions or Void”) the of “Out Stone’s F.

- maga “little the both with characteristics presenting stories of revolution (Leslie (Leslie revolution of stories presenting

independent magazines, which shared shared which magazines, independent types. Some of them are overtly political, political, overtly are them of Some types.

advanced technologies. advanced

lith Lorraine) edited and wrote for small small for wrote and edited Lorraine) lith a rebuke to “damsel in distress” stereo distress” in “damsel to rebuke a -

concern with new and and new with concern

ket pulp publications, others (such as Li as (such others publications, pulp ket - pable and heroic women characters, in in characters, women heroic and pable

these traditions with sf’s sf’s with traditions these

worked for mass mar mass for worked Tomorrow of Sisters - nologies. A number of them present ca present them of number A nologies. -

melding elements from from elements melding

Though most of the figures highlighted in in highlighted figures the of most Though concern with new and advanced tech advanced and new with concern -

domestic and Gothic), Gothic), and domestic

ety of women’s contributions to the field. field. the to contributions women’s of ety elements from these traditions with sf ’s ’s sf with traditions these from elements

“women’s fiction” (both (both fiction” “women’s

ing both the presence and the sheer vari sheer the and presence the both ing - (both domestic and Gothic), melding melding Gothic), and domestic (both century conventions of of conventions century

The book covers all of these areas, stress areas, these of all covers book The - tury conventions of “women’s fiction” fiction” “women’s of conventions tury note, on nineteenth- on note,

and playing a crucial role in fan culture. culture. fan in role crucial a playing and - nineteenth-cen on note, editors the as draw, as the editors editors the as draw,

as well as by working as shapers of taste taste of shapers as working by as well as or covertly. Many of these stories draw, draw, stories these of Many covertly. or Many of these stories stories these of Many

in every genre of imaginative production, production, imaginative of genre every in worthy feminist issues, whether overtly overtly whether issues, feminist worthy

science fiction through their involvement involvement their through fiction ­ science Sisters of of Sisters in lected - note raise Tomorrow

the pulp era; they contributed to early early to contributed they era; pulp the Nonetheless, nearly all the texts col texts the all nearly Nonetheless, -

ists. Women took on all these roles in in roles these all on took Women ists. dominated readership. readership. dominated

poets, journalists, editors, and visual art visual and editors, journalists, poets, - in order to appeal to an ostensibly male- ostensibly an to appeal to order in

dealing respectively with fiction authors, authors, fiction with respectively dealing and first-person narrators, presumably presumably narrators, first-person and To Boldly Go my favorite work in the volume, but I (cont. from p. 17) also particularly enjoyed Stone’s “Out of the Void” and Quick’s “Strange Or- chids” (both of which I have already mentioned), Clare Winger Harris’s “The Steven Shaviro is the DeRoy Evolutionary Monstrosity” (which dra- Professor of English at Wayne matizes issues in biological theory that State University in Detroit. He writes about science fiction, are still unresolved decades later), and music videos, and other topics Leslie Perri’s “Space Episode” (which in contemporary culture. His straightforwardly contrasts male bluster books include Connected, Or, with its female protagonist’s pragmatism What It Means To Live In the and heroism). All in all, Sisters of Tomor- Network Society (2003) and row is indispensable both for its contri- Discognition (2016). bution to the history of science fiction and for the way it offers us works that combine old-fashioned literary “guilty pleasures” with issues and concerns that are still quite relevant today.

y A Jewish State in Germany? Judenstaat, Or Historical Speculation in the VHS Era Judenstaat by Simone Zelitch, Tor, June 2016, 320 pp., $25.99 reviewed by Bogi Takács

