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Infinite, v. 1, issue 1, [1941?]
Page 32
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GIRLS IN SCIENCE - FICTION by Helen Bredleigh I have been asked to write anbrief article on my opinion of the place of my sex in science-fiction. It will be very hard to keep such a thing brief, I fear. First; none but confirmed and canalized woman-haters like Asimov even infer or raise doubts that women should not have a prominent place in modern stf. Second; as to my opinion, certainly it is my none too humble opinion that women should have a place in science fiction stories. Stf., so its advocates inform me, is supposed to be realistic and true to life. A stf. epic in which there is only a man, no matter how well written it may be, is at best only half true to life! For women are the other half of life! How can you have a true to life story without the love interest -- for the love between a man and woman is the reason for all the action, the drama, the struggle and the acomplishments. Of course, I will admit that there are exceptions to this rule. I have read very exceptional stories, although these were very rare, in which there was nothing but a man, and perhaps some creatures (confidentally, I think some of them would have been better if the hero had been left out, and just some creatures with tentacles left in. Oh how I love creatures with tentac --- what am I saying?). Seriously, friends, outside of these exceptions a story with a well developed love interest is far superior to its cousin, which, even though it is compensated for by a good plot, is still weighed in the balance and found wanting for its lack. Love between a man and woman is the greatest force in the world, no power in the Universe of Stars is greater. A race, although they conquer a spiral nebulea scross a hundred million miles of spacre, that grows cold and unemotional in the contemplation of their science, that loses its love of sex and life and cosmic companionship, can not long survive. It is on its final decline; it has passed its usefullness. An unemotional race is not a super race. Only one which has conquered useless or hindering emotions. Only a dead object is truly unemotional anyway. Any living creature has some emotion, however faint or selfish. There would be an emotion to live, scientific curiousity, anger, fear of something, etc. My first loyalty is to mankind as a whole, and next to women, for she has been treated rather shoddily, to speak mildly, in the ancient and not so ancient days gone by! - 32 - (concluded on next page)
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GIRLS IN SCIENCE - FICTION by Helen Bredleigh I have been asked to write anbrief article on my opinion of the place of my sex in science-fiction. It will be very hard to keep such a thing brief, I fear. First; none but confirmed and canalized woman-haters like Asimov even infer or raise doubts that women should not have a prominent place in modern stf. Second; as to my opinion, certainly it is my none too humble opinion that women should have a place in science fiction stories. Stf., so its advocates inform me, is supposed to be realistic and true to life. A stf. epic in which there is only a man, no matter how well written it may be, is at best only half true to life! For women are the other half of life! How can you have a true to life story without the love interest -- for the love between a man and woman is the reason for all the action, the drama, the struggle and the acomplishments. Of course, I will admit that there are exceptions to this rule. I have read very exceptional stories, although these were very rare, in which there was nothing but a man, and perhaps some creatures (confidentally, I think some of them would have been better if the hero had been left out, and just some creatures with tentacles left in. Oh how I love creatures with tentac --- what am I saying?). Seriously, friends, outside of these exceptions a story with a well developed love interest is far superior to its cousin, which, even though it is compensated for by a good plot, is still weighed in the balance and found wanting for its lack. Love between a man and woman is the greatest force in the world, no power in the Universe of Stars is greater. A race, although they conquer a spiral nebulea scross a hundred million miles of spacre, that grows cold and unemotional in the contemplation of their science, that loses its love of sex and life and cosmic companionship, can not long survive. It is on its final decline; it has passed its usefullness. An unemotional race is not a super race. Only one which has conquered useless or hindering emotions. Only a dead object is truly unemotional anyway. Any living creature has some emotion, however faint or selfish. There would be an emotion to live, scientific curiousity, anger, fear of something, etc. My first loyalty is to mankind as a whole, and next to women, for she has been treated rather shoddily, to speak mildly, in the ancient and not so ancient days gone by! - 32 - (concluded on next page)
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