Al£XM_slAR5h,pWINTER 1978-79 $225 THE MAGAZINE ABOUT SCIENCE FICTION Women AncI SF by SUSAN WOOD SUZY McKEE CHARNAS anne McCaffrey Bames gunn FREDERIK POHL RICHARDMJPOFF VINCENT DiFATE

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RICHARD LUPOFF Book Editor

VINCENT DiFATE FREDERIK POHL SUSAN WOOD Contributing Editors THE MAGAZINE ABOUT LARRY CARMODY News Editor SCIENCE FICTION

ALGOL/STARSHIP: THE MAGAZINE ABOUT SCIENCE FICTION. Vol. 16 No. 1, Whole No. 33, Winter 1978-79. CONTENTS

ALGOL is published quarterly, in February, May, August and November, by Porter Communications. Address all mail to: AL­ 5 Beatle Juice: editorial...... Andrew Porter GOL Magazine, P.O. Box 4175, New York 9 Women And Science Fiction...... Susan Wood NY 10017. Entire contents copyright © 1978 by ALGOL Magazine. All rights, 21 ALGOL Interview: Suzy McKee Charnas...... Neal Wilgus including translation into other languages and 27 On Pernography...... Anne McCaffrey reproduction of artwork in this issue, are reserved. Nothing may be reprinted in whole 29 Pohlemic: column...... Frederik Pohl or in part without written permission from 36 Science Fiction And The Future...... James Gunn both the publisher and the author. All rights in letters sent to ALGOL will be treated as 39 Sketches: art column...... Vincent DiFate unconditionally assigned for publication and 43 S. F. Chronicle...... All The News That Fits copyright purposes and as subject to AL­ GOL’s unrestricted right to edit and comment 47 Lupoff's Book Week: books...... Richard Lupoff editorially. Return postage must accompany 60 Random Factors: letters...... The Readers all materials submitted if they are to be returned. No responsibility can be assumed 63 The Penultimate Truth...... Meet Your Mailing Label for unsolicited materials. 64 Classified Advertisements Advertising: For display advertising rates and 66 ALGOL's Conlog...... Convention Calendar information, write the publisher. Classified 66 Advertiser's Index ads cost 15 cents per word, minimum 20 words. Payment must accompany copy. Deadlines December 15 for Spring issue, March 15 for Summer issue, June 15 for Fall issue, September 15 for Winter issue. Retail Sales: ALGOL is distributed by the ARTWORk F&SF Book Co., Box 415, Staten Island NY 10302. For full information, write the publisher.

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algol/winter 1978-79 3 Women and Science fictioIN

“Women have their great and proper have, in turn, been attacked on every­ and being menaced by a bug-eyed mon­ place, even in a man’s universe,” con­ thing from their examples to their prem­ ster. Inside, the lovely woman was much ceded the crusty old spaceship captain ises that men and women should not less visible for, as Anne McCaffrey so who narrated “Priestess of the Flame” only be legally equal, but should have succinctly puts it, “Science fiction ... is by Sewell Peaslee Wright [Astounding, equivalent roles in society. Nevertheless, more cerebral than gonadal.”3 In the June 1932). people are starting to question the pulp era (roughly from the birth of “Women, when handled in moder­ stereotypes of a popular literature Amazing Stories in 1926 through to the ation and with extreme decency, fit which has always been male-oriented mid-’40’s), gadget stories of pseudo­ nicely into scientifiction at times," and male-dominated. As a result, there science sometimes featured a rare wrote Isaac Asimov in the lettercolumn are more stories about real women, and female, usually a scientist’s daughter to of the November 1939 issue of Startling real men, emerging in the SF field. And whom scientific principles could be ex­ Stories. He was nineteen. there are plenty of articles about their plained in simple terms, and with whom “There are plenty of images of absence. the steely-jawed young hero could ex­ women in science fiction. Most of these articles follow a pat­ change a closing kiss if “love interest” “There are almost no women,” ob­ tern typified by Russ’s discussion, and were deemed necessary to liven up the served Joanna Russ in “The Image of by Pamela Sargent’s excellent long in­ jargon. Hugo Gernsback’s novel Ralph Women in Science Fiction,”1 an article troduction to Women of Wonder (Vin­ 124C4I+ contains interminable ex­ first published in 1971, which stimu­ tage, 1975), a landmark collection of SF amples of woman-as-recipient-of- lated much discussion when it was stories by women, about women, and expository-lump, a technique brought reprinted in Vertex in 1974. Russ was the place to start looking for those to its highest pitch, of course, by criticizing SF on what are, by now, elusive creatures.2 The typical article Heinlein. More numerous, however, and familiar grounds: its failure to develop begins by identifying SF as a man’s rather more fun (if only for the horrible characterization, and its faalure to pro­ universe, or an adolescent male universe, examples) were the science fiction ad­ vide genuine social extrapolation, not­ in which woman’s great and proper ventures, or “space operas.” Women in ably of changes in human relationships place was on the cover of a pulp these got to fill two roles. They could and sex roles. Russ and other critics magazine, dressed in as little as possible either be blonde Victims, shrieking

