Dragaera

Gender Distributions in SF & F

Ruhlen, Rachel Louise (UMC-Student) RuhlenR at missouri.edu
Wed Jan 29 14:55:04 PST 2003


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Michele Riccio [mailto:mr1 at rcosta.com] 
> Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2003 4:34 PM
> To: dragaera at dragaera.info
> Subject: RE: Gender Distributions in SF & F
> 
> 
> 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 ;-)

I enjoyed your commentary but do you have any answers to the original
question of why? I didn't.

Rachel