Science Fiction Finds A New Muse: Feminism

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In the early days of science fiction literature, women authors were at the forefront of the genre. In the article “Science Fiction Finds a New Muse: Feminism,” David Levesley argues that there is a distinct difference between science fiction television and science fiction literature, also known as “fantastical literature”: “While sci-fi TV that bases its lore on feminist ideas and gender studies is still developing, it has long been the case for fantastical literature.” Deven Maloney echoes this sentiment in the article “The Most Feminist Moments in Scifi History.” Maloney cites two novels by women authors that embody the spirit of early science fiction literature: Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, and Herland, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Both …show more content…

Heroines are fewer and farther between than heroes, and when women are represented in science fiction, they are often highly sexualized or otherwise objectified. Despite his earlier exploration of important women science fiction writers, Levesley admits that in the realms of television and film, “sci-fi and fantasy that is actually motivated by the issues surrounding women is a rarity.” Nowhere is this lack of adequate representation more obvious than in the world-famous science fiction franchise Star Trek. Star Trek first premiered almost fifty years ago, and since then, films, syndicated television series, and novels have kept the series alive for generations of fans worldwide. The first Star Trek series, called merely Star Trek in its time and later named Star Trek: The Original Series, features only two regular female characters, and only one of those a main character: Lt. Nyota Uhura, played by Nichelle Nichols. Lt. Uhura’s job is to relay transmissions to the heroes of the starship Enterprise, Captain James Kirk and Mr. Spock. The other regular female character is Nurse Christine Chapel, played by Majel Barrett. Despite the groundbreaking aspect of Lt. Uhura’s character – Nichols was the first African-American star of a science fiction television show and one of the only African-American women on primetime television – it is difficult to look critically at her character without pointing out that her job essentially amounts to secretarial work in space. Likewise, Barrett’s character was a nurse: in the 1960s, nursing and secretarial work were two of the only career options available for women, and neither position involved leadership or the possibility of promotion. In “Keep On Trekkin’: Star Trek and the Legacy of Female Fandom,” Tammy Oler argued

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