Judenstaat by Simone Zelitch falls be- tween various genres, not fitting precise- H ly in any. It is an alternate history novel, but also very much a work of Jewish 18 literature, by Jews and for Jews — yet it was published by a major science fiction publisher that, in turn, did not promote about Chabad? Chabad is a big part of it much in SFF circles. the plot, but there is no gentle introduc- The chief conceit and point of diver- tion to Chabad inside the book. If you do If you do have the gence is that after the Holocaust, a Jew- not have the cultural familiarity required, necessary cultural ish state was established…in German you might get utterly lost — and judging familiarity, Judenstaat Saxony and given the German name from the book’s Goodreads reviews, this is an immensely rich of Judenstaat. Judit Klemmer, a Jewish has indeed happened to many readers. experience, tying together documentary filmmaker, is working on If you do have the necessary cultural everything from the a piece for the fortieth anniversary cel- familiarity, Judenstaat is an immensely Holocaust to secular ebrations of the founding of Judenstaat. rich experience, tying together every- Jewish labor movements to Her research makes her question not thing from the Holocaust to secular VHS-era home video in the just the fundamental origin narrative of Jewish labor movements to VHS-era Eastern bloc. the state, but also the fate of her hus- home video in the Eastern bloc. The band, a Saxon man and renowned or- plot is mostly secondary, and the author chestra conductor who was assassinated mentions in the acknowledgments that by a mysterious sniper. earlier drafts had even less plot. What Judenstaat is very much an in-group matters is not what happens, but where, narrative; it doesn’t spend a great deal of and how — Judenstaat­ provides sweeping time explaining basic Jewish concepts or historical vistas, where what keeps you history. It assumes the reader is familiar reading is not the usual desire to find out with these concepts’ cultural and histori- what happens next, but the desire to bur- cal details, and that the details evoke the row deeper into the fictional world of a

same associations in the reader’s mind as Jewish-East-German state. The plot or

in the writer’s. Quick check: do you know lack thereof is still a weakness, especially n

n

thing very fraught about the region’s region’s the about fraught very thing

mark of excellent alternate history. alternate excellent of mark - some understands Zelitch Simone

bogireadstheworld.com .

- hall the is that and Saxony, in exists ably in detail and with much care. much with and detail in

http://www. at eir site site eir at

- undeni Judenstaat a timeline, different implicit, but this, this is not. It’s laid out out laid It’s not. is this this, but implicit,

US. E also reviews SFF SFF reviews also E US.

new. I could grow convinced that on a a on that convinced grow could I new. tence and particulars of Chabad) remain remain Chabad) of particulars and tence currently living in the the in living currently

it seems both self-evident and radically radically and self-evident both seems it - exis the (like reader Jewish American an agender trans person person trans agender

restitution, a Jewish state in Germany, Germany, in state Jewish a restitution, that can be safely assumed as familiar to to familiar as assumed safely be can that Hungarian Jewish Jewish Hungarian

self! Just like the concept of the ultimate ultimate the of concept the like Just self! stream of thought; many Jewish concepts concepts Jewish many thought; of stream Bogi Takács is a a is Takács Bogi

- my it with up come not did I sad bit a step by step. The reader is eased into this this into eased is reader The step. by step

will stay with me for a long time, and I’m I’m and time, long a for me with stay will and sensitivity, gradually unfolding it it unfolding gradually sensitivity, and

ing in Soviet-style apartment complexes complexes apartment Soviet-style in ing but actually do so with understanding understanding with so do actually but

- liv Chasidim of image mental The ing. American novel would not only go there, there, go only not would novel American

- interest more the all was discord slight by anti-Semites. I was stunned that an an that stunned was I anti-Semites. by

not always cohere, but sometimes that that sometimes but cohere, always not hushed tones by Jews, or brayed loudly loudly brayed or Jews, by tones hushed

tones. To me it felt like these aspects did did aspects these like felt it me To tones. rope, discussed with great unease and in in and unease great with discussed rope,

- over present-day with also government; - Eu Eastern in Jewishness day present to

tive and engaged in various deals with the the with deals various in engaged and tive locaust. These concepts are fundamental fundamental are concepts These locaust.

