Mike Reeves-McMillan

I’m sure there are mentally ill female characters in SFF, though offhand I’m struggling to think of any really…

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Mike Reeves-McMillan

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I’m sure there are mentally ill female characters in SFF, though offhand I’m struggling to think of any really obvious examples. Even in my own Hope and the Patient Man, Hope’s issues are framed as a magical curse, though it has definite psychological aspects to it.

Can anyone think of examples?

Originally shared by Cody Sisco

I appreciate this discussion of how female mentally ill characters are portrayed, and I understand and respect the writer’s decision to focus on female characters. But I don’t think mentally ill characters of any gender identity are often or well represented in fiction. What do you all think?

http://www.tor.com/2016/10/17/mentally-ill-women-belong-in-your-stories-too/?utm_source=exacttarget&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_term=tordotcom-tordotcomnewsletter&utm_content=na-readblog-blogpost&utm_campaign=tor

Comments

10 responses to “I’m sure there are mentally ill female characters in SFF, though offhand I’m struggling to think of any really…”

  1. Derrick “Quite Clever” Sanders Avatar
    Derrick “Quite Clever” Sanders

    Progressive writers use them. Joanna Russ leaps to mind. Kathy Acker (if you want to count her as Spec Fic). I’m sure I can think of more. Didn’t LeGuin have at least one? Certainly Piercy.

    PK Dick. All over the place. JG Ballard, Cordwainer Smith…

    Reply
  2. Derrick “Quite Clever” Sanders Avatar
    Derrick “Quite Clever” Sanders

    Progressive writers use them. Joanna Russ leaps to mind. Kathy Acker (if you want to count her as Spec Fic). I’m sure I can think of more. Didn’t LeGuin have at least one? Certainly Piercy.

    PK Dick. All over the place. JG Ballard, Cordwainer Smith…

    Reply
  3. Derrick “Quite Clever” Sanders Avatar
    Derrick “Quite Clever” Sanders

    Harlan Ellison.

    Reply
  4. Derrick “Quite Clever” Sanders Avatar
    Derrick “Quite Clever” Sanders

    Harlan Ellison.

    Reply
  5. Ellen Joyce Avatar
    Ellen Joyce

    Morn Highland from Stephen Donaldson’s The Gap series.

    Reply
  6. Ellen Joyce Avatar
    Ellen Joyce

    Morn Highland from Stephen Donaldson’s The Gap series.

    Reply
  7. Mike Reeves-McMillan Avatar
    Mike Reeves-McMillan

    I have read Julian May, multiple times, though not for many years – yes, those are good examples. It’s even longer since I read Donaldson.

    I think one of the characters in Ann Leckie’s Ancillary series is mentally ill (depression, mostly), but of course it’s hard to tell which characters in those books are actually female. And if addiction counts, then the cop in Max Gladstone’s first novel.

    Reply
  8. Mike Reeves-McMillan Avatar
    Mike Reeves-McMillan

    I have read Julian May, multiple times, though not for many years – yes, those are good examples. It’s even longer since I read Donaldson.

    I think one of the characters in Ann Leckie’s Ancillary series is mentally ill (depression, mostly), but of course it’s hard to tell which characters in those books are actually female. And if addiction counts, then the cop in Max Gladstone’s first novel.

    Reply
  9. Richard Abbott Avatar
    Richard Abbott

    A Sickness in Time features two female protagonists with different forms of trauma, one PTSD and the other from domestic abuse

    Reply
  10. Richard Abbott Avatar
    Richard Abbott

    A Sickness in Time features two female protagonists with different forms of trauma, one PTSD and the other from domestic abuse

    Reply

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