Dragaera

Gender Distributions in SF & F

Michele Riccio mr1 at rcosta.com
Wed Jan 29 14:34:14 PST 2003

On 29 Jan 2003 at 12:22, Davis, Iain E. wrote
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Andrew Lias [mailto:anrwlias at hotmail.com] 
> 
> > So... why?  Why do women, especially young women, tend to 
> > avoid science 
> > fiction while embracing fantasy?
> > 
> > I'm curious to hear everyone's.
> ...opinion?
> 
> I'd be more interested in commentary from the women (on this list) on
> the subject. :)

As a female I shall take that as an invitation.  

I got an early start in SF - I read Asimov's "Ugly Little Boy" in first 
grade.  I was absolutely delighted when I found it again in high 
school.  After that a friend of mine (male) suggested Clarke, 
Bradbury and LeGuin.  I was read mostly hard SF (and Vonnegut - 
who prefers not to be categorized as SF)  until junior year when I 
branched out and started reading more fantasy: Tolkien, Jack 
Chalker, Piers Anthony.  When I got to college a friend started 
loaning me McCaffery.  

Then I stumbled onto Brust and, well, I no longer have to read 
anything else ;-)

M