Article - Sci-Fi Women Want Brains

Conventions of Women Scientists in Sci-fi

Women scientists who read science fiction as kids remember the experience as both encouraging and annoying.

For Genny Dazzo, who holds a doctorate in theoretical chemistry says she didn't like the simplistic characterizations of women.
They portrayed women as well-meaning but worthless. And she would have liked to see more endings that snuffed out alien bad guys using science rather than brute force.


"I wanted to see more intelligent female role models," Mitchell added. Better portrayals will please men, too, she said, since "guys like strong female protagonists."

However some woman did not mind:

Syne Mitchell, a nuclear physicistsaid getting a taste of science through science fiction helped her fit into a male-dominated field.

Mitchell, 32, found that her path as a scientist did not make her unattractive to men. In fact, she said, being the only woman in a physics class gave her favorable dating odds.

Also, women scientists found intelligent men they could talk to who were not put off by her science background. "Being one of the guys wasn't bad, when the guys weren't stupid. They weren't the best-looking guys, but brains count."


Sourced from: http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2002/09/54910

Representation of women in sci-fi

I have made notes about how the representation of woman has changed from past to present films. (See Folder)

Here are some notes about woman in sci fi:

• Usually very emotional and not very independent
• they have to be guided or rescued by men.
• Women are shown as being very afraid and are not able to control their emotions when they see something out of the ordinary like an alien or monster.

This means women do not have a higher status than men.

Exceptions are in X-men where super-heroes have the same power as men but the powers are more feminine like (directing the weather).

WOMEN IN TERMINATOR 2: 1991

Good representations of women

• Main female character = Sarah Conner.
• Sarah is not the typical women who care about their looks as she was first seen doing chin-ups and the camera was focusing on her muscles. This shows that women representation has become one of a more masculine, powerful figure.
• They have the same ability to do what males do.
• She had a very deep voice, sweating all over with messy hair. Not very feminine.

• Sarah Conner is not shown as a sex object
• She is a good representation of women as she’s a smart women, she’s able to escape from a mental institute all by herself, very independent.
• She’s physically very strong, capable of brutally killing a man
• Has the intelligence to hold a doctor hostage and blackmail him to help her escape.
• Sarah can take extreme measures of pain.

• She is very thoughtful of the people she cares about and make sure their safe (representation showing women are caring not selfish).
• She acts very tough and shows she’s not afraid of killing but her conscious stops her (women are not heartless they give a second chance)
• Even at the end of the movie she is seriously injured but still carries on to make sure she completes her mission to save her son. (how women are dedicated and determined + able to accomplish things)

Bad Representations of women:

• Sarah is not an ideal mother, she kills people in front of her son John and smokes.
• Doesnt not trust people easily.

This shows a very positive representation of women however this is in 1991 and the representation was very different before this.