Women Sci-Fi Writers Are Reaching New Heights, In Spite Of Prejudice

Earlier this week, a rousing headline shot at warp-speed across browsers and Twitter feeds: Women Swept The 2015 Nebula Awards, taking home the prestigious science-fiction and fantasy prizes in the categories of Novel, Novella, Novelette, Short Story and Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy work. The news might've come as a surprise to -- or, at least, to the chagrin of -- a boisterous group of science fiction writers and fans who've taken up the cause of restoring the genre to its tenants of yore: lighthearted adventure that's sleek, zippy, fun, and -- oh yeah -- comprised of shelves' worth of white male writers. The ostensible platform of the Sad and Rabid Puppies, whose name is meant to mock heartfelt liberalism, is meant to support action stories sans political or moral message. Last year, they rigged the voting for a similarly lauded set of prizes, the Hugo Awards, favoring white male writers and effectively quelling women and authors of color. Unlike the Nebulas -- which are voted on by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, an organization comprised not just of writers but editors and publishers -- the Hugos are controlled by readers, so the Puppies were able to leave their mark.