algol/winter 1978-79 9 “eek” at monsters and being rescued by ing that an arriving shuttlecraft may ture of man, that part of that nature the hero; or they could be dark, sultry “tear up the lawn and mash my flower­ consists of innate differences between Temptresses, eternally trying to seduce beds.” When Retief’s superior arrives, the sexes, and that social orders which the hero away from his rescue mission. this woman, who is described by Retief conform with that nature and those The latter had rather more fun, but himself as filling “a position ... of assumptions survive better than those ended up heartbroken when the hero considerable responsibility” with “com­ that do not.”8 On these assumptions, abandoned them—and usually dead, as mendable efficiency” is summarily dis­ and on the basis of his observations of well. It is tempting to feel superior to missed with an order to “ ‘mix us a women, he defends such portraits as such formula fiction, only until we couple of tall cool ones and ... punch that of Lady Sally in The Mote in God’s realize that the stereotypes haven’t in a nice dinner to celebrate Mr. Mag- Eye, a blonde doctoral student in changed since the Priestess of the Flame nan’s visit.’ ” At this point, I threw the anthropology who doesn’t understand vamped around over forty years«ago. If magazine across the room, and so the alien Moties, is concerned mostly the half-naked women have vanished missed the ending, which has Anne about her upcoming wedding and the from the magazine covers, it’s only to knocking out Magnan with her purse— attendant parties, and, as the only reappear inside as overt sex objects. The “ ‘struck by the wild beauty of the woman in the “male-oriented society” February 1974 issue of Vertex which place,’ ” as Retief archly comments.5 of a spaceship misses “what she thought carried the Russ article, for example, As Sam Lundwall has observed, “The of as girl talk. Marriage and babies and also contained “Nobody Lives Around woman in science fiction remains what housekeeping and scandals: they were Here,” a minor effort by a major new she was, a compulsory appendage.”6 part of civilized life.”9 One reader of author, Gregory Benford. The illustra­ Pournelle’s article, George Fergus, was tion features, yes, a naked black woman There were a few women writers moved to write a 20-page response and two clothed white police, and the of space opera-Leigh Brackett and C.L. discussing sex roles and cultural con­ opening paragraphs describe in detail Moore, most notably—but they tended ditioning, assembling evidence from the how a gang member is using the sobbing to accept its conventions. Things began few studies we have about behaviour.10 girl: “She was a groupie, really, always to change in the 1940’s and early 50’s, Pournelle’s response was to reaffirm his following our squads around .with that that era which, in North America, saw belief that “there are profound tempera­ hungry look in her eyes. She just liked the development of a social ethos de­ mental differences between the human to hump the boys, I guess ...” The signed to get the little woman out of the sexes; that these are biologically deter­ leader tells his subordinate to “ ‘Finish munitions factory and into that all­ mined; and that they are the result of a it off and form up,’ ” and the real electric kitchen in suburban New Jersey very long period of evolution.” Thus action begins: street fighting, burning, where she could consume all day. As “we should be very careful about mak­ killing—mostly by men, though a grand­ early as 1938, Lester del Rey’s “Helen ing radical changes in family structures mother who gets rid of her aggressions O’Loy” had given readers another image and reversing sex roles.”11 The debate, by chopping up a fireman with an axe is of woman: futuristic housewife. Be­ and the changes, continue. Meantime included for shock value. Finally, when tween 1947 and 1949, Margaret St. writers such as James Tiptree, Jr. are a man in the squad starts questioning Clair published a series of stories about creating powerful fictions out of the their violence-as-therapy games, the Oona and Jick Ritterbush, a suburban idea that men and women are aliens to leader concludes that “His woman was married couple of the future who faced each other, while other writers such as pushing him,” and decides to have a quite ordinary Ladies’ Home Journai- John Varley explore the possibilities of state “psycher” examine her.4 Benford style adventures with a rotating house worlds in which highly-developed med­ is, of course, criticising contemporary and 30 boxes of “Super Whost,” the ical techniques allow people to swap society, not admiring male violence, but “chronometrized carbohydrate.” In organs, or even bodies, conceiving and I wonder how many readers sympa­ 1948, John W. Campbell commissioned siring children as the dual-sexed Gethen- thized with his satisfied narrator? And Judith Merril’s first science fiction ians of The Left Hand of Darkness can those stereotypes of young victim/sex story, asking her to provide “the wom­ do. In the meantime, too, women such object, nagging wife and death:dealing an’s point of view” on scientific devel­ as Ursula Le Guin, Joanna Russ, Kate old lady are remarkably persistent. opments. The story, “That Only a Wilhelm, Vonda McIntyre, Pamela Sar­ In fact, SF continually confronts us Mother,” deals with the effects of radia­ gent and Suzy McKee Charnas, to name with evidence that it has advanced very tion in terms of a mother’s blind love a few, are creating a few new imagina­ little in characterization and social ex­ for her mutant daughter. The galactic tive roles for the woman who rebels trapolation, as evident in the portrayal housewives of 2050, happily dusting the against being told, like the brilliant of women, in the 51 years since Gerns- robochef in the living unit while hubby engineer \x\Podkayne of Mars, that she’s back founded Amazing Stories. My own tends the yeast farms, might represent a failing in her duty if she doesn’t stay ♦click* of consciousness came in 1972, failure of social extrapolation, but they home with the children: “ ‘building after I had been reading what the library were, perhaps, a little more believable as bridges and space stations and such clerk coldly informed me were “boys’ human beings than all the princesses and gadgets is all very well ... but ... a books” for some 15 years, happily priestesses. Perhaps. woman has more important work to substituting my female self for their A number of women writers entered do.’ ”12 In the process, they’re creating male protagonists. In the December the field during the 1950’s and early a few new roles for men, too. 1972 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy ’60’s. Joanna Russ notes, however, that Thus any criticism of science fic­ and Science Fiction, 1 read “The Gar­ while they tended to place more empha­ tion’s failure to depict believable bage Invasion,” a Retief novelette by sis on character development than had woman characters really brings up two Keith Laumer. This one, unusually the earlier, mostly male writers, they points. One is primarily literary: the enough, featured a woman, “Anne Tay­ still tended to “see the relations be­ need for science fiction to replace all lor, who was tall and beautiful and held tween the sexes as those of present-day, the cardboard characters, he-men as well the title: Field Curator of Flora and white, middle-class suburbia,” a world as she-devils, with functioning people. Fauna, assigned to the unpopulated which might be satirized but which was (It is interesting to note that Gordon R. world, Delicia.” She is in charge of the rarely questioned.7 But how can we Dickson, in an essay on “Plausibility in world; Retief is assisting her as “Acting know the future? How can we make SF,” deals with how to establish setting, Wildlife Officer” during a crisis. So what guesses about it, except on the basis of background and scientific facts but happens? She spends all her time calling our life today? Thus, for example, Jerry never mentions the development of the crisis “perfectly horrid,” and worry­ Pournelle assumes “that there is a na­ plausible characters.)13 The other is