- narra the in present Chabad see to me - Ho the after revenge Jewish of theme

Then again, it was very enjoyable for for enjoyable very was it again, Then the same is true for the equally painful painful equally the for true is same the

on country. Jewish and without giving away much, much, away giving without and —

difficult topic that the novel takes head- takes novel the that topic difficult would have allowed Chabad into their their into Chabad allowed have would

many Communists were secular Jews, a a Jews, secular were Communists many to me, that secular Jewish Communists Communists Jewish secular that me, to

complexities.… me think about real-life history and how how and history real-life about think me it is conceivable, though a slight stretch stretch slight a though conceivable, is it

all its attendant attendant its all explicitly Jewish, unlike Judenstaat unlike Jewish, explicitly and, alongside hers, the reader’s. It made made It reader’s. the hers, alongside and, and and —

speaking audience speaking with with — acter of Communist Hungary was not not was Hungary Communist of acter thoughts and feelings gradually change, change, gradually feelings and thoughts

conveying it to an English- an to it conveying

- char the But country. the inside them It is very chilling how the protagonist’s protagonist’s the how chilling very is It 19

has done a good job of of job good a done has

Communist regime simply did not allow allow not did simply regime Communist Jewish, after all; they are just like you. you. like just are they all; after Jewish,

region’s situation and and situation region’s

i Chabad still bemoans the fact that the the that fact the bemoans still Chabad you…. But can they be trusted? They are are They trusted? be they can But you….

very fraught about the the about fraught very

In Hungary, the real life local branch of of branch local life real the Hungary, In abiding citizen, and they claim to help help to claim they and citizen, abiding

understands something something understands

the Rebbe himself, has moved there too. too. there moved has himself, Rebbe the the course of the book. You are a law- a are You book. the of course the

Simone Zelitch Zelitch Simone

in the fictional Judenstaat, but its head, head, its but Judenstaat, fictional the in services and how this developed over over developed this how and services

organization Chabad is not only present present only not is Chabad organization low the portrayal of the state security security state the of portrayal the low

lief was the role of Chabad. The religious religious The Chabad. of role the was lief - fol to fascinating particularly was It

- disbe of suspension my against straining lated to, for example, Hungarian. Hungarian. example, for to, lated

One part where I felt the novel slightly slightly novel the felt I where part One - trans if audience its find much very still

amount of respect. of amount ern Europe, but reading it I felt it would would it felt I it reading but Europe, ern

ists would come to my region with this this with region my to come would ists - East in someone by written if different

It shows. I can only wish that all novel all that wish only can I shows. It - of a remove: this book would have been been have would book this remove: a of

Vilna,” as she mentions on her website. website. her on mentions she as Vilna,” researched, but also had just a little bit bit little a just had also but researched,

led me to study Yiddish in in Yiddish study to me led Judenstaat “ el: immediately relatable. It was thoroughly thoroughly was It relatable. immediately

Israel as research for this particular nov particular this for research as Israel - munism,” I found much in in much found I munism,” Judenstaat

eled in Germany, Eastern Europe, and and Europe, Eastern Germany, in eled barrack” with a palatable “Goulash Com “Goulash palatable a with barrack” -

- trav also she but years, for Hungary in privileged position as “the happiest happiest “the as position privileged

author’s background. She not only lived lived only not She background. author’s ­ quasi- a had also that country Bloc

course of the book. book. the of course

As someone from a former Eastern Eastern former a from someone As by this and was moved to look up the the up look to moved was and this by

this developed over the the over developed this

the chosen form. chosen the can Jews, I was very pleasantly surprised surprised pleasantly very was I Jews, can

security services and how how and services security

conventions, and the topic here matches matches here topic the and conventions, - Ameri with gulf cultural a of experience

portrayal of the state state the of portrayal

a need to rigidly adhere to Western plot plot Western to adhere rigidly to need a allied country. As I have often had the the had often have I As country. allied

fascinating to follow the the follow to fascinating

garian narratives that were not formed by by formed not were that narratives garian Jewish Soviet Communists in a Soviet- a in Communists Soviet Jewish It was particularly particularly was It

like that. I found myself thinking of Hun of thinking myself found I that. like - and non-Jewish people, especially non- especially people, non-Jewish and

the sound on. But real life is often messy messy often is life real But on. sound the ties, like the interactions between Jewish Jewish between interactions the like ties,

