Female friendships

Women's relationships are underrepresented in SF generally, in part as a consequence of the underrepresentation of female characters and female lives. (need more discussion)

Types of Female Relationships

Female Friendships

• Cordelia Naismith (Vorkosigan) / Alys Vorpatril
• Bujold / Ista & her messenger girl
• women of Cetaganda
• Vonda McIntyre's work
• Marion Zimmer Bradley / Darkover
• narrator & her best friend in Atwood's Handmaid's Tale
• Zenna Henderson
• Anne McCaffrey / Dragonsong
• Jean Grey / Storm
• Oracle & Huntress
• Beverly Crusher & Deanna Troi
• Snow White & Rose Red
• Aimee & Rae (Robin McKinley)
• Peony & Rosie (Robin McKinley)
• Merchant & Beauty (Robin McKinley)
• Sunshine (Robin McKinley)
• Steven Brust / Taltos
• Buffy Summers & Willow Rosenberg
• Inara & Kaylie in "Firefly" ... Kaylie & River in "Firefly"
• The Runaways / Brian K. Vaughan
• Inanna & Ninshubar (goddess friends)
• J. F. Rivkin's Silverglass books
• Laurie Marks Elemental Logic series
• grown-up Tenar (Lark, Moss, Heather, Therru)
• Uglies trilogy / Scott Westerfeld
• Geoff Ryman / The Warrior Who Carried Life
• Lois McMaster Bujold / Chalion (1st book) - girl friends
• Marie Jakober / Even the Stones is the story of a queen, told from the perspective of her best friend and bard
• Margaret Atwood Robber Bride and Cat's Eye
• Sheri Tepper Gibbon's Decline and Fall
• C. J. Cherryh / pilot/navigator in Heavy Time and Hellburner
• C. J. Cherryh / Cyteen / Ariane Emory II - her best non-azi friend; Ari's pair of azi
• C.J. Cherryh / Rimrunners Bet wants female friends
• Shakespeare / Othello - Desdemona & Bianca
• Ariane and Sylvie's friendship is the raison d'être for Ariane's quest in Greer Ilene Gilman's Moonwise (1991).

Female Buddies / Compañeras

Female buddies are the female counterparts to classic male buddy relationships such as Frodo and Sam. The relationship involves more than casual or even close friendship; it involves deep love, trust, and affection. There may be mythic elements to it. Sexuality, while often present as a subtext, is not the defining element of the relationship--this distinguishes the mythic buddy relationship from a love relationship.

• Xena / Gabrielle
• Magda / Jaelle (Marion Zimmer Bradley The Shattered Chain)
• Frostflower & Thorn (Phyllis Ann Karr, Frostflower and Thorn (1980))
• Tarma & Kethrys (Mercedes Lackey, Oathbound, etc.)
• Cirocco & Gabby (John Varley's Titan, Wizard, Demon)
• many short stories in the Swords and Sorceress series edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley
• Steerswoman series / Rosemary Kirstein
• Naomi Kritzer / Freedom's Gate and sequels

Other suggestions

• Poul Anderson Virgin Planet (I can't believe this was suggested but I'm listing it anyway)
• Eleanor Arnason: A Woman of the Iron People
• Marion Zimmer Bradley Avalon series
• Suzy McKee Charnas: Holdfast Chronicles
• Charles de Lint: (various)
• Kate Elliott: Jaran series
• Nicola Griffith: Slow River
• Andrea Hairston: Mindscape
• Robert Heinlein: Anne/Miriam/Dorcas and Dawn/Jill and also Pat in Stranger in a Strange Land "Dawn and Jill for example-they work together like an acrobatic team."
• Laurie Marks: Elemental Logic series
• Terry Moore, Strangers in Paradise (Katchoo and Francine)
• Alastair Reynolds: Pushing Ice ("women's friendships can't be trusted")
• Spider Robinson - Night of Power (wife & stepdaughter); Stardancer series last book (main character & roommate); Lady Calahan in Calahan series
• Don Sakers: Dance for the Ivory Madonna
• Melissa Scott: Trouble and Her Friends
• T. L. Sherred Alien Island
• Jane Yolen: The Mermaid's Three Wisdoms
• Jane Yolen: Sister Light, Sister Dark

About This Entry

History of Inquiry

Netmouse on 2006/9/15 raised the question: Where are all the women friends in SF?, citing as male friendships the examples of Frodo and Sam, Gandalf and Sam, Han Solo and Chewbacca, Yoda and Obi-wan, Spock and Kirk.

Links & References

• http://netmouse.livejournal.com/237254.html Netmouse, 2006/9/15