10 algol/winter 1978-79 primarily social: the need for SF to get someone’s idea of life in a different Back in the pulp era, Hugo Gerns- actually do what it pretends to do, that world. We know what present-day life is back’s magazines tended to print sedater is, envision genuinely new cultures and like on this earth. (It’s a mess! And stories than the competing pulps; and societies. This need is explicit in Russ’s Science Fiction is about the only way the liberated women within society appeal for SF which will at least show we can forget that fact for a few found some place within their pages. men and women participating in every­ minutes.)” She went on to say: “If you Science Wonder Quarterly for Spring day work life (as they do now) with have to have a female in the picture, 1930 contains two stories by women, some suggestion of sexual equality. We make her sensible. Let her know a few featuring competent women. In “The find it, especially, in Ursula Le Guin’s things about space-ships, heat-guns and Ape Cycle” by Clare Winger Harris, a criticism that: "In general, American SF such. Phooey on the huzzies who are well-known SF writer, Sylvia Danforth has assumed a permanent hierarchy of always getting their clothes torn off and helps her fiance to destroy the rule of superiors and inferiors, with rich, am­ walling an amorous eye at the poor intelligent apes. She flies his plane, and bitious, aggressive males at the top, then overworked hero ...” The editor, fixes it too, while discussing the fact a great gap, and then at the bottom the Charles Hornig, replied: “I have received that, earlier, “ ‘women finally came into poor, the uneducated, the faceless so many letters from women who read professions that had been hitherto con­ masses, and all the women.... It is a science-fiction, just lately, that I must sidered solely man’s field, and they perfect baboon patriarchy, with the confess many of the fair sex have found they could do just as well as their Alpha Male on top, being respectfully well-developed imaginations. Their brothers.’ ”20 In “Via the Hewitt Ray,” groomed, from time to time, by his group has grown to such proportions by M.F. Rupert, Lucile Harris is a inferiors.”14 that they must certainly be taken into commercial pilot for an airline which Non-baboon worlds will only come, 1 consideration by the male ad­ employs only women, because their think, when we really come to terms herents.” 16 safety record is superior to that of men. with the past. After all, we derive our Unfortunately, John W. Campbell’s With the help of a woman scientist, she models of future societies from accept­ idea of the “woman’s point of view” uses her scientist-father’s ray to enter ing past models, or tinkering with them, seemed to prevail in SF. Anne Mc­ the fourth dimension. She finds a world or dreaming up alternatives: Asimov’s Caffrey has been criticized by Sam ruled by women, whose dignified leader, Galactic Empire came from Gibbon’s Lundwall for the stereotyping of her Mavia, explains how women gained Roman Empire, and Joanna Russ’s story “A Womanly Talent” {Analog, equality, then superiority. The “Sex Whileaway came from our own Earth, February 1969), in which the heroine, War Epoch” was followed by victory for with one change-the men are gone, but Ruth, looks at the hero, Lajos, and the women, who “ ‘destroyed millions the roles endure. In the same way, we thinks: of the despised masculine sex. For learn how to present our view of the This hunger for his child was so primal, it untold centuries they had kept women paralysed the sophistication overlaid by edu­ subjugated and we finally got our re­ world, in literary form, partly through cation and social reflexes. Nowadays a woman reading past literature and either assimi­ was expected to assume more than the an­ venge.’ ”21 Despite such bloodthirsty lating or rejecting it. We should be cient duties required of her. Nowadays, and beginnings, however, this matriarchy aware of what we’re assimilating. Those Ruth smiled to herself, the sophists called (unlike most in science fiction) is not those womanly talents Maintainance, Repair vicious, not static, and not crumbling princesses and housewives, for example, and Replacement, instead of housekeeping/ have a disconcerting way of lurking in cooking, nursing and having babies, but the from within. It has a highly developed the typewriter, ready to leap out at the titles didn’t alter the duties nor curb the medical technology, for example, and slightest failure of the imagination. The resurgent desires. And when you got down to other wonders such as colour television. it, men still explored new ground, even if it Men are kept for breeding purposes, and June 1977 issue of Analog, the “special were alien ground, and defended their homes women’s issue,” for example, contains and families.17 the majority are content, neither effem­ “The Ax” by Jaygee Carr, whom I inate nor rebellious. Lucile returns to assume from context to be female. The McCaffrey, however, in her essay her own world with one rebellious male, story concerns a futuristic murder trial, “Romance and Glamour in Science whom she names John. He remains and contains various lawyers, scientists Fiction,” the only entry under the cowed until she scolds him: “ ‘Why, and witnesses. A woman is reported to index heading “women” in Reginald don’t you know that you are in every have found the victim’s body and Bretnor’s Science Fiction Today and way superior to a woman?’ ” Then she sounded an alarm, “screaming at the top Tomorrow, explains that she wanted adds, in an aside, “May my sisters in of her lungs.” There is only one other Ruth to be a “liberated woman” (her feminism forgive the lies. I had to be woman in the story, a lie-detector oper­ quotation marks). However, “John drastic” (p.420). “Dad,” the scientist ator, “a slender, willowy woman” that Campbell asked me to define Ruth in who has to be rescued by Lucile and the the central character “would have liked terms of a customary womanly role to women rulers, makes various jocularly to have met socially.” Are we to assume cater to his readership. Essentially, he derogatory remarks about “a group of that in this future North America, all told me, man still explores new territory pretty ladies playing at politics,” the women judges, lawyers, clerks and and guards the hearth; woman minds (p.381), but these are contrasted with laboratory workers have gone on that hearth whether or not she programs the women’s real competence, to under­ strike?15 a computer to dust, cook, and rock the score the fact that women deserve We should also be aware of the cradle.”18 The July 1941 Astounding equality. Or, as Lucile tells Mavia, positive images that the past offers us. had published “Brown” by Frank “ ‘For a long time we, too, were held The view of science fiction as a male Belknap Long, in which an explorer back, but now we stand shoulder to preserve is a stereotype fostered by stated: “The urge to reach out, to cross shoulder with the men. I hope we won’t people such as John W. Campbell, who new frontiers, is a biological constant.” have any sex war. That would be hor­ tended to address his readers as “Gentle­ His fiancee replied: “ ‘It isn’t in me .... rible’ ” (p.377). men” and his authors as “the guys.” A woman seeks new frontiers in a man’s Science fiction’s past certainly offers Women have always read SF—like arms....’”19 Campbell was, at least, us more Ruths than Luciles. Neverthe­ Naomi D. Slimmer of Russell, Kansas, consistent in his views, and McCaffrey less, we need to consider the nature of who responded to the first issue of argues that she played on this, treating stereotypes and archetypes before Science Fiction in 1939 with a letter the stereotype facetiously and allowing blithely setting out to create anew. saying she, and her four sisters, “read Ruth to succeed in the story where the Social stereotypes are, or were, “true” Science Fiction to help us picture what men fail, while acting in the “tradi­ in some sense; there really were house­ the world will be in years to come, or to tional” mother-mistress-healer role. wives like Oona trying to impress the

