Cara-Louise Scott
Feminist dystopia is a fictional world in which the patriarchal inequalities of contemporary society are exaggerated to call for the change that our society needs to undergo. But after all the feminist dystopia I’ve read, I am always left wondering: ‘why does this feel so real?’
The Importance of Feminist Dystopia
Feminist dystopia is important to our modern world as it shines a light on issues surrounding women’s rights and treatment to show the possibilities of an alternative world. It helps us to understand the ways in which women were once treated and how in some parts of the world, they are very much subject to the assault, pain and disregard that this dystopian gives them.
“…for both men and women, reading feminist dystopian is a must”
For both men and women, reading feminist dystopian is a must. Not only is the genre enjoyable and exciting to read, with heavy action and intriguing characters, but it is also important for everyone to understand the issues of society. It helps to teach us what we must do to make sure this ‘fictional’ dystopian world does not feed into our non-fiction world.
Books that educate us are important, and this is what I love about feminist dystopia – it allows you to have the plot, characters and tension that we love, but having a political message through these elements is what makes this genre so powerful.
Margaret Atwood
“.The idea that history will always progress is a fantasy”
Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid’s Tale once said: “The idea that history will always progress is a fantasy.” Feminist dystopia demonstrates exactly that. It is a reminder to us all that women’s rights are being threatened across the world and can be revoked in an instant. It reveals the imperfections of society that many of us put to one side; it brings these issues to the forefront of a story to a world that could easily be our own.
The Power of A Handmaid’s Tale
An example of the power that dystopian fiction holds can be found in Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. It was published in 1985, yet it began to become popular five years ago, with the chart-topping seller having a TV version released. However, by no coincidence, the year before this (2016) marks the election of Donald Trump.
With his public declaration of his right to “grab a woman by the p***y”, it is no surprise that when he was appointed to the Supreme Court, women wearing white bonnets and red cloaks greeted him outside on his first day at work.
“…feminist dystopia is no longer the alternative world we once imagined”
This outfit from The Handmaid’s Tale has now become a symbol of protest across the world. But what does this show? Well, feminist dystopia is no longer the alternative world we once imagined. It is becoming a reminder of what is slowly integrating itself into the world we currently live in – something we can’t close if we don’t like what we are reading.
Women across the world dressed up as handmaids to protest in an International Women’s March, following Trump’s inauguration, armed with signs reading “Make Atwood Fiction Again.”. This shows us that literature is powerful. The fact that Atwood’s 1985 novel has been brought back into the 21st century to be used as a tool of protest shows how significant this genre of literature is.
Roe v. Wade
“…a warning that women’s rights can be taken in a heart beat”
As Atwood’s quote shows us, these dystopian tales are a warning that women’s rights can be taken in a heartbeat. Most topically, this is evident in the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade. In 1973, under the Roe V Wade Supreme Court ruling, abortion was made legal and the court judged that a woman’s right to terminate her pregnancy was protected by the US constitution. But in June this year, it was overturned, ending the constitutional right for US women to seek an abortion. All individual states are now able to ban the procedure. Many women are having to travel further to get abortions, which is impossible for many to do.
In Red Clocks by Leni Zumas, abortion is illegal in all 50 states and Roe v. Wade has been reversed. This situation was written four years ago in this dystopian novel, yet how is this describing the US of 2022 that millions of women are living in?
“…dares to show politics and activism in a new way”
While feminist dystopia is becoming more scarily real, it serves as a reminder of why going forward is the only way to a feminist utopia. Feminist dystopia, for me, dares to show politics and activism in a new way, which is scarily more recognisable each year and in a way that no one could have imagined. In my opinion, if the feminist dystopia that you’re reading feels real, then the author is doing a good job of highlighting these issues.
Recommendations
- VOX by Christina Dalcher (2018): A new government has taken over. Women are limited to speaking just 100 words a day. If they do speak more than this, a thousand volts of electricity will go through them. Bank accounts are frozen, passports are taken away and women are losing their jobs. This is a novel about one woman’s determination to reclaim her voice for herself and for her daughter.
- The Power by Naomi Alderman (2016): Women are discovering that they have the power to inflict pain on anyone with just the charge of their finger. Men are now scared of their control. But how far will these women go to utilise their power?
- When She Woke by Hillary Jordan (2011): A stigmatised woman is struggling to navigate an America of the ‘not-too-distant’ future when she is convicted of murder, and her skin colour is genetically altered to match the class of their crime. She is now a Red. Her victim? Her unborn child.
- Future Home Of The Living God by Louise Erdrich (2017): A dystopian thriller where women are wrenched from their families for being pregnant, as pregnancy and childbearing become major issues of state security. One woman travels to find her family, and on the way escapes her capture but ends up in a fraught love with her baby’s father, who tries to hide her.
Featured image courtesy of Chloe Simpson on Unsplash. No changes were made to this image. Image licence found here.
Cara-Louise Scott
I am a waitress and writer currently living in London! Graduated last year from the University of Birmingham with a first-class BA English and Creative Writing degree. I am an aspiring young journalist with a love for writing anything related to current affairs, opinion, mental health, food and drink, and travel!