Runaway Robot

[spygrl1]

Someone asked me recently how I got interested in science-fiction; he assumed, wrongly I think, that sci-fi is rarely read by women. Sexism aside, it jogged my memory. The first science-fiction book I remember vividly is Runaway Robot by Lester Del Rey. My grandmother bought it from a yard sale (possibly for my brother rather than for me, but since

Comments

[xiquatic]

Mainstream American media portrays science fiction as a "subculture of basement-dwelling retards" that no self-respecting woman would want to be associated with.

Look at some of the so-called 'mainstream' portrayals of comic book fans, Star Trek fans, etc, etc. Look at how Star Trek fans are portrayed on virtually any sitcom. Look at how Star Trek fans are shown on Saturday Night Live. Rightly or wrongly, comic books and Star Trek are portrayed as the end-all, be-all of science fiction. I think women are privately rejoicing that they are not being portrayed by the media as fans of sci-fi. It's basically saying that women are not portrayed by American media as "socially retarded losers".

[spygrl1]

Yeah, public depictions of sci-fi and fantasy fandom tend to go for the easy punchlines, looking at the extremes.

And to put this in context, this guy also said, "Wow, you still read?" Because apparently he has not read a book for pleasure since he was 12.

[xiquatic]

I think it's awesome that you read sci-fi but it's just portrayed so negatively I wonder how many other women are going to give it a chance.

Sci-fi is definitely the red-headed stepchild of modern fiction.