algol/winter 1978-79 11 other “girls” in 1949. More generally, ages, in Western popular culture, into robe, accompanied by a black leopard there were, are and will continue to be the stereotypes of the pale, sexless and a white leopard, uttering such women whose primary concern is the Good Woman, often associated with smouldering lines as “ ‘You fear my family—women like the heroine of virtue and otherworldly salvation, and eyes.... But you do not fear my Zenna Henderson’s “Subcommittee” the dark, voluptuous Bad Woman, assoc­ body’” to the cleancut hero (p.117). (F&SF, July 1962). In this story, male iated with original sin and death (Marvel Science Stories, later Marvel delegates from a hostile alien race are through sexuality. The former became, Tales, in which the story appeared, tried conferring with male military leaders in science fiction, the vapid blonde for three issues to offer the fans sex and from earth. War seems inevitable. How­ princess or scientist’s daughter, the pas­ sadomasochism with their SF, but this ever, through two children, an Earth sive virgin whose love can be won only proved unpopular back in 1938.) Nirvor woman and a pink-furred alien woman through pain and trial. She is woman as turns out to be a leopard herself. Here become friends. They exchange knitting ideal, always in danger of assault by evil she is, torturing the Princess Alasa: “In patterns and conversation; then, over a forces, but always rescued; and woman her jet eyes was torture-lust; on her face picnic lunch, the Earth woman learns as precious possession, rewarding the was stamped the cruelty of the beast. the aliens’ real purpose. They don’t rescuer with a story-closing kiss. Randall Her heritage, the leopard stigmata, was want war; they just want to borrow Garrett’s “The Man Who Collected ruling now” (p.118). Naturally, the hero some salt. The heroine is desperate Women” (Amazing, April 1957) offers shoots her and her leopard-sisters, then enough to forget her place as a mere an excellent example of this theme. takes the Princess back to the United woman, a spectator of power games. Beautiful women are being plucked into States, where, one assumes, she’ll be­ She breaks in on the men’s conference, the sky by blue-skinned aliens, who come a housewife. flourishing her pink slip to prove to the intend to use them for breeding pur­ My favorite early example of the alien leader that she really is a friend of poses. They are fooled by a he-man who dark woman, however, is Liane, Mother his wife. Galactic harmony is restored, just happens to be a female imperson­ of Life, Giver of Death, Priestess of the and everyone plays with the children’s ator; the aliens have assumed that the Flame in Sewell Peaslee Wright’s story, marbles. “Subcommittee” is a silly, women are simply animals, without the whose great and proper place is as a sentimental story, but it makes an im­ intelligence to revolt, and are thus over­ vamp in the man’s universe of the Space portant point. The men are automat­ powered when a man arrives to lead the Navy. Her aim, as ruler of the degen­ ically suspicious and hostile, thinking women to freedom. The story can easily erate Lakonians, is to gain a seat on the only of gaining power over each other. be seen as a comment on the social Council which rules the Universe. The women, with their shared concern stereotypes of women in 1957. “ ‘She is mad,’ I said.” for the nurture of life, quickly establish At the opposite extreme in tempera­ “ ‘Crazy,’ grunted Correy. ‘Plain communication and trust. Beyond the ment, though not in supernatural crazy. A woman—in the Council!’ ” social stereotypes of the army general beauty, is the dark woman, often an She tries to stir the Lakonians to revolt and housewife are the archetypes of the alien, sexually arousing and deadly. C.L. against their real masters, the earthmen warrior and the Mother Goddess, too Moore’s famous “Shambleau” (Weird for whom they toil in their planets’ powerful and too rich in their implica­ Tales, Nov. 1933) in which rugged mines; then she tries to seduce a mem­ tions to ignore. adventurer Northwest Smith thinks he is ber of the Navy crew sent to subdue the Many of the images of women in rescuing a lovely girl from a mob, only populace. At this point, the story starts science fiction, as in any Western pop­ to fall under the spell of a Medusa, to sound like an African tribal adven­ ular artform, seem to be distortions of shows the power of the original arche­ ture, and one’s sympathies are all with archetypes we have barely begun to type. Leigh Brackett’s “The Halfling” Liane and the Lakonian liberation front. understand, much less reject. Robert (Astonishing Stories, Feb. 1943), also We next see her in her temple, “a Graves and others, for example, have contains a cynical he-man who quickly goddess, terrifyingly beautiful” in her traced three main aspects of the woman succumbs to the lures of the exotic robe of “thin, shimmering stuff,” in mythology: the Triple Goddess who Laura with her tilted purple eyes. It’s (p.414) callously threatening people is Diana/Venus/Hecate, virgin/matron/ not until she kills three of his carnival with death in The Flame. But she is also hag, mistress of birth, sexuality and crew, destroys his business and tries to a woman in love, and at last she releases death, and the Muse whose presence kill him that he finally recognizes her officer Hendrix, and dies by her own inspires “mixed exultation and hor­ for what she is: a cat-creature from hand when the people rise up against ror.”22 Samuel Delany’s story “We, in Callisto, seeking vengeance on the her. Liane can expiate her sensuality by Some Strange Power’s Employ, Move on humans who have degraded her people. returning her lover to his crew and his a Rigorous Line” (F&SF, May 1968) She confesses she loves the hero, then duty; she cannot, however, go un­ derives its power from the manipulation sets his own wild cats on him; he kills punished for the sin of wanting power. of resonant symbols and archetypes, them, and her, before succumbing to a The other aspect of the Triple notably the three aspects of women: romantic hero’s despair. The theme of Goddess, the Mother, has already been Sue, the young silverclad power the woman as seductress, often threat­ examined in her stereotype as suburban “demon” who is almost raped by a ened in her mission of revenge by her housewife. The prototype in many re­ monstrous “Angel”; the ironically- love for the hero, is well-developed, as is spects is the robot heroine of Lester del named Fidessa, the beautiful woman the presentation of woman as alien and Rey’s “Helen O’Loy.” Described as who belongs to the man with power, as cat-creature. Graves traces this associ­ “One part beauty, one part dream and and who flies “like ageless Mab, like an ation back to early worship of the White one part science,” she is a cook­ airborne Witch of Endor”,-23 and Mabel, Goddess; certainly it features promin­ appliance, adapted by two young men the old woman whose hand deals the ently in medieval lore of witches and in their basement lab to have emotions final death to a man and a culture. Poul their familiars. It is common in pulp SF, and consciousness of self. Unfortun­ Anderson’s “The Queen of Air and often with an added racial threat as the ately, her “programming” accidentally Darkness” (F&SF, April 1971) also woman’s exotic feline eyes are assoc­ includes a soap opera, so she becomes a makes memorable use of these images as iated with the stereotype of the evil “normal girl” who giggles while she tries found in folklore. slant-eyed Chinese. The evil priestess on hats. She also falls madly in love Leslie Fiedler in Love and Death in Nirvor in Henry Kuttner’s “The Time with her creator, Dave, and pursues him the American Novel and Germaine Trap” has black hair and “a cold, cruel, with kisses and roast duck with spice Greer in The Female Eunuch both distant something” in her feline eyes.2 stuffing, since she has “all the good discuss the degeneration of these im­ She wanders about in a revealing black points of a woman and a mech com­

12 algol/winter 1978-79 bined.”26 When Phil, the other scien­ in covered wagons, waiting for ships to come example of this ambiguous portrayal is back from China, or waiting around a mine Arthur Barnes’ treatment of Gerry Car­ tist, tells her that Dave wants a real head after an explosion—kiss him goodbye woman, not a creation of “metal and with a smile, take care of him at home.28 lyle, in a series of stories originally rubber,” she counters: “ ‘I can’t think If the women do have powers, they tend published between 1937 and 1946, and of myself that way; to me, I’m a to be the passive or involuntary ones of later collected as Interplanetary Hunter. woman. And you know how perfectly Judith Merril’s telepathic heroines, Gerry is a wealthy, successful business­ I’m made to imitate a real woman ... in Zenna Henderson’s empathetic teachers, woman and adventurer, who roams the all ways. I couldn’t give him sons, but in all of fantasy’s witches and sorceresses. galaxy with a crew of highly disciplined every other way.... I’d try so hard, I Russ comments that: “The power is male helpers, collecting extraterrestrial know I’d make him a good wife’ ” somehow in the woman, but she does life forms for the London Zoo. Her (pp.123-24). And she does. not really possess it.” 29 main prize, though, is Tommy Strike, a The Science Fiction Writers of Another important group of stories, he-man whose initial reaction is admira­ America chose “Helen” as one of the 26 however, shows the woman as hero, tion: short stories included in The Science either in a traditional male role, or as No synthetic blonde baby-doll here but a natural beauty untouched by the surgeon’s Fiction Hall of Fame (a volume, inci­ Amazon or rebel, rejecting male rule. In knife—spun-gold hair, intelligence lighting dentally, which contains one story by the pulps at least, the first group could dark eyes, a hint of passion and temper in the “Lewis Padgett” the pseudonym of C.L. only live their independent lives by curve of mouth and arch of nostrils. In short, a woman.30 Moore and Henry Kuttner, and only one sacrificing what their creators assumed other story by a woman, Judith Merril’s was some of their femininity. The best When the intelligence, passion and “That Only a Mother.” It is thus as good an index as any of the absence of women, as writers and characters, in North American SF between 1926 and 1964). It also continues to be anthol­ ogized. Del Rey recently described it as “probably the most chauvinistic story ever written,” but said its popularity arises because it is “a perfect example of every young man’s wish-dream of the kind of woman he could get,” and a “dream woman” for women as well.27 “Helen” also suggests, though it doesn’t begin to answer, important questions about the nature of the social role we call “woman”-is it all just programming of “the glands, secretions, hormones, VISIONS AND VENTURERS and miscellanies that are the physical by Theodore Sturgeon causes of emotions”? (p.119). Do sci­ 8 tales, by the Hugo and Nebula entists such as Phil, who cheerfully Award winning author, never before deprogrammes a wealthy young man collected in one volume. who’s fallen in love with a servant girl, 12648-7-04 but doesn’t deprogramme Dave who’s fallen in love with a servant machine, STILL I PERSIST IN WONDERING have the right to tinker with emotions by EdgarPangborn and create artificial life? I’d like to Heretics, crusaders, cowards, ma­ know more about Helen, too, who gains gicians and mundane folk clash her role-models from soap operas but and co-exist in the world Pangborn soon proves clever enough to convince created in his now classic Davy. the two men she is what she believes 18277-8-09 herself to be: a real woman, who gives up potential immortality to die with her THE DREAMING JEWELS husband. I’d like to see someone rewrite by Theodore Sturgeon “Helen O’Loy”—from Helen’s point of One of Sturgeon’s most moving and view. compelling works—a novel of sur­ passing warmth and strangeness by The pulp stories dealing with prin­ cesses and priestesses, and the somewhat a master of the imagination. later ones dealing with galactic suburbia, 11803-4-15 all present woman as heroine. As Joanna FIRESHIP Russ comments, such stories offer sev­ by Joan D. Vinge eral common themes. The women tend to be supernaturally beautiful. Usually Two short novels by a most remark­ they are weak. Often, they are kept able new writing talent. A Full Selec­ offstage; thus the hero of Heinlein’s tion of the SF Bookclub. 15794-3-09 “The Roads Must Roll” occasionally calls his wife to let her know he’s still tied up at the office with a revolution, while the hero of “Space Jockey” longs Dell Publishing Co., Inc. to tell his estranged wife that: 1 Dag Hammarskjold Plaza I have to work to support us. You’ve got a job, too. It’s an old, old job that women have New York, N.Y. 10017 been doing for a long time—crossing the plains

