Femicide

While we are discussing femiphobia, mysoginy and the "new male anger", you may want to take a break from hundreds and hundreds of comments on all the threads on all the posts (see the links within links on the last link!), and instead read an old, old science fiction story on the topic (is there any ethical dilemma that SF has not covered decades ago?). Gmoke, in a comment on this post on Orcinus links to The Screwfly Solution by Raccoona Sheldon (aka Jane Sheldon aka James Tiptree Jr). The whole story is online.

Gmoke also cites Wikipedia on the story:

"The story begins with an exchange of letters and news clippings between Allan, a scientist working on parasite eradication in Colombia, and his wife Anne at home in the U.S., concerning an epidemic of organized murder of women by men. Although some scientists suspect a biological cause for this sexually selective insanity, the murderers feel it is a natural instinct and have constructed elaborate misogynistic rationalizations for it, including a new religious movement. Allan himself becomes affected, and tries to resist his violent impulses. In the end, Anne, pursued by an entire society bent on "femicide", discovers the source and motivation behind the plague."

While I don't like the Aliens deux-ex-machina in the end (the story could have been better and scarier if the cause was completely this-worldly with a natural explanation), it makes one realy wonder what is physically and mentally wrong with the fundies.

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Not that it's really important in any way, but while you mention all Tiptree Jr.'s other pseudonyms, you fail to mention her real name (Alice Sheldon) - kinda funny.

By Kristjan Wager (not verified) on 25 Oct 2006 #permalink