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Lance Parkin @lanceparkin.bsky.social

In the late 80s, Virago and the Women's Press were scooping up lots of feminist novels, regardless of 'genre'. Jody Scott's Passing for Human, where a shapeshifting alien adopts the from of (amongst others) Emma Peel, is science fiction, duh, but also absolutely 100% feminist literature.

aug 25, 2025, 6:57 pm • 1 0

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Lance Parkin @lanceparkin.bsky.social

The Virago edition of Handmaid's Tale was unashamedly both 'literature' and 'science fiction'. It was, of course, a superb book to use if you want to write an essay about feminism. I think it's the Virago imprint that cemented it on so many university syllabi.

aug 25, 2025, 7:00 pm • 1 0 • view
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Lance Parkin @lanceparkin.bsky.social

The back cover of the first edition isn't coy about it being SF.

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aug 25, 2025, 7:03 pm • 1 0 • view
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Lance Parkin @lanceparkin.bsky.social

The Virago back cover comes out and says it's 'science fiction'.

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aug 25, 2025, 7:07 pm • 2 0 • view