algol/winter 1978-79 13 temper manifest themselves in a crisp of the era, Gerry fails in her job for the imenting with the separation of social reproof for his poor manners, though, first time, and thereby gets her man and role from gender, so that, in Marta he immediately resents her as an “arro­ her closing kiss. In later stories, Tommy Randall’s A City in the North (Warner, gant female ... wilful, selfish” (p.13). as her partner and fiance rescues her 1976) or Vonda McIntyre’s “Screwtop” Surprised by a hint of emotion, he later from various perils while Gerry watches (The Crystal Ship-, Thomas Nelson, comes to pity her: with shining eyes, experiencing “that 1976) for example, the person who She was a woman walking in a man’s world, strange emotion—a compound of awe, drives the truck or tries to kill the speaking man’s language, using man’s tools. fright and admiration-that every protagonist will just happen to be a As a constant companion of men she had woman knows when she sees the man woman. (It’s not common to find that to train herself to live their life, meet them on she loves in two-fisted action” (p.239). the person changing the diapers just their own terms. To command their respect happens to be a man, however.) Role­ she felt she had no right to use the natural Every time she acts independently and endowments—her charm and beauty—that achieves success, Barnes seems to under­ exchanges seem to be especially com­ nature intended her to use for that purpose. cut her. Either Tommy will make a mon in Utopian novels, such as Le Indeed, she dared not use them, for fear of remark like “ ‘How can anyone so Guin’s The Dispossessed (Harper and the consequences. To give way to feminine emotion would be, she feared, to lose her lovely have such a bad temper?’ ” (p.82) Row, 1974) and the future-world sec­ domination over her male subordinates. She while “taking a perverse delight in see­ tions of Marge Piercy’s Woman on the was, in short, that most pathetic of beings—a ing her humbled by the opposite sex” Edge of Time (Knopf, 1976), which woman who dared not be a woman (p.26). (p.83); or Gerry herself, “trim and show societies which have made real Like the stereotyped “career women” dapper” in jodphers, will sigh with attempts to eliminate sex stereotypes. A longing for “ ‘a dress-organdy-blue.’” good early example is Heinlein’s “ ‘—We Barnes comments that, from this Also Walk Dogs’” (Astounding, 1941), speech, “it appears that Catch-’em-Alive about a trouble-shooting agency with a Carlyle was somewhat feminine after top woman operative. As a contrast, of all....” (p.129). course, we have Heinlein’s Wyoming FIRST EDITIONS As our ideas of what constitutes Knott, girl revolutionary in The Moon is appropriate “feminine” and human be­ a Harsh Mistress (Putnam Berkley, OF haviour have changed, a number of 1966), who is supposed to be tough, writers have presented adventurous, smart and competent, but whose func­ SCIENCE FICTION strong-minded women: Joanna Russ’s tion seems to be to be stupid, so Prof Alyx of Picnic on Paradise (Ace, 1968) can explain things to her; to be helpless, fantasy and Alyx (Gregg Press, 1976); Sonya so Manny can rescue her; to be cutesy- Dorman’s Roxy Rimidon of “Bye, Bye feminine, so Mike the computer can Banana Bird” (F&SF, Dec. 1969) and become Michelle, and talk “girl talk” its sequels are good examples. The with her, thus providing comic relief; former is a guide, the latter a sergeant in and to be sexy, so Heinlein can make the Planet Patrol, in the tradition of remarks about breasts bouncing in low CA TALOGUES ISSUED woman-as-hero in male roles: the gravity. Once the real action begins, she women soldiers in Fritz Leiber’s Change virtually disappears, except to show her War stories; the alien woman heroine of faith in the revolution by having her Permanent Wants James Schmitz’s Lanni, Agent of Vega tubal ligation reversed. SCIENCE FICTION stories; the policewoman created by The traditional role-reversal story, & FANTASY Rosel George Brown in her Galactic however, goes back to ancient history First Editions. All Authors & Publishers, and the stories of the Amazons, warrior 17th thru 20th Century. Sybil Sue Blue-, and, most recently, the Single Items or Collections Purchased women soldiers of Joe Haldeman’s The women who formed their own societies. Forever War, are other examples. Other Sam Moskowitz’s collection, When stories explore the consequences of Women Rule (Walker, 1972) provides role-reversals, as women in traditionally background on this theme, some less- “male” occupations attempt to deal than-objective commentary by the ed­ with their jobs, and the consequences in itor, and a number of stories frightening their personal lives. Pamela Sargent’s in their implications. In the “tradition­ “IMT” {Two Views of Wonder, 1973), al” Amazon romance, typified here by about a young Puerto Rican woman the sixteenth-century story “The Queen who has risen to become city manager of California,” the Amazon leader is of a crumbling New York is one ex­ eventually overcome by force. The ample. Vonda McIntyre’s Nebula­ prince who is the champion of the winning story, “Of Mist, and Grass, and opposing forces initially scorns her; it is Sand” {Analog, Oct. 1973), which “dishonourable” that a woman, com­ forms the prologue of her novel Dream­ manded by God to “be in subjection to BARRY R. LEVIN snake (Houghton Mifflin, 1978) pre­ a man,” should try to rule men by force sents a young woman healer who trav­ of arms. Besides, she is an infidel. SCIENCE FICTION & However, when she is defeated, and FANTASY LITERATURE els, loves, adopts a child, makes mis­ takes, and discovers her own nature agrees to give up her arms and change 2253 Westwood Blvd. within her vocation as a doctor. Mc­ her religion, he rewards her with the Los Angeles, Calif. 90064 Intyre’s recent novella, “Aztecs,” hand of a handsome knight. In science (213) 474-5611 (2076: The American TricentenniaP, fiction’s early variations on this theme, Pyramid, 1977) shows a woman’s most written by men, the basic assump­ ABAA ABA attempt to adjust to the bioengineering tion seems to be that women who gain necessary for her to become a spaceship power will not want equality, but will, pilot, an adjustment made more diffi­ rather, destroy men as revenge for cult by her relationship with a younger thousands of years of male oppression. man. Typical is “World Without Sex” by Increasingly, too, writers are exper­ “Richard Wentworth,” identified by

