What is Science Fiction? A woman’s point of view

Many readers and bill-collectors have noticed that my complete and exhaustive definition of Science Fiction did not adequately explore or represent the woman’s point of view. The reason for this is, I don’t know any women except my Mom. I am, after all, a Science Fiction guy, or, as we like to call ourselves, the Crew of the Starship U.S.S. Hufflepuff.

But this is the Internet! Thanks to the miracle of high-speed robotic communications, anything I type into my Interociter, or whatever this machine is, can be instantly interpreted by Skynet or Colossus as a destroy-mankind command. Also, women of the feminine persuasion, whom we would otherwise never meet in Real Life, can write illuminating follow-up articles to alleviate the gender-imbalance caused by an insufficiently sensitive genderification of gender issues that impact on gender areas, as really painful as that sounds. Any way, she’s a girl and she writes SF, and I hope she plays D&D. I think the 4th edition SUXXX because they depowered Beholders, which used to be a real kickyourass monster.

What do, in fact, women want from a man? Let us turn to the covers of old pulp ‘zines and find out. With no further ado, the illustrious Nebula-award nominated Amy Sterling Casil  shares her insights and observations: The Competition.

 

A woman wants a man who’s in-charge.

   

You know – the kind of guy who knows smoking is bad for your health, and isn’t about to put up with something like that in his space pad.

A few bruises are obviously worth what’s in store for you, ladies, if you get into it with Mr. Anger Management.

 

A girl really appreciates a man who’s in control of the situation.  It’s the biggest turn-on ever to have him order dinner and drinks, and later, pick out just the right moment to lower your naked, heaving body into a vat of boiling tomato juice.

Myself, I say no wonder that guy is the  Hermit of Mars, if he goes around grabbing va-voom glamorous Space Redheads in that fashion. Maybe cigarettes interfere with the air filtration unit or something. And why is that naked dame “The Girl Who Loved Death’? There is a relationship that is not going to end well. If I were she, I’d much rather be known as “The Girl Who Loved NOT Getting Immersed In A Vat of Boiling Tomato Juice.”

As they say, read the whole thing.

About John C Wright

John C. Wright is a practicing philosopher, a retired attorney, newspaperman, and newspaper editor, and a published author of science fiction. Once a Houyhnhnm, he was expelled from the august ranks of purely rational beings when he fell in love; but retains an honorary title.

July 1, 2008 @ 2:14 pm

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