Feminist Futures: Women in Science Fiction Education

In her essay, “Teaching Science Fiction by Women” Donawerth suggests the benefits of teaching science fiction written by female writers. This way, she argues, students will better understand the genre. She also sees science fiction written by women as an encouragement for female students to write their books or stories, so when science fiction is taught in schools, it is taught equally to everyone in the class, but when it comes to the writing process, it is like only male students can write stories because society thinks only men can be successful. That is why it carries a big importance for female students. At the beginning of her essay, she explains the history of science fiction and women.

The first author she mentions is Mary Shelley and her book "Frankenstein". This book is seen as one of the first works of science fiction. Then, she explains the history of science fiction by giving examples from other works. “Before science fiction was recognized as a separate genre, it was anticipated in the many technological utopias written by women” (Donawerth 39). As she says, these works were written between the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries when science fiction was not yet a separate genre. She gives an example of one of these books; Mary Bradley Lane's "Mizora: A Prophecy", - this novel is considered the first feminist technological utopia, a women-only society that is self-reliant. - and so on.

Later, she tells the fact that the first science fiction short story was Clare Winger Harris's "The Fate of the Poseidonia" and that was not a utopia. What is interesting here is what the editor of this author talks about women writers. He made an antifeminist comment that women are incapable of writing science fiction. Looking at this essay and the science fiction written by women who have survived to the present day, we see how wrong the editor was. Also, she informs us that for some years women writers published her works under other names- probably in male names.

Then, under the title of "Benefits of Teaching Science Fiction by Women", she emphasizes the importance of science fiction written by women in schools. She says that this kind of writing is encouraging for students and that female students may think that they also have the potential to become writers themselves. She gives suggestions for classroom activities. For example, students can write their science fiction or utopias, and then discuss that. She also mentions group activities for both male and female students to better understand the genre and suggests that the teacher should implement these activities in the classroom. After these suggestions, she explains a few works written by some male authors and what they are about. The common thing about these works is that they are written from a completely anti-feminist point of view about women and children. This is why works and Science Fiction books written by women need to be read much more and taught in classrooms. “Teaching science fiction by women writers will add to discussions not only the possibilities of women becoming scientists but also the awareness of important contemporary issues, such as changes in gender roles, alternative methods of childcare, and the importance of empathy and communication, rather than aggression, for resolving human problems.” (Donawerth 41). 

Donawerth concludes her essay by giving some examples of short stories and novels written by women that should be included in the curriculum of science fiction classes. The 5 short stories she recommends are C. L. Moore's "No Woman Born", Judith Merril’s "That Only A Mother", Anne McCaffrey's "The Ship Who Sang", Pamela Zoline's "Heat Death of the Universe", Alice Bradley Sheldon’s -with the pseudonym James Tiptree, Jr. "The Women Men Don’t See".

The 5 science fiction novels she recommends are Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein", Ursula K. Le Guin's novella "The Eye of the Heron", Monica Hughes’ "The Keeper of the Isis Light", Alice Martha Lightner’s "The Day of the Drones", and Vonda McIntyre's "Barbary".

When recommending these 10 works, she also provides information about their themes and plots. If you are interested in a deeper analysis and her suggestions, you can find the essay link in the title, and if you would like to explore and read the books themselves, simply use the links I have attached to their titles. :)

Work Cited

Donawerth, Jane. “Teaching Science Fiction by Women.” The English Journal, March 1990, Vol. 79, No. 3, pp. 39-46. Published by National Council of Teachers of English.