14 algol/winter 1978-79 Moskowitz as a pseudonym for Edmond totally static one in which no progress well advised—you took the best that we Hamilton, {Marvel, May 1940), which takes place, is remarkably persistent. have bred, and through your desire to depicts a woman-ruled world in which For example, in Alfred Coppel’s “For rule, you have changed them into five most men have been exterminated, and Sacred San Francisco,” {If, Nov. 1969), thousand insane women.”32 Women children are produced in laboratories. a woman fighter calmly kills the man who want power must, it seems, be Eight surviving men escape, taking four who rapes her, while prophesying the punished for such “unnatural” presump­ female guards with them. The story’s day when men will end the wars caused tion. illustration shows this scene, and fea­ by the “crazy dames”; but her society is Again, contemporary women writers tures the caption: “Rann wrestled the shown as self-destructive. The under­ have sought to free the Amazon, the atom-pistol from the girl’s hand and lying current of fear and hatred in most independent woman, from the Amazon clouted her with it.” The men rape and Amazon stories, however, is best illus­ stereotype. Jacinth, a young girl in beat the women, who gradually submit. trated by David Keller’s “The Feminine Suzette Haden Elgin’s “For the Sake of When Ala bears a female child to Rann, Metamorphosis,” {Science Wonder Grace” {F&SF, May 1969), rebels he rejects it, but eventually all learn to Stories, Aug. 1929), a story which is against her world’s disdain for women in love the traditional “animal” method of viciously racist as well as sexist. Wom­ the only way possible—she becomes a reproduction. Meantime, the matriarchy en’s legitimate grievances at being ex­ poet, hence a ruler in her society. is crumbling, and the story ends with cluded from the business world are the Alldera, an enslaved “fem” in Suzy more women choosing to join the male­ trigger for a melodrama in which an McKee Charnas’ Walk to the End of the run society. Since this story appeared in international underground organization World (Ballantine, 1974), gradually Marvel Tales, it contains rather more of women surgically alters superior learns humanity and dignity in the free overt sadistic sexuality than most women to pass as men and take over the society of its sequel, Motherlines (Berk- woman-ruler stories; nevertheless, it is world. They have, however, used hor­ ley/Putnam, 1978). Marion Zimmer typical in its premises that male- mones derived from unsuspecting Bradley’s Free Amazons of Darkover in dominated heterosexual societies are the Chinese men—“Chinks,” in Keller’s The Shattered Chain (DAW, 1976) live only acceptable norm. The strong terms—and, as his comic detective, independent lives outside the institu­ woman leader of Nelson S. Bond’s “The Taine (who takes cases to escape from tions of the planet’s male-dominated Priestess Who Rebelled” {Amazing, his wife and daughters) gleefully points society. The women of Joanna Russ’s October 1939) abandons her appar- out, have thus contracted an unnamed Whileaway, the setting of “When It ently-viable matriarchy when a man disease, obviously syphilis, which will Changed” {Again, Dangerous Visions, teaches her how to kiss, and the sight of shortly drive them all insane. Taine, 1972) have developed a complex, func­ Mt. Rushmore convinces her that the proclaiming himself “ashamed” of the tional and ecologically stable society; ancient gods were, indeed, men. The women, announces: “You took five they simply don’t need the men who premise that any change in the male­ thousand of our best women, girls who arrive to “rescue” them, unlike, for dominance pattern will produce either a would have made loving wives and example, the women of Poul Anderson’s vicious and destructive matriarchy, or a wonderful mothers if they had been “Virgin Planet” {Venture, Jan. 1957)

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algol/winter 1978-79 15 who have longed for the day when the mothers) and her situations are convinc­ really out to kill men! In Philip Jose legendary men will arrive to fulfil them. ing. Certainly, too, one of the central Farmer’s “The Lovers,” (Startling Whileaway is also the home of Janet, points which the story makes is that the Stories, Aug. 1952), the story credited the “female man” of Russ’s novel of women in their guerilla camp can’t seem with first introducing mature sexuality that name. Through her, Russ examines to find genuine alternatives to the as a theme in SF, the woman is literally the traditional male role; her rite of Alpha-male-dominated society they an alien, an extraterrestrial insect who passage into adulthood was the killing have rejected; the movement falls apart dies when her human lover tricks her of a wolf; she has born a child and in leadership struggles, while in the into becoming pregnant. In “When I “sired” another; she has a wife, Vittoria; brave new world, no one wants to tend Was Miss Dow” by Sonya Dorman she works as a police officer; and she the cook fires. Genuine extrapolations (Galaxy, June 1966), the “woman” is has killed four people in duels. When of non-patriarchal societies might pro­ also an alien, shape-changed to spy on a asked by a modern earth man, “ ‘Don’t vide such alternatives. Terran scientist; trapped in a female you want men to return to While­ Sam Moskowitz, in his introduction body, she learns human emotions, but away?’ ” she answers, simply, to When Women Rule, conjectures that also the limitations of the female role. “ ‘Why?’ ”33 women’s demands for equality have The most powerful examination of this Whileaway is, of course, a future and influenced the development of the theme, of course, is “The Women Men alternate Earth. An extrapolation closer Amazon theme in the twentieth cen­ Don’t See” by James Tiptree, Jr. to our own time is Kit Reed’s “Songs of tury, and that these stories in turn (F&SF, Dec. 1973). A woman and her War,” {Nova 4, 1974), which follows a reflect fear, on the part of women as daughter choose to leave earth with an number of women who, for different well as men, that “this ‘equality’ ... unknown alien, rather than live as aliens reasons, take part in a small armed will end in domination” by the women. in male society. As Ruth Parsons ex­ uprising. Some are changed; some seek a He continues: “The implication is plains to the protesting liberal-male nar­ new society; some reject men entirely; almost that a male and a female are two rator: “ ‘Women have no rights, Don, some return to their families. Reed completely different species instead of except what men allow us. ... What treats lesbian relationships contemp­ two indispensable sexes of the same women do is survive. We live by ones tuously, and chooses as her central animal” (p.26). Unwittingly, he identi­ and twos in the chinks of your world­ character Sally, a successful artist with a fies another of the major roles women machine.” not even hoping for changes.35 Tiptree, who originally loving husband, who “had negotiated can play in SF: that of aliens. In James her own peace” with the world, and Gunn’s “The Misogynist,” (Galaxy, thought of the women as aliens, later who blames the women’s dissatisfaction Nov. 1952), the premise that women commented in the Khatru symposium on “the human condition,” which, she really are evil aliens is developed as a that “Of course it is not women who are feels, will never change.34 Whether one joke, though like many sexual jokes the aliens. Men are.”36 As is common in agrees with this conclusion or not, stance fails to hide a strong under­ much contemporary SF, the fictional though, Reed’s characters (except for current of fear and hostility; those situation serves as a metaphor for the the caricatured lesbians and super­ women with their cold feet in bed are author’s vision of contemporary society, URSULA K. LEGUIN Specialists In Edited by Joseph D. Olander Science Fiction and Martin Harry Greenberg • Complete Inventory of new U.S. Titles. Ursula K. Le Guin has won international acclaim for her science fiction and fantasy. Strikingly original, brilliantly • Extensive Selection of new British Titles. executed, her novels are characterized by their richness of imagery and language. This latest volume in the • All new Reference and Critical Works. Writers of the 21st Century Series explores the major themes and wide range of ideas that make such • Standing Order Plans tailored to your Requirements. distinguished works as The Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed so emotionally satisfying and intellec­ • Out of Print Search Service. tually exciting. • Largest Stock of Rare and Out of Print Titles in the U.S. Also available in the series: Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and Robert A. Heinlein Each volume: $10.95 cloth, $5.95 paper • Catalogues issued.

