Since the the topic of the definition of a feminist book/story has arisen and I have a wee bit of time on this Saturday afternoon, here is a basic starter list - in no particular order - of what would qualify a book/story as feminist (ot least, this is the criteria that most people would use to recognise if a book/story is feminist or is feminist-leaning):
1. The book/story is usually female-led or female-centered
That is, the central character is usually a female protagonist and we're following her adventures (and misadventures).
Prime examples include every series that has been listed on this thread so far.
Why? Because representation matters.
N.B. See my additional note pertaining to the Romance genre and its sub-genres below.
2. Female characters in the book/story are full-realised characters with agency and their own storyline
Such characters are not perfect (and indeed they can be villains and antagonists). Instead, they are portrayed as complex and human and not through a sexist lens (i.e. ascribing their weaknesses to their sex and their triumphs/strengths as being in spite of their sex).
Their strengths and ability to overcome obstacles are cheered on and their triumphs are celebrated (or at least acknowledged as positive). And women in powerful positions are seen as normal instead of an aberration and their power and independence is ultimately presented as legitimate instead of dependent on male back-up.
Plus, the different ways in which women can be strong are all equally acceptable whether they can literally kick ass or if they solve their problems with determination, ingenuity, and steely resolve.
They are NOT:
- playing second-fiddle to male characters and/or
- portrayed in a two-dimensional way and/or
- portrayed in a lazy way that falls back on the worst stereotypes (e.g. the Madonna/Whore dichotomy, the Princess/Witch dichotomy etc) and/or
- simply a plot point to get the