History of feminist SF publishers and presses

The publishing history of feminist SF follows the publishing history of SF generally. The feminist and women's presses are a type of separatist media that emerged out of the women's movement in response to sexism.

Early history

Works that today would be considered SF--speculative, utopian, supernatural, fantastic, etc. fiction--were not distinguished as a marketing category or literary genre until the early 20th century. As inexpensive publications proliferated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, specialized publications began production. Starting in the 1920s and 1930s, the "pulps", pulp magazines focusing on "weird", supernatural, or speculative science fiction, got started and became popular. While a large subfield dedicated to publishing SF got started, non-SF publications and other subgenres also continued to SF, including satirical works, surrealist literature, "magical realism", speculative YA, and so on.

1970s

In the 1970s a number of women's and lesbian/gay presses began operation, distributing to an emerging network of women's and glbt bookstores, other specialty bookstores, and general bookstores. Collectives of women also operated their own micropresses, putting out a limited number of works. Lesbian and women's presses, such as Naiad Press and The Women's Press, that were focused on non-SF nevertheless often included SF, speculative, or supernatural-themed works.

1990s

The 1990s saw significant consolidation and diminution of independent presses and bookstores. Many women's bookstores closed. The Feminist Bookstore Network closed and ceased publication of the Feminist Bookstore News. At the same time, gay-themed works were increasingly being adopted by mainstream presses and general bookstores began offering gay literature and gender studies sections. Shelf space at large bookstores was increasingly treated as a market commodity, with large publishers paying for advantageous shelving and display. Large publishers also began thinning out their own lists and backlists. As pressure for publication and distribution intensified, already-marginalized voices suffered. However, the marginalization of gay and woman-created content was diminishing somewhat in the competitive main lists.

21st century

After this consolidation, 21st century models of distribution and production may be again opening the market for new and marginalized voices.

Presses and publishers

Below we list small, independent, and academic presses with a significant feminist SF or queer SF component.

• Aqueduct Press "Bringing challenging feminist science fiction to the demanding reader" http://aqueductpress.com/

• Papaveria Press Papaveria is a small, private press founded in 2001 in the arts district of Philadelphia. Specializing in fairy tales & fabulous visions, Papaveria produces handmade limited editions of hardbound volumes with companion editions sometimes available in PDF and paperback format, as well as prints of several of the illustrations within the books. Papaveria home page

• Tachyon Press

• Femspec Books