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16 algol/winter 1978-79 in which the cultural differences be­ who enters into an unusual, and un­ characters, in the following terms: tween men and women seem insur­ usually happy, group marriage between “ ‘You know, if this story were all mountable. Tiptree is a pseudonym for seven elderly survivors in a joyless fu­ about men it would be a terrific story. Alice B. Sheldon, a psychologist who ture city. But while it’s easy enough for I’m worried about my market. The also writes under the name Raccoona readers to demand that SF show real Female Man had male characters in it, Sheldon. Her story “The Screwfly Solu­ people in a convincing future, it’s rather so men would pick it up and at least tion” (Analog, June 1977) is a powerful harder for writers to find ways to escape open it. But men get very angry ...’ ” examination of men’s alienation from the compelling stereotypes. Charnas adds, “You finish it, it’s not and fear of women, and the ugly cul­ It might even be valuable to re­ hard: ‘to be left out.’ ”37 tural myths of woman’s inferiority that examine the stereotypes, if only to It would be even more valuable to underly civilized societies. really understand their limitations. Then examine the archetypes behind the ster­ Woman as heroine, woman as hero, push the limitations. Alldera of Charnas’ eotypes. The aspects of the Triple God­ woman as alien: we do have plenty of Walk to the End of the World is literally dess, still offer marvelously rich material images of women in SF. Many of them, woman-as-object, totally degraded by for the imagination. The woman-as- however, are degrading to all people, her society; the novel, and its sequel, nurturer image, in particular, is extreme­ and most of them are one-dimensional, Motherlines tell the story of her phys­ ly powerful; for example, in the major­ the lowest common denominator of ical escape, and her gradual growth as a ity of stories in Women of Wonder, the social stereotypes that are already passe. person beyond the limitations of her female protagonist functions in some There are some real women, some real slave mentality. Unfortunately, stereo­ sort of nurturing role, either directly as people who move convincingly off the typed characters and situations are not a mother or indirectly as a space doctor, page—my two current favorites are Odo only easier to write, they are also easier an empath, the person who takes care of of Ursula K. Le Guin’s “The Day Before to get accepted by editors in commer­ others. But why not depict a nurturing the Revolution” (Galaxy, Aug. 1974), cial publishing houses. Charnas reports male? There are examples in our soci­ and Zoe Breedlove of Michael Bishop’s that one woman editor rejected Mother­ ety, but the only ones I can think of in “Old Folks at Home” in Universe 8, lines, which has an all-woman cast of science fiction, offhand, are Jason, the “A MUST-HWC!” THE FICTION OF JAMES TIPTREE, JR., by Gardner Dozois. Cover by Judith Weiss, 37pp., 5'A” x S'/e”, bibliography, paper, $2.50. ISBN 0-916186-04-0;

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DREAMS MUST EXPLAIN reader gets a pleasant feeling of being all aspects of modern science fiction. present at creation” — SFReview “Experiment Perilous: The Art and THEMSELVES, by Ursula K. Le Monthly; “If you are lucky enough to Science of Anguish in Science Fic­ Guin. know the work of Ursula K. Le Guin, tion,” by Marion Zimmer Bradley Cover and Ulus, by Tim Kirk, 39pp., you will enjoy this book” —Boise speaks of the author’s growing know­ 554” x 854”, paper, 2nd pr., $3.00. Statesman; “Anyone interested in writ­ ledge of her craft and the changes SF ing will find a wealth of knowledge has brought to her life; “The Bug Jack ISBN 0-916186-01-6. here” —Delap’s F&SF Review; Barron Papers,” by Norman Spinrad “Recommended”—Locus. concentrates on the battle to write and The title essay appeared in the 10th get published this controversial novel, a anniversary issue of ALGOL, and turning point in the evolution of mod­ speaks of writing, children’s fantasy, ern SF; “Writing and ‘The Demolished and specifically the Earthsea trilogy. EXPERIMENT PERILOUS: Man’,” by Alfred Bester traces the The volume also contains “The Rule of Three Essays on Science Fiction, growth and development of this major Names,” an early story first published by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Nor­ SF work from idea to finished book, as in 1964 and one of the first to feature well as Bester’s ideas on the why and the inhabitants of Earthsea; a map of man Spinrad, and Alfred Bester. how of writing SF. Earthsea; the author’s National Book 33pp., 554” x 854”, paper, $2.50. ISBN “If you don’t have the back issues of Award acceptance speech; and an inter­ 0-916186-02-4. view with the author by Jonathan ALGOL, buy the book” -Richard Ward of CBS Television. Lupoff; “Really excellent” —Khatru. These three essays on SF, reprinted “A brilliant essay” —Fantasaie; “The from the pages of ALGOL, touch on

