Reporting on Electron-Free Friday and Other Matters

[rolanni]

We took yesterday off. Yes, we are grasshoppers. No, the work in hand did not evaporate while we were gone, more's the pity.

Despite this, we had an excellent day, driving down to Old Orchard Beach in the early and dry Maine morning. Once there, we discovered to our dismay that our favorite restaurant has put its opening time back an hour, no doubt in response to the eons of rain driving tourists away in droves, so we had the opportunity to explore another restaurant. After, our walk on the beach was enlivened by watching a small-boat come into the very breakers to pick up two passengers and take them out to the fishing boat anchored just beyond. A curious thing altogether, as we didn't receive news of the closure of clam flats due to the red tide until somewhat later in the day.

It was also a fine morning for watching dogs chase balls. Dogs are silly.

Since we were doing things we didn't usually do, we decided to go to the zoo, so off to York's Wild Kingdom we drove, only to find the gate fee of $14.50 per each too rich for our blood, white tiger or no white tiger.

Back to the car we went, wandering across to Eliot eventually, hoping to find our sometime associates Ms. Crowell and Mr. McIntosh to hand. Alas, they were elsewhere. We left a card and moved on.

We came home by not-exactly-the-straight-route, stopping for dunch, or possibly linner, at the Lucky Panda, and so to home.

Today's first task is to try to unravel our preliminary WorldCon schedules, which are. . .complex. I am, for instance, scheduled for a panel against Steve's signing, which seems. . .less than optimal for everyone, since I have no signing. Though I guess a book signed by only one of us could be a collectible.

I discover that I'm moderating two panels, which for one is absolutely perfect, since I expect we're talking about TV/movie kick-ass chicks*, of whom I know slightly less than nothing, and so will be able to ask questions of those more knowledgeable than myself. (*In my day, Nancy Drew lived in a series of books and wasn't exactly kick-ass, though she was certainly feistier than other heroines held up for girls to admire. I'm guessing, but cannot prove, that the recent movie "fixed" that.)

The other panel -- Why are there so few older female characters in SF? -- poses a question worth exploring, though as a moderator I feel I would like more than the viewpoint of three aunt-aged ladies (myself included) represented. Perhaps the moderator may need to draft someone from the audience. *evil grin*

There's also the puzzlement of how this WorldCon envisions readings. I'm scheduled for an early-con reading with two other writers, both excellent fellows; while Steve is scheduled to read very late in the con with yet another excellent fellow. Since Steve and I usually read together, this particular question has never come up before.

In health news, MRI of the knee is scheduled for Tuesday evening. I am cautioned to wear clothes without zippers or metal buttons. I have no pull-on clothing; I no longer even own the all-purpose denim skirt. *feels like an idiot for having to buy clothes to get an MRI in* The post-MRI doctor visit is scheduled for the afternoon of July 29, a work-day, of course, so I have to reschedule myself again or get another doctor's appointment -- in September. Grrr...

After I parse the WorldCon schedule, I'm headed for the couch to finish reading Saltation, so I can be up-to-the-minute for tomorrow's big Story Meeting.

The mail has arrived; royalty check still AWOL. *looks at checkbook. winces*

Hope everyone is having a lovely Caturday.

Comments

Re: "Why are there so few older female characters in SF?"

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Actually, it's the convention's panel, and as far as possible, the panelists play fair with the convention's intent.

Sometimes, panelists need to get creative, because the convention has asked a question that is too shallow, too broad, or frames the question as a yes/no and all the panelists immediately come down on one side. (Example: Can writers dispense with characters in Hard SF stories? Answer from four panelists, in series: No. Hard to fill up 55 minutes that way.)

The question posed by the con this time is: Aunts in Spaceships: Why are there so few older female characters in SF?

As you note, this is a Trick Question, because it supposes that there are few older female characters in SF. Certainly, the panelists will need to examine the supposition before we can discuss Why. I would expect the panel's examination to include both lead and secondary characters, as well as the question, Fewer than What?

I do think that there are less older women leads, but I don't know if it is a simple question of ageism, as you suggest. It seems to me that the stated ages of men in SF is less important, but that may be my bias.

Re: "Why are there so few older female characters in SF?"

[(Anonymous)]

Others have mentioned my 1st thoughts - E. Moon's "Aunts and Lady Admirals ...". I would add Schmitz' "Agent of Vega", and several of Anne McCaffrey's characters not yet mentioned - Lessa and many other Pernese females in weyr, hold or crafthall were strong characters.
Also can't forget Killashandra - yes, she was in her teens when we first meet her, but we also see her at several hundred years of age.

Savil Ashkevron, Kerowyn, Tarma & Kethry, and don't forget Hydrona, all from M. Lackey's Valdemar (and related) novels.

Linnea Sinclair often uses mature, experienced females (ship captains ..) as her protagonists.

More obscure - Chairiste Ni Cummen from Baudino's Gossamer Axe.

I also like Mother Lenka, from Ringo's Paladin of Shadows novels.
Brom

Re: "Why are there so few older female characters in SF?"

[mothadventures.livejournal.com]

Yes, a trick question indeed! And each time I read the concom's title for the panel I come up with different interpretations. Is it "Why are there few older females in SF, aka 'Aunts in Spaceships'" or is it "Why are older female characters in SF usually 'Aunts in Spaceships'"?

To me, the "Aunts in Spaceships" implies a supporting character, not one of the major ones. But that may be a bias of the implication "Aunt" often has had in current general usage. You commented that it seemed to you that the stated ages of men in SF (are) less important... I think that's true in current general usage as well, that the age of older men is viewed as less important than the age of older women. Just look at popular culture, movies, TV, etc for examples.

Taking my original list of titles and breaking it down into two categories, one where the female is a supporting character and one where they are more prominent, I get this:

Supporting:
- Lessa from the Pern books
- Clarissa from "Children of the Lens"
- Nadia from "Spacehounds of IPC"
- Jessica from Dune (along with a lot of other Reverend Mothers, Fremen like the Shadout Mapes, etc)

Major:
- Many of the women in the Heris Serrano universe
- Ari Senior from Cyteen
- Pyanfar Chanur from the Pride of Chanur and others (if we're not limiting it to human females)
- Hilda from "Number of the Beast"
- Lunzie and Sassinak from Generation Warriors
- Kethry, Tarma, and Kerowyn in "By the Sword"


In those categories, five out of the six "major" characters were written by women. Three of the four I list as supporting were written by male authors. The fourth, Lessa, is written by a female ...and I had to think about it before I called her "supporting" -- the reason I did is that when she was a lead she was young; in the later books, when she is older, she's a supporting character only.

This leads me to two thoughts: are lead females primarily written by women authors, and their representation in SF is biased by the number of women authors, as Lauretta noted in her comment? And, if we are introduced to a major female character when she is young, does she stay a major character as she ages? Is the same true for male characters?

This sounds like it's going to be a fun panel.