Stargate panel (WisCon 31)

155 The Role of Women and People of Color in Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis

Reading, Viewing, and Critiquing SF&F•Conference Room 4• Sunday, 1:00-2:15 p.m.

Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis can both boast casts that have capable, interesting, and believable female and ethnic minority characters. On the surface, the show seems to hit all of the right notes. But a closer examination shows that not all is well in the Stargate universe if you happen to be a minority. Carter may be the smartest person in the room, but how often does she get to have a real conversation with another female friend? In the beginning, both Goa'uld and Jaffa could be of any race, now the Goa'uld are mainly Caucasian and the Jaffa nation is a largely black one. In Atlantis, all of the Scientists are white, the backwards, aggressive warriors are non-white. And just what is up with Elizabeth Weir? Let's get down to the nitty gritty and discuss if Stargate is ultimately a progressive show or a bastion of tokenism with a pretty gloss.

M: Patricia Bray, K Tempest Bradford, Wendy Bradley, Joanna Lowenstein