These recently released films dispute a mainstream perception of science fiction as a masculine genre, using feminine costumes and environments to build the strong-willed characters. The scientists’ interactions with one another primarily concern the physical properties of Area X, a land of genetically mutated plants and creatures. “It’s a different kind of feminine, just as it’s a different kind of evolution and growth in Area X,” Yaszek said. This equal participation in science fiction, backed by female-led films like “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and “Arrival,” points us to imagine a better future, according to Yaszek. “While science fiction films, like other films, sometimes reiterate the problematic race and gender relations we see in our own world, it does allow us to dream of other worlds and time where things can be different,” she said.

Source: Washington Post March 09, 2018 12:06 UTC