algol/winter 1978-79 1 7 teacher in Terry Carr’s Cirque (Bobbs- Dec. 1972, pp.121-150. Doubleday, 1973. 6. Sam Lundwall, Science Fiction: What Badami, Mary Kelly. “A Feminist Critique of Merrill, 1977), and Coyote in Paul It's AH About (New York: Ace, 1971), p.143. Science Fiction." Extrapolation vol. 18, Novitski’s “Nuclear Fission,” forth­ 7. Russ, p.54. no. 1, Dec. 1976, pp.6-19. coming in Universe 9. A similar test of 8. Jerry Pournelle, “By What Standard? ” Bankier, Amanda. The Witch and the Cham­ the power and validity of archetypes is Mythologies 11 (Feb. 1977), p.14. eleon. Feminist SF magazine. Apt. 6, 2 9. Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, The Paisley Ave., Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, found in Elizabeth Lynn’s fantasy Mote in God's Eye (New York: Simon and 3/$4. novella, “The Northern Girl,” part of Schuster, 1974), p.245. Bogstad, Janice, and Jeanne Gomoll. Janus. her forthcoming fantasy trilogy, Chron­ 10. George Fergus, “Sex Roles, Biology, Feminist SF magazine, c/o SF^, Box icles of Tornovi. Lynn has taken a and Science Fiction,” Mythologies 11, 1624, Madison, Wl 53701,4/$3. pp.16-34. Carr, Terry. “You’ve Come a Long Way, number of archetypal figures (the 11. Jerry Pournelle, “Afterwords,” Myth­ Baby.” Amazing, Nov. 1975, pp.4-5, warrior, the wise elder, the young per­ ologies 11, pp.35-37. 122-125. son setting out on a quest) and a 12. Robert A. Heinlein, Podkayne of Mars Fergus, George. “A Checklist of SF Novels number of social roles (the politician, (New York: Putnam, 1963), p.190. with Female Protagonists.” Extrapolation 13. Gordon R. Dickson, “Plausibility in vol. 18, no. 2, Dec. 1976, pp.20-27. the teacher) and embodied them all as Science Fiction” in Bretnor, Science Fiction, ------. “Sex Roles, Biology and Science Fic­ women. The result is not only a power­ pp.295-306. tion.” Mythologies 11, Feb. 1977, ful story, but a good deal of stimulus to 14. Ursula K. Le Guin, “American SF and pp.16-35. Ed. Don D’Ammassa, 19 Angell actually think about social roles, sex The Other,” Science-Fiction Studies 7, Nov. Dr., Providence, RI 02914, $1/copy. 1975, p.201. Gower, Kathy. "Science Fiction and roles, and cultural archetypes. 15. J ay gee Carr, “The Ax,” Analog, June Women,” in Margaret Anderson, ed. Are the archetypes familiar to North 1977, pp.74-87. Mother Was Not a Person. Montreal: Black Americans valid for people of other 16. Science Fiction no. 2, June 1939, Rose, 1972, pp.98-101. cultures? Many SF and fantasy writers pp.118-121. Le Guin, Ursula K. “American SF and the 17. Anne McCaffrey, “A Womanly Tal­ Other.” Science-Fiction Studies 7, vol. 2 are turning for inspiration to such ent,” Analog, Feb. 1969, p.39. See also part 3, Nov. 1975 (special Le Guin Issue), “alien” cultures as those of North Lundwall, pp.143-44. pp.208-210. American Indians. Richard Lupoff went 18. McCaffrey, “Romance and Glamour,” Lundwall, Sam. Science Fiction: What It’s AH to Japanese culture for Kishimo, the p.282. About. New York: Ace, 1971. 19. Frank Belknap Long, “Brown,” McCaffrey, Anne. "Romance and Glamour in woman warrior of Sword of the Demon Astounding Science-Fiction, July 1941, Science Fiction,” in Reginald Bretnor, ed., (Harper and Row, 1977). If the first p.147. Science Fiction, Today and Tomorrow. generation of SF writers were primarily 20. Clare Winger Harris, "The Ape Cycle,” New York: Harper and Row, 1974. adventure-story hacks, and the second Science Wonder Quarterly, Spring 1930, Moskowitz, Sam, ed. When Women Rule. New p.402. York: Walker, 1972. generation were the science-trained men 21. M.F. Rupert, “Via the Hewitt Ray,” Pournelle, Jerry. "Afterwords,” Mythologies like Asimov, Heinlein and Clarke, then Science Wonder Quarterly, Spring 1930, 11, Feb. 1977, pp.35-37. perhaps the third generation, women p.377. ------. "By What Standard? ” Notes From the and men, can be cultural anthro­ 22. Robert Graves, The White Goddess, Chemistry Department 13, Sept. 1975; revised edition (London: Faber and Faber, rpt. Mythologies 11, Feb. 1977, pp.11-15. pologists and sociologists, genuinely 1964), p.14. Russ, Joanna. "Images of Women in Science examining new forms of social organ­ 23. Samuel R. Delany, “We, In Some Fiction.” Red Clay Reader, 1971; rpt. in izations in the only fiction that allows Strange Power’s Employ ...” (revision of Susan Koppelman Cornillon, ed., Images us to play god. Between observing “Lines of Power,” Magazine of Fantasy and of Women in Fiction: Feminist Perspec­ Science Fiction, May 1968) in his Driftglass tives. Revised edition. Bowling Green: people on buses and in the supermarket, (New York: Doubleday, 1971), p.182. Popular Press, 1973, pp.79-94. Also Ver­ and drawing on all the cultural resources 24. Henry Kuttner, "The Time Trap,” tex, Feb. 1974, pp.53-57. available as alternates to North Amer­ Marvel Science Stories, Nov. 1938, p.79. ------. "Outta Space: Women Write Science ican society here-and-now, surely a good 25. Sewell Peaslee Wright, “Priestess of the Fiction.” Ms., Jan. 1976, pp.109-111. Flame,” Astounding, June 1932, p.410. Salmonson, Jessica Amanda. Windhaven, “a writer ought to be able to stimulate her 26. Lester del Rey, "Helen O’Loy,” matriarchal fanzine.” Atalanta Press, Box imagination beyond the Princess, the Astounding Science-Fiction, Dec. 1938, 5688, University Station, Seattle, WA Priestess and the Galactic Kitchen Sink. p.119. 98105, $1.50/copy. 27. Lester del Rey, Interview, Science Sanders, Scott. "Invisible Men and Women: As to how, that’s summed up by a Fiction Review 18, Aug. 1976, p.10. The Disappearance of Character in Science speaker in Monique Wittig’s Amazon 28. Robert A. Heinlein, “Space Jockey,” Fiction.” Science-Fiction Studies 11, vol. novel, Les Guerilleres (1969; Viking, Saturday Evening Post, April 26, 1947; re­ 4 part 1, March 1977, pp.1 4-24. 1971): printed in The Green Hills of Earth (Chicago: Sargent, Pamela, ed. Women of Wonder. New There was a time when you were not a slave, Shasta, 1951), p.51. York: Vintage, 1975. remember that. You walked alone, full of 29. Russ, p.55. ------, ed. More Women of Wonder. New 30. Arthur K. Barnes, Interplanetary laughter, you bathed bare-bellied. You say York: Vintage, 1976. you have lost all recollection of it, remember. Hunter (New York: Ace, 1972), p.1 3. Smith, Jeffrey D., ed. “Women in Science 31. de Montalvo, Garcia Ordonez, “The The wild roses flower in the woods. Your Fiction: a Symposium.” Khatru 3/4, Queen of California,” trans. Edward Everett hand is torn on the bushes gathering the pp.4-125. 1339 Weldon Ave., Baltimore, Hale, in Sam Moskowitz, ed., When Women mulberries and strawberries you refresh your­ MD 21211, $2.50. Rule (New York: Walker, 1972), p.54. self with. You run to catch the young hares 32. David H. Keller, M.D., “The Feminine that you flay with stones from the roccs to Other relevant literary/social material: Metamorphosis,” Science Wonder Stories, cut them up and eat them all hot and Fiedler, Leslie. Love and Death in the Amer­ bleeding.... You say there are no words to Aug. 1929, p. ican Novel. New York: Criterion, 1960. 33. Joanna Russ, The Female Man (New describe this time, you say it does not exist. Firestone, Shulamith. The Dialectic of Sex. But remember. Make an effort to remember. York: Bantam, 1975), p.10. New York: William Morrow, 1970. Or, failing that, invent.38 ■ 34. Kit Reed, “Songs of War,” in Harry Graves, Robert. The White Goddess. Revised Harrison, ed., Nova 4 (New York: Manor, edition. London: Faber, 1964. 1975), p.51. Greer, Germaine. The Female Eunuch. Lon­ NOTES 35. James Tiptree, Jr., “The Women Men don: Palladin, 1971. 1. Joanna Russ, “The Image of Women in Don’t See,” The Magazine of Fantasy and Hardwick, Elizabeth. Seduction and Betrayal: Science Fiction,” Vertex, Feb. 1974, p.57. Science Fiction, Dec. 1973, p.21. Women and Literature. New York: Ran­ 2. Pamela Sargent, ed., Women of Wonder 36. James Tiptree, Jr., Khatru 3/4 (Nov. dom House, 1974. (New York: Vintage, 1975). 1975), p.61. Koppelman Cornillon, Susan, ed. Images of 3. Anne McCaffrey, “Romance and Glam­ 37. Suzy McKee Charnas, Janus vol. 3 no. Women in Fiction: Feminist Perspectives. our in Science Fiction,” in Reginald Bretnor, 2, June 1977, p.40. Revised edition. Bowling Green: Popular ed., Science Fiction, Today and Tomorrow 38. Monique Wittig, Les Guerrileres, trans. Press, 1973. (New York: Penguin, 1975), p.279. David Le Vay (New York: Avon, 1973), p.89. Rule, Jane. Lesbian Images. New York: 4. Gregory Benford, “Nobody Lives Doubleday, 1975. Around There,” Vertex, Feb. 1974, pp.72-75, Bibliography: Women and Science 94. 5. Keith Laumer, “The Garbage Invasion,” Fiction The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Aldiss, Brian .B/7//on Year Spree. New York:

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