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 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
- Crusher & Troi
- Snow White & Rose Red
- Aimee & Rae (Robin McKinley)
- Peony & Rosie (Robin McKinley)
- Merchant & Beauty (Robin McKinley)
- Sunshine (Robin McKinley)
- Steven Brust / Taltos
- Buffy & Willow
- 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 has a queen protagonist & her best female friend / 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
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's female characters (really? I don't recall that)
- Laurie Marks: Elemental Logic series
- Terry Moore, Strangers in Paradise (Katchoo and Francine)
- Alastair Reynolds: Pushing Ice
- 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