So, the other night I am watching the exciting 2 hour finale of the shortened season of Sarah Conner Chronicles (I am deeply disappointed by their idea of climax), when my wife turns to me and sez….”you know, I don’t much care for this show. It’s too noisy.” OK, she was tired and when I am in viewer mode I am an angry troll, but maybe she was right. More importantly maybe the bias goes much deeper than that. Movies and Television are perpetuating a nasty gender bias that has infected Science Fiction almost from its beginnings. Girls and Sci Fi don’t mix. EVER. That bias extends to Girls, Chicks, Women, Babes, Superheroes, Supervillains, Regular Villains, Sidekicks, Bimbo’s…….whatever. More amazingly, this bias extends across gender lined within fandom. How interesting? Let’s take a look.You got your Batman, Superman, Hulk, Ironman(coming soon!) The Wonder Woman project has been shelved 4 times already and chances are less than slim it will ever see a fully realized script. Supergirl was simply nauseating. What ever happened to She-Hulk? And of course, if you dare to have a strong woman, you are honor bound to kill her off, ala Jean Grey. Vicki Vale? Arm candy at its worst. The exception that proves the rule is River Tam, damaged goods to be sure, but strong. We saved the cheerleader……for what? Kring better have a payoff for that in the fall.
So Movies and television perpetuate the stigma that began in The Golden Age of Science Fiction, when female authors routinely changed their names to be able to sell in this market. Glance through the required reading of the Golden Age/Silver Age/Present, Asimov, Hienlien, Clarke, Bradbury, Bova, Goulart and Robinson. You will find some exceptions but for the most part it’s a NO GIRLS CLUB. Even the female readers/viewers have a more than traditional bias against female protagonists.
Yes, I am a River Tam/Cameron fan. She creeps me out and sends shivers through me all at the same time. Yes, I would have loved to have seen Charisma Carpenter as Wonder Woman. My Aliens 1,2and 3 dvd’s are all worn out (Species?…..not sayin’ nothing. Will deny I ever owned them……) Yes I am in love with Lady Callihan.
This Dome saying, I am declaring the Sci Fi War against Women officially over. Let the good times roll! And a big Hi to all our friends at NHPR.
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