ABSTRACT
Until quite recently the mention of a category of fiction called 'feminist science fiction' would be greeted with puzzlement, incomprehension or resentment; the latter being the reaction of long-established readers of science fiction to what they see as a takeover by women of 'real' science fiction, and the two former the responses of non-readers whose preconceptions of science fiction are based on memories of King Kong from their early childhood (fairhaired princess-type is saved from fate worse than death) or memories of Star Wars from later childhood (fairhaired princess-type saves universe from fate worse than death).
