The Geek Feminist Revolution: Essays

by Kameron Hurley

So you pack the guns. I’ll make us some pancakes. And let’s get back to work.

I had this irrational moment where I thought, “Oh no! I can’t have so many women in positions of martial power. People will get them all confused.”

Women aren’t allowed to be scary. Not really scary. Not in a nonsexualized, nonfetishized way. Why is it all hot pants and back tattoos? Why the symbols of toughness instead of actual dark alley terror? Why do we celebrate “girl power” but sneer at “women power”?

Let’s be real: if women were “naturally” anything, societies wouldn’t spend so much time trying to police every aspect of their lives.

This is the power and promise of science fiction, this magic of creating and living in every possible future.