Browse Exhibits (2 total)

Science fiction is a genre that has been around for centuries. However, only within the last hundred years have women been rightfully recognized for their numerous contributions to the genre. Women have been present behind the scenes as authors, editors, and publishers. They have helped produce works such as paperbacks, pulp magazines, comics, and fanzines. All of these different types of narratives are showcased in our digital exhibit. 

Starting in the early 20th century these women began to emerge. However, they faced various struggles when entering this new and exciting field. Some had to use male pen names to hide their true identities (Howell). As time went on women slowly became more and more accepted within the science fiction community. They also started to express bolder topics in their writing. Authors were not shy about expressing their distaste of the inequality they faced as women. Joanna Russ and Kelly Sue DeConnick make this point clear in their works of feminist science fiction. Meanwhile, the creators of Windhaven 4 make it explicitly aware that their fanzine was created for women and that they have a rightful place in the science fiction community. This exhibit will present the journey of women behind the scenes of science fiction following the timeline of science fiction from the 1920s until now. It will especially highlight the progression of the types of work these women produced as well as the milestones they achieved.