Insert Witty Journal Title Here

A shout out to Megan McArdle for the inspiration.

I'm a firm believer that everyone should read and watch science fiction. Not only is there a lot of cool stuff people will be missing out on if they don't, but my future sales depend on it.

That said, we all know how hard it is to turn guys onto science fiction. They'd rather watch a game of football or tinker with the inner workings of their car. And when they do pick up a book, they'd prefer to read about how to get ahead at the office.

This can be quite frustrating for any science fiction fan who has to live with them. So for all you girlfriends, sisters, daughters, and bffs out there, here's some tips on how to introduce a guy to science fiction. And hopefully get them permanently hooked.

You've probably tried in the past. Left a copy of The Left Hand of Darkness lying around for him to find. Dragged him to the midnight showing of "Serenity", all the while explaining how it's the perfect date movie and assuring him there would be other guys in the audience.

No doubt you've tried to explain your fascination for science fiction in the following manner: "Character development!" "Continuing plot!" "Angsty backstory!" Instead, why not try equating science fiction to an adventure story. Only an adventure story with three-dimensional characters. The basic feel of it is the same.

I also advocate easing a guy into science fiction. Start with something with a little heavier on the action and a little lighter on the characterization. Maybe Michael Crichton instead of Lois McMaster Bujold. When it comes to television, start him off with the X-Files, then maybe Deep Space Nine or Babylon Five and slowly work your way up to Doctor Who. I caution you to be very certain he can handle it before you introduce him to Quantum Leap. For movies, Godzilla instead of E. T. You get the idea.

That said, I have no particular expertise in this area. These are just some of my ideas. If there are tricks that have worked for you in the past, or you'd just like to share your frustration of living with a guy who Just Doesn't Get It (tm), please leave a comment.

The Feminist SF blog had a recent post about the trailer for Wall-E and the apparently straight robots. You can see that post and the comments.

And today I found that io9 is running a poll on Who is the Gayest Robot in Science Fiction?. It's a whole lot of fluff and obviously not meant to be taken seriously, but here I am getting a bit serious with it anyhow.

How do you define gay when it comes to robots?

- First they're going to need a sex. Or at a least a gender.

Technically all robots should be biologically neuter, since they have no biology. So thus, no gay robots. But that would be a non-starter, so let's assume a gender is enough.

Do they have to be androids and thus be in human form with appropriate equipment and preferably 'fully functional'? Or is it enough to have secondary sexual characteristics such as a masculine or feminine voice or plastic facial hair? Or is it yet enough for them to wheel around on pink treads or carry advertisements for Old Spice? Or maybe it all comes down to the names and pronouns they're given by humans.

- So assuming you have a male robot, however you define male, or a female robot, however you define female, what would make one gay?

( Click here for gay robots. )

Anyone up for publishing a gay robot anthology?

Found this article over at the New York Times: At Sci Fi Channel, the Universe Is Expanding and the Future Is Now

Yea, the title doesn't say much. But the article says some very interesting things:

[...]the network has expanded its audience, especially among women, chiefly by stretching the definition of science fiction.
[...]
“It’s not just aliens, spaceships and the future,” said Dave Howe, who was promoted to president of Sci Fi from general manager in January. “It’s about asking that simple question, ‘What if?’ ”

The changes evolved over several years. One result is a widening audience, especially among women. In April, for example, Sci Fi ranked sixth in cable networks in the 25-to-54 age group. Growth in female viewers outpaced that in men; 43 percent of Sci Fi’s viewers are female.
[...]
The network has drawn more women by making subtle tweaks to marketing and programming. In marketing materials for “Battlestar Galactica,” for example, there are no spaceships, and the story lines try to create more of a balance between action and emotion.
[...]
“There were a lot of misperceptions that Sci Fi was for men, that it was for young men and that it was for geeky young men,” said Bonnie Hammer, the president of NBC Universal Cable Entertainment, which oversees Sci Fi. “We had to broaden the channel to change the misconceptions of the genre.”
[...]

So.. all you women out there watching wrestling on the Sci Fi Channel, please stop! Maybe then they'll find room in their schedule for something decent.

When the Sci Fi Channel was first announced, I was anxiously wondering whether we'd be getting it. I mean, think of it, an entire channel devoted to shows like Star Trek and My Favorite Martian! What's not to love?

They've been a disappointment ever since.

Of course the Sci Fi Channel can show fantasy. We're used to fantasy being paired with science fiction. Of course that's going to include some horror as well. Fine. I even like a bit of the paranormal, especially if it has to do with UFOs or psychic abilities. That's often at least pseudo-science fiction, right? But.. not too much of it. Your core programming should still be science fiction if you're going to call yourself the Sci Fi Channel.

What are women watching on the Sci Fi channel? The ones I know are watching BSG and some Stargate. Me, I don't watch those. The reruns of Doctor Who (two weeks after I've already watched them is a rerun) are, of course, awesome. But, hello, those three shows are SCIENCE FICTION. You don't even have to stretch the definition very far! Space! Time Travel! Aliens! Robots!

Old shows popular with women that they could also show are Quantum Leap, Blake's 7 (which I never have seen), Highlander, Forever Knight, Beauty and the Beast, Star Trek, Alien Nation, old Doctor Who, and on and on. Some of those are fantasy titles, sure, but only a couple. The fanfic, particularly the slash fanfic, doesn't write itself, people! And there's precious few men writing it.

Instead Sci Fi Channel runs monster movies ad nauseum and hunts for ghosts. Nothing's more exciting than night vision shots of people fiddling with recording equipment.

