Sci-Fi Ladies

[Sqaure_Eyes77]

Behold! I’m preparing some research on women and their representation within the Science Fiction genre (as you do:P), and I suspect you've probably already been bombarded with questions but oh well. Firstly, let’s jog that memory of the oldies and the more modern ones. Now, one circulating theory is that women within film are passive - non active – they are the objects rather than subjects that are typically male.

However, do you think modern Science Fiction films seem to, or intend to, break this? With the iconic example of Alien’s Ripley, this seems to be true, and various other characters compared to the old B-movie’s damsel-in-distress. Can you speculate why women are being presented as active subjects in the Science Fiction genre? And, is this more so in Science Fiction than other genres?

Lastly, do we (and your gender counts:P), identify with female leads and active females – the so called “cross-gender identification.” Is this more so if the female acts like a man? And in reverse.

I hope that all isn’t too confusing…just some prompts for a hopeful discussion.:P

[Dave]

Do you attend the same College as Star Scream?
Women representation in sci-fi films... Any opinions please!

Originally Posted by Sqaure_Eyes77

I suspect you've probably already been bombarded with questions but oh well.

Yes, I'm getting that impression!

[Sqaure_Eyes77]

Nope, but we're all after a decent life by trying to make the grade. Darn, 'twas too late for me. I'd copy but I'm sure the board would get me for collating someone else's evidence.

Anywho, I've got a good list of examples. I'm more interested in speculating the why - it's very simple that the studio's could cast men, instead of women, hence the "Action Heroine" but, it seems that Sci-Fi is demonstrating a trend of strong, active women in this genre. Why do you think this is? Wouldn't a man be more appropriate? Do you respect, admire, hate this? Let's get some juicy discussion flowing! (again...o.o)

[BookStop]

It mirrors societies' views about women doesn't it. Until the feminist movement of the 60's, women were nearly always cast as decorative flowers to be used and/or admired and protected. With science fiction in particular, the most obvioius answer to that is it looks to future and a reasonalbe future is the growing equalisation between men and women. Star Trek was the first major tv show to push for women's rights. Lt. Ohura may not have been Captain, but she was there on the bridge for everyone to see and admire right in the midst of the movement. As women's roles in society gained momentum in the working man's world, so did they in books and in film.

[The Procrastinator]

Yeah, I think modern scifi intends to break the "passive" stereotyping of females. Why? Various reasons - to appeal to different demographics (women are a financial power to be reckoned with these days) - to be more socially accurate (times have changed) - to provide more positive role models for girls (as long as topics like this come up, things are still very unbalanced).

Do we identify with female leads - depends on the character. Gender is not the only difference between people, sometimes there are far stronger differences. I still find myself cheering Ripley on however, I can remember when she was a real breath of fresh air. Does it make a difference if they act like a man? A woman? I find I do identify with women more, being one myself, but there are many male characters I have identified with too - we're all human. Whether the woman acts like a man or vice versa doesn't have much bearing on it for me - if its well done either can be appealing.

I really enjoy the new Battlestar Galactica series, and one of the reasons I do is the range and quality of the characters, particularly women, but also men. Starbuck is an example of a strong "masculine" woman, but then you have Roslin, Dee, Sharon, Cally, Elosha, Kat, the number 6's, etc etc, all different, some strong, some not so strong, all human.