Profic recs

[sunnyskywalker]

Feminist SF - The Blog! has posted their list of the top 11 obscure works (as voted on by users). This list is a response to another list of obscure works which featured mainly straight white males, and focuses instead on people who are not straight white males. Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu's works scored two of those spots, yay! If you're looking for recs on diverse sf/f, this blog is a good place to start.

The online speculative fiction magazine Strange Horizon has posted their short story of the week, the intriguingly-titled "Sex with Ghosts". The protagonist works as a sort-of receptionist at a company that provides sessions with customized sexbots (it pays better than other receptionist jobs, you see). She stays detached from the goings-on in the company - or so she thinks, until she finds out the utterly creepy, violating way her boss has involved her in the business without her knowledge or consent. Interesting investigation of the mores that make everyone (women in particular) sexually available whether they like it or not. Also, the protagonist is the only asexual protagonist I have seen, like, ever. (And she does not suddenly "get over it." Or even gradually. It's her actual orientation.)

Comments

[sodzilla.livejournal.com]

...geez. That was one squicky story.

[sunnyskywalker]

It's like, "Here is all the crap people would like to do to you condensed into ten minutes. Discuss." Now whenever someone asks, "But what's the big deal about (it's just admiration blah blah blah), I can point and say, 'There! Does that sound flattering to you? How would you like it?'"

Fortunately, the Top 11 list has lots more pleasant works that deal with various issues. Zahrah the Windseeker is good YA adventure fun with neat jungle creatures and a girl who can fly.

[fialleril.livejournal.com]

The minute I read "asexual protagonist" I knew I had to read that story. I'm asexual myself, and this is the first time I've ever seen someone like me in fiction. There are stories where sexuality just doesn't come up, of course, and so you wouldn't know what someone's orientation is. But this is the first confirmed asexual I've ever seen in a story.

This part, especially, really resonated with me: Sex. All those complications, all that messiness. It's like watching a group of enthusiasts really get into a hobby that you don't share. I mean, I don't understand the attraction of online gaming, either, but people spend their lives in that pursuit, too. I realize there's the whole propagation of the species angle to consider, but apparently I experience the phenomenon differently from most.

I was a little disappointed that Carla had sex with her bot, apparently just to see what it was like, because I can't imagine myself ever doing that any more than I would take up online gaming just to see what it was like. But on the whole I felt it was a very honest story. Thanks for the link.

[sunnyskywalker]

I thought of you, since I knew you had "asexuality" in your interests. And it is just something you never see. Thanks for your input on whether it's more or less convincing representation - that moment was a big "aha, I think this must be what it's like, and now I (sort of) understand this whole new viewpoint," but I couldn't tell if it just sounded convincing or actually had some accuracy.

I couldn't really figure out why she tried the sex either, but I was glad it didn't change how she felt. That would have bugged me a lot.

[fialleril.livejournal.com]

Although some minor things seemed a little off to me, I think on the whole it was a pretty accurate portrayal. I wonder now if the author is asexual herself...

I am infinitely glad she wasn't suddenly "healed" of her orientation. That would have ruined the whole story for me.

[sunnyskywalker]

I'm curious too! I mean, obviously she might not be, but then again, who else is writing fiction with asexual characters?

That would have been just as irksome as all those "s/he just needed a good gay/straight/vampiric/amphibious/whatever lover to miraculously switch orientations/get over his/her trauma/realize that his/her true calling was starring on reality TV" stories. I am not a fan of those, needless to say.

[plasticinecupid.livejournal.com]

The sex bit made me think the author was confusing asexuality with "frigidity." Though perhaps only in jest, the protagonist says that she would "give her heart" to someone with "strong moral character." Perhaps she's just looking for a meaningful connection that's scarce to be found among those just looking for a shag. Also, asexuals aren't necessarily unable to experience arousal, if my understanding's correct. According to the Asexual Visibility and Education Network (http://www.asexuality.org/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=6&Itemid=28):

For some sexual arousal is a fairly regular occurrence, though it is not associated with a desire to find a sexual partner or partners. Some will occasionally masturbate, but feel no desire for partnered sexuality. Other asexual people experience little or no arousal. Because we don’t care about sex, asexual people generally do not see a lack of sexual arousal as a problem to be corrected, and focus their energy on enjoying other types of arousal and pleasure.

In which case, the portrayal in that story isn't completely wrong; it just might be misleading. Something to think about, anyway. Thanks for the link! It's rare to read perspectives in fiction that step outside the norm to that extent.

[sunnyskywalker]

Thank you for that info and the link! I'm not knowledgeable about the topic, and for obvious reasons wouldn't trust Wikipedia to define asexuality, so I didn't know where to start looking for a description of asexuality in aggregate (since I have no idea how narrowly or broadly the term is defined to begin with, I don't expect any single "asexual experience).

I'm interested to see a story about someone outside the default too (which explores societal pressure to be used and sexualized, too). The story got me interested in learning more, which is good!