Dr. Who's Sci-Fi Girl Power
Yesterday, actress Elisabeth Sladen died. She played Doctor Who regular Sarah Jane Smith, one of sci-fi's first feminists, and a character dear to my heart.
Remembering Octavia Butler, SciFi Pioneer
When an interviewer asked Hugo- and Macarthur-winning novelist Octavia Butler what she thought of her books being classed as science fiction, she said, "Really, it doesn't matter. A good story is a good story." In honor of Women's History Month, here is (some of) the story of Butler's life.
Scientists Are (Not) Going To Erase Your Memory!
You guys, scientists are learning to erase our memories! Everybody panic! Or ... maybe not.
Transgender Rights Mean Letting People "Dress Like Ewoks"
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Ssy_YX1p--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18je15qbt0y14jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--VPBTzJqN--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18je15qbt0y14jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--KbN6vMyi--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18je15qbt0y14jpg.jpg, (large)])
We wouldn't expect Bill O'Reilly to applaud American Eagle Outfitters's new trans-friendly policies — but did he have to compare transpeople to Ewoks?
The Future Is Now: An End-Of-Decade Look At Things To Come
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--jWyG5tOj--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18eretkybi5vnjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--mrZWRtvl--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18eretkybi5vnjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--45CtZtYv--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18eretkybi5vnjpg.jpg, (large)])
It's about to be 2010, which means: The Future! But what will that look like? To find out, let's take a tour through some famous visions of the future in TV and film.
Danticat & Diaz On Writing, Justice, And Being A "Nerd Of Color"
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--0kszMvqv--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18eriqfruu4ykjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--lMEsD4bm--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18eriqfruu4ykjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--h4_8Yzay--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18eriqfruu4ykjpg.jpg, (large)])
At their New Yorker Festival reading on Friday, Junot Diaz and recent MacArthur Genius Grant winner Edwidge Danticat talked about writing with kids, being marginalized as a "nerd of color," and why it's so hard to change the world.
To The Dream House, Spock!
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--BXQIWmDn--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18es15vwxkgfkjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--zKciUG4t--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18es15vwxkgfkjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--tdf0T0CW--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18es15vwxkgfkjpg.jpg, (large)])
Geeks rejoice! Mattel is releasing Star Trek Barbies in time for the new Trek movie this summer. Now you can make Kirk and Spock get it on, just like Barbie and Barbie used to. [Reuters]
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--QiSgiPqx--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18es8b9i0ympajpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--PvD8Y4FD--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18es8b9i0ympajpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--3NU6dgBl--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18es8b9i0ympajpg.jpg, (large)])
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--df5QZB07--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17msug0ngxe4gjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Evkp1F3o--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17msug0ngxe4gjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--uWJVzhgs--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17msug0ngxe4gjpg.jpg, (large)])
Conventional Crap: The Sun Is Already Setting On The RNC
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Lq3XHQmr--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17ms764704lmcjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--DExn9J-n--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17ms764704lmcjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--lgK-yCYx--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17ms764704lmcjpg.jpg, (large)])
The Truth Is, Mulder & Scully Are Just “Two 40-Something Adults With…
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--_cy0LwrR--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17mr0jrsx1mq5jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--4BtTD7nf--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17mr0jrsx1mq5jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--3ldgI15b--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17mr0jrsx1mq5jpg.jpg, (large)])
The X-Files: I Want to Believe premieres today, shrouded in its own set of Clintonian conspiracy theories. Can Agent Scully rekindle our fangirldom? Are our two special agents still an item? Who's the casting director that saw rapper Xzibit and thought "FBI agent?" Oh, and about that plot: it sounds like a mediocre…
Sharpen The Knives: A Science Fiction Convention Happened, And Some …
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--yAUkL2tf--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17mq33hasyjvhjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--cwKfqhYD--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17mq33hasyjvhjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--FByHgtYI--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17mq33hasyjvhjpg.jpg, (large)])
When last we wrote about science fiction conventions we learned about something called the Open Source Boob Project, wherein women attendees kindly volunteered to wear buttons allowing desirous men to grope their tits. If only all convention attendees were so open and accepting! Last weekend, a woman named Rachel Moss…
Open Source Boob Project: The True Story Of One Epic Day Nerds Groped…
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--5g1wKtqR--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17mpxc16ujqszjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--xFNof2Pr--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17mpxc16ujqszjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--voXxJb5y--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17mpxc16ujqszjpg.jpg, (large)])
When people first started imploring us to weigh in on the Open Source Boob Project we had this scary image of a website featuring a picture of a pair of fake tits that registered computer programmers could modify and reshape and manipulate with nanotechnology or whatever else until the resultant pair of tits reflected…
We Have Liftoff: Sister Site i09 Launches To Much (Girl Geek) Fanfare
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--1HshRIlU--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18s116e0d9pydjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--NggJTO5P--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18s116e0d9pydjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--U3f-lvce--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18s116e0d9pydjpg.jpg, (large)])
Anxious about what the year 2008 will bring? What about 2070? Forward-focused Jezebels might want to head over to our new science-fiction sister blog, io9, which officially launches today. Described by editor Annalee Newitz as a pop-culture site in which she and her team of writers get to focus on "fantasies as well as…
CIA Insect Cyborgs: Yeah, They're Tools Of Big Brother. But Are They As …
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--AiAnJqCP--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18s0nwkp5d8d4jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--w7amNId3--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18s0nwkp5d8d4jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--kvPRgwLp--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18s0nwkp5d8d4jpg.jpg, (large)])
Last night I was standing on a street corner talking on my phone when a man in patent-leather sneakers came up to me. "Excuse me miss, but something just landed in your hair," he said, at which point I flipped my head violently and hurled my hair upside down while screaming, "For the love of God get out of my…