dience not watching a particular videotape with with videotape particular a watching not with all its attendant complexi attendant its all with — -

conveying it to an English-speaking au English-speaking an to it conveying - spires hinges on the protagonist simply simply protagonist the on hinges spires

situation and has done a good job of of job good a done has and situation as a considerable amount of what tran what of amount considerable a as - On Painting the Daughters of Earth Series Janet Essley The advice of two wise people ed in 2009. Her sisters and brothers hovers as a guiding spirit in my are at Standing Rock today. Food studio. Of the tyranny of the free and water security world-wide will market and global capitalism, In- become more tenuous during the dian writer and activist Arundhati Trump Era with its promised ac- Roy says we should lay siege to em- celeration of global climate change pire, expose it, shame it, mock it — and warfare, and suppression of civil with our art, our joy, our creativity, rights. Even in our relatively secure and with the truth of our own sto- Pacific Northwest, corporations ries rather than those we are brain- salivate over profits imagined from washed to believe. mining the watersheds, transport- Of the responsibility to lay bare ing and storing fossil fuels, creating the injustice around us, the Da- more CAFOs, and expanding the lai Lama says artists should close military-industrial-technological themselves in a room until they complex. The elephant at Hanford can get past their anger to a place continues to mutate. of compassion. At the same time, we have cou- Living in the center of the Beast, rageous and compassionate indi- there is no lack of materials for art viduals of all ages and backgrounds Practice Peace with themes of social and environ- working together to preserve the Amal Nasser, mental justice, or of information Earth and the human right to food The Tent of Nations Community from which to choose symbols for and water. This series proclaims the each work. But to get past anger importance, the beauty, the rightness H to compassion is not so easy. My of all THEIR stories. The paintings struggle to do this can be seen in like to travel. They like to do good 20 the chaos of brushstrokes on the works in the world inspiring com- canvas. There are layers and layers munity conversation and action. If of paint below the surface. A final you can help with transportation, image with harmonious colors, with they can come to your walls. They beauty, is a reflection of my place of like to have their pictures taken and compassion found in these women stories shared with others. and the truth of their stories. Of my story? I worked for many The journey to the recognizable years as a treeplanter, herded sheep, portraits of this series has taken sewed mountains of canvas into 30 years. Human figures in earlier yurt covers, picked coffee, worked paintings were more stylized and on conveyor belts at fish canneries. the issues generalized in a mythic Images gathered from all of these sort of way. Good guys. Bad guys. experiences have shown up in my Gradually the faces became more work. I learned much about art at realistic and the stories more bio- public universities, I learned how graphic, until this series of named to teach in a Cambodian refugee women. The faces were painted camp. I learned how to lead col- from photographs mostly acquired laborative murals in the graffitied from public sources. Everything alleys of a small town. I practice else is part of their story. graphic arts making signs for ral- The paintings each focus on one lies, vigils, and demonstrations. My of the many positive ways that we life partner keeps me focused, re- must work together to achieve food minding me:

Featured Artist and water security. Maria Haunanay Don’t Mourn — Paint!

and the community kitchens in

Lima, Peru, was the first story, paint- n

n

Eve Bettu Geddev, Ethiopia, Via Campesina Via Ethiopia, Geddev, Bettu Eve Maria Haunanay, Lima, Peru Lima, Haunanay, Maria Mexico Oaxaca, Maldonado, Centolia

Farms Family Support Kitchens Community Community Weave

21

i

Diana Lopez, San Antonio, Texas Antonio, San Lopez, Diana Peregrina Kusse-Visa Bolivia Kusse-Visa Peregrina Hyun, Ae-Ja, Jeju Island, S. Korea S. Island, Jeju Ae-Ja, Hyun,

Gardens Community Earth Mother of Rights the Declare Militarism Oppose Protect Forests Respect Diversity Defend Public Water Chrissy Swain, Grassy Narrows Helena Norberg-Hodge, European Union Marian Kramer, Detroit, Michigan First Nation, Canada

$5.00 The Cascadia Subduction Zone PO Box 95787 Seattle, WA 98145-2787