Those of you who read science fiction might get a kick out of the current controversy over the SFWA bulletins. Just search SFWA on google or twitter, but above all, howl with laughter over this post by Foz Meadows:
http://fozmeadows.wordpress.com/2013/06/02/old-men-yelling-at-clouds-sfwa-lunacy/
Now, back to me (Sorry for editing that in, but some people have reminded me to remind others the above post was not my own):
Yes, ladies, I know you might get upset, but I am female and I am not particularly upset over it. Why not?
I prefer jerks to declare themselves openly.
What I am upset about is that the sexism is rampant. By sexism, I don't care that men slobber over bewbies or write/paint/design covers with so many sexual motifs. I've written a few comments about how extensively ladies laugh at 'penis compensation' motifs in sci fi, from Dune's giant worms to the tiny fighters penetrating and destroying the huge, ova-like Death Star. I've even wondered about Huxley's Brave New World and Asimov's Naked Sun as possible references to how the oldtimers prefer a future in which wimminz are not needed at all. I tried to be conciliatory at the end and say "Writers write. Hopefully, they also explain. If you have a babe with melon-sized tits in space armor, at least please explain how she manages to get around them when firing her laser rifle."
No, by sexism I mean two things. First, the assumption that female writers who write science fiction, even science fiction ROMANCE, do not do it 'as well' or 'properly' as the men and thus 'water down' the genre as a form of substantive literature. Second, that men freely, in public and in 'authoritative' publications such as the SFWA Bulletin, think talking about a woman writer or editor's beauty has any value. Sure, she may be beautiful, and if you love women and their beauty, good for you! But keep it out of a professional discussion, please!
I'm all "Vive la difference". I love men, I love slobbering over half-nekkid pics of them, I totally adore flirting with them. But if the discussion turns professional, that's when I drop the 'hot babe' aspect of my personality and morph into 'data-mining philosopher'. It is unfortunate that so often I end a professional discussion with the thought, "Wow, another man who actually took me seriously."
http://fozmeadows.wordpress.com/2013/06/02/old-men-yelling-at-clouds-sfwa-lunacy/
Now, back to me (Sorry for editing that in, but some people have reminded me to remind others the above post was not my own):
Yes, ladies, I know you might get upset, but I am female and I am not particularly upset over it. Why not?
I prefer jerks to declare themselves openly.
What I am upset about is that the sexism is rampant. By sexism, I don't care that men slobber over bewbies or write/paint/design covers with so many sexual motifs. I've written a few comments about how extensively ladies laugh at 'penis compensation' motifs in sci fi, from Dune's giant worms to the tiny fighters penetrating and destroying the huge, ova-like Death Star. I've even wondered about Huxley's Brave New World and Asimov's Naked Sun as possible references to how the oldtimers prefer a future in which wimminz are not needed at all. I tried to be conciliatory at the end and say "Writers write. Hopefully, they also explain. If you have a babe with melon-sized tits in space armor, at least please explain how she manages to get around them when firing her laser rifle."
No, by sexism I mean two things. First, the assumption that female writers who write science fiction, even science fiction ROMANCE, do not do it 'as well' or 'properly' as the men and thus 'water down' the genre as a form of substantive literature. Second, that men freely, in public and in 'authoritative' publications such as the SFWA Bulletin, think talking about a woman writer or editor's beauty has any value. Sure, she may be beautiful, and if you love women and their beauty, good for you! But keep it out of a professional discussion, please!
I'm all "Vive la difference". I love men, I love slobbering over half-nekkid pics of them, I totally adore flirting with them. But if the discussion turns professional, that's when I drop the 'hot babe' aspect of my personality and morph into 'data-mining philosopher'. It is unfortunate that so often I end a professional discussion with the thought, "Wow, another man who actually took me seriously."
