I'm taking a class called Science-Fiction, The Future as History. I'm supposed to write a paper on Gender Roles and Sexuality in Sci-Fi, but the book my teacher suggested, "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula Le Guin, is incredibly boring. I just can't work with it. I'm also working with "A Handmaid's tale", which seems better, but I'm only a few pages in. Anyway, our minimum requirements are two novels, one short story and a movie. I'm also hoping I can pull in Torchwood somehow, but I'm still waiting for my teacher to accept that as Sci-Fi and not fantasy. So any suggestion about novels, movies, short-stories, anime, TV-series and whatever would be really helpful. Also any thoughts on the subject would be great. To be honest, I’m also a bit unsure of what he wants me to do about sexuality. This was one of many topics I could choose from, and while I get gender roles, sexuality has me a bit stomped. I talked to my teacher about it, but he thought I should interpret it myself… Maybe the lack of realistic female sexuality and homosexuality, as the genre is predominately written by straight males.
I haven't read this book yet, but i think its definitely along the lines of what your looking for, and it appears to be pretty unique. The Sex Gates.
I can't see how anyone could deny that Torchwood is science fiction. I would agree that there are elements of Fantasy in it, but it seems more science fiction than anything else to me.
As soon as I saw the thread title I was thinking of this Heinlein novel. It's one of his later novels, and therefore a bit of a chore to wade through the word flood. But it is thought provoking, and a worthwhile read.
Actually, a lot of Heinlein's later work deals with sexuality, not just I Will Fear No Evil. Heinlein seems to have become obsessed with the subject in his later years.
Yes, many of his fans (and his detractors) refer to his later writing as his "dirty old man" years. Still, I Will Fear No Evil is one of his more memorable novels.
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman is a great book that has some strong themes of sexuality throughout. (Mainly who, where, and why.) It may not be quite what you are looking for, but I wouldn't disregard it. Good luck!
Geeeeezzzzz, science fiction can be so #$%*ing weird. There is a short story in this one about a guy having sex with a robot girl. Erotic Fantasy: Tales Of The Paranormal By Justus Roux
Every Day by David Levithan specifically deals with gender in a Science Fiction setting, although it is not set in the future. It's a beautiful book.
I have not read much purely sci-fi but I have found little character development present in those I have read. There seems to be a pall of suppressed desire and misery in most popular sci-fi in such films as Aliens, 2001 etc. Most human space exploration stories are a bunch of sociopathic miseries drifting through space.
"The Handmaid's Tale" is excellent, you should consider reading it regardless. "1984" also comes to mind.
Set for yourself a matrix of different ways gender/sexuality are used. For instance, is there gender inversion? By that I mean, is there a place where a female character takes a dominant sexual role against a male, such as penetrating him with a sword or knife. In that same idea, is there inversion in where roles are presented one way, and then later on in the story, a female takes a male role? That can then be compared to other literature to see general inversions of roles. Keep an eye out for space (not, outerspace, just, space). Are there spaces that are specific to men and women? If so, is that space violated and how does it affect the character both in general, but also in any kind of sexual aggression or redefining of sexuality for her. Is she treated more like a male now because she has entered a "male" space? Also look for the same in males. Do they violate feminine space? Is there space that men can go that women can't, or women can go that men can't? What does that say about gender ideas and concepts? Then there is specifically issues of penetration. Often times in gender studies penetration, whether by army, by weapon, or physically/sexually, is interpreted through phallic connotations. Think about how many stories have the head of an army killed, and the army falls apart? Gender studies look at that, and some will say that the destruction of the leader is actually emasculation, rendering the entire penetrating organ useless (in this case, the army). Penetration is often used to invert issues of space and gender. Those are just a few concepts. If you need some more direction, I can give you a few authors that have written gender based critiques of stories (Greek and Roman, in this case), so you can see how they address the issues. Hope that helps.
Well...if it's about sexual roles then I think Stranger in a Strange Land, or, Friday, might be as good, maybe even better.
As far as movies: Solaris. Adjustment Bureau. And even Inception, touch upon the whole sex role thing. But if your thinking strong female leads: Sara Conner, in the Termanator II. Leeloo, in The Fifth Element. And of course, Ripley from the Alien movies.
I'd forgive him for bumping the dead, as I really did benefit from the titles mentioned. I wish the OP would tell us what happened with his project in the end, though.
When it comes to movies my brother says try Star Trek. You have so many shows to work with as well as the movies.
I see several people mentioned Heinlein. He has a short story called "All You Zombies". That's an interesting one to look into. Deals with sex change operations, as Heinlein would have imagined those.
I'm personally a bit touched by this very subject and I'm happy it's been brought up. By the way, I'm Tim...and just signed up today! (nerves, keep at bay!). Someone briefly mentioned the 'Ripley' character from the Alien film series. I've been a fan of this particular plotline since I was a pre-teen, and was absolutely immersed in the struggle and torment (and power) of this timeless woman. I happen to be a fan of "victorious underdog" themes, and I think that women taking on heroic roles is something that is *still* undervalued in western culture, though token appearences do rear their heads from time to time. In my view though, not often enough. While gender plays a huge part, for me it's mostly about the downtrodden, or the weaker, finding their own inner vitality, persevering through toil all the way to ultimate triumph. For me, Ripley personifies this archetype to a "T". Sadly (and unfairly IMO), the writers of the story decided to "kill her off", replacing her with a hybrid character no longer reflecting the righteous survivor of the first 2 and 3/4 of the series. But such is the trend displayed in today's successful movies. Still, I miss seeing films where the good guy (or girl) wins. Films like "The Descent" are very typical now, where no matter how hard the underdog tries, the bad guy wins. I think it reflects where we are now as a culture.
I have a question that kind of fits in this thread. If you clone a female version of yourself so you can have sex with that clone, would the clone be like your sister since you both have the same genes? I did some research about strange stories about sex; like books about robots getting preganent, beastility, and machines giving men orgasms. It's like people are going to do some werid !@#$ in the future.
Isaac Asimov wrote a little song he called "The Clone Song" to be sung to the tune of "Home on the Range." It's Isaac Asimov's, not mine, and I hope the mods don't mind if I post it here: Oh, give me a clone Of my own flesh and bone With its Y chromosome changed to X And after it's grown Then my own little clone Will be of the opposite sex. (Chorus) Clone, clone of my own With its Y chromosome changed to X And when I'm alone With my own little clone We will both think of nothing but sex. Oh, give me a clone Is my sorrowful moan, A clone that is wholly my own. And if she's X-X And the feminine sex Oh, what fun we will have when we're prone. My heart's not of stone, As I've frequently shown When alone with my own little X And after we've dined, I am sure we will find Better incest than Oedipus Rex. Why should such sex vex Or disturb or perplex Or induce a disparaging tone? After all, don't you see Since we're both of us me When we're having sex, I'm alone. And after I'm done She will still have her fun For I'll clone myself twice ere I die. And this time without fail They'll be both of them male And they'll each ravage her by and by.
^ Haha, funnieh! Wait... why would one rather have sex with their own clone than some other person who's also non-relative? hc masturbation? I'd feel exactly like having sex with a brother. It's extra gross cos I actually have a real brother too.