By all means, play up the people and "emotions" of Battlestar Galactica. It can't hurt. Except when you do it badly. Which of course they do. The main photo on their BSG page shows a blond chick in a low-cut red dress center stage, a 7 to 5 male to female ratio, and apparently only one person who isn't white. Three things that'll turn me off and not much that'll turn me on, since there's no science fiction element in there! If it looks like anything, it looks like some sort of CIA or military show in an underground bunker. Not to mention The Last Supper imagery isn't doing it for me.

It's my belief that if Sci Fi is getting more female viewers, it's despite their efforts to do so and not because of them. They lucked into a show that women respond to. Not that they haven't done before. Cancelling Farscape was a brilliant move, truly. Which they reportedly did because they had too many "space" shows and were moving away from that. How's that working for you, Sci Fi?

It's just sad when Spike, the channel for MEN, has more science fiction shows I'd rather watch than this supposedly newly female-friendly channel devoted to the genre.

In the comments, particularly on the John Scalzi post that I linked to in my previous post, some men are chiming in with a reason they don't go to the YA section of bookstores.

They feel that if they go there, they'll be seen as creepy sexual perverts or predators. They don't seem worried so much that they'll be chased out, but that people will look at them funny or think it.

I won't go so far as to say it's an invalid feeling. The media is at least partly to blame here (aren't they usually?) as you hear and see this sort of thing in the news and on crime dramas. And sitcoms don't help when they decide it's a funny situation to have a guy or guys hanging out around kids and doing creepy things that aren't intended to be creepy. Then isn't it hilarious when the mothers yell at them or the police show up?

It's probably made parents and caretakers of children hyperaware of the potential for danger. And it's also made at least some adult men hyperaware of doing something that might be seen as creepy.

But I don't see it as a valid reason to avoid the YA section of libraries and bookstores.

So let me try to alleviate some of your fears here and dispell some of the beliefs you may have about the YA section.

Firstly, YA means 'Young Adults' also called 'Teens'. You might find 9 year olds reading this sort of stuff, but it's not for young kids. It may be adjacent to or near the children's section of the bookstore or library, but it's quite likely its own section. Many stores have it separated by a row of shelves or a wall or the full distance of the store. Libraries may have it on an entirely different floor. In other words, you won't necessarily be going anywhere near where the little kids and their parents hang out.

Secondly, you're there to browse for books, aren't you? That means you'll be looking at the shelves and the displays. Why should anyone think it's creepy that you're looking at books in a place full of books?

Don't feel you need to bring a beard with you in the form of your 11-year old nephew. You're allowed to shop by yourself!

I hope you don't feel so self-conscious that you make a special effort to only go to these venues when school is in session. Or that you need to have an offhand comment ready that may or may not be true: I'm looking for something for my granddaughter.

Don't be timid about picking up a book that features a young girl on the cover, even if she has her arms wrapped around the cutest wittle pony ever. Chances are the person who'll help you check out won't even comment on it. If they do, it'll probably be to say they really like that book or they were considering reading that book or you should try such and such book which is like that book. Those are the only comments I ever recall receiving, no matter what I was buying/borrowing. And heck, some stores and libraries have self-checkout if you feel like avoiding the encounter entirely.

So walk into the YA section with pride and browse to your heart's content.

If anyone starts watching you suspiciously, rest easy. Maybe they've just decided you're a shoplifter.

One thing I've been thinking about is the lack (as I perceive it) of science fiction books for tween and YA girls. It's quite possible I just haven't been reading along those lines and I'm missing out on some great offerings.

And when I say 'science fiction books for girls', I don't mean that girls can't read whatever science fiction book they want, no matter the gender of the main character or the gender of the author or the age of the so-called intended audience. I just mean where's the science fiction with girls in it?

The first thing that springs to mind is Diane Duane's Wizardry series. Some of you may cry 'That's fantasy!' And it's enough like fantasy that I won't argue too strongly against your view. But, to me, it's science fiction. The spells they create could very easily be mathematical or chemical formulas. And many of the books involve traveling to other planets or helping out aliens of one kind or another. If it lacks 'science', it's only because we haven't discovered the science and developed the technology yet. It certainly feels like science fiction.

An author I've only recently started to read is Scott Westerfeld. Of the 7 or so books I've read, I really prefer the ones with male main characters. However, he has written some science fiction books starring teenage girls, and they're not horrible. My favorite is Extras, which is fourth in the series, but if you don't mind reading them out of order, it could probably stand well enough on its own.

What else? Well, now I start thinking of examples that are fantasy, not science fiction. Or I think of short stories instead of novels. So, here's one of the latter:

I really like "Anda's Game" by Cory Doctorow. And that's a link, because you can go read it now if you want to! Or you can pick up Overclocked, which I highly recommend.

I'm scanning my list of books I've read in the past few years. There's Never Let me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, but I don't think it's a book I would've appreciated as a kid. It's not quite my sort of book even now.

That's all I can come up with! Without delving into manga, where it's almost too easy. I'll give CLAMP's Angelic Layer as one example, but there's many, many more.

Please help me!

I heard a snippet of this on the news and naturally assumed it was a doctored photo or a publicity stunt or something. Not so. And in fact, it's way cooler than any m-preg fic I never read. (The 'never' is not a typo. Not an m-preg fic fan.) Also cooler than that Arnold Schwarzenegger movie.

Turns out the man is transgender, so he really is pregnant.

I recommend reading the story from Advocate.com. Third party sources are likely to get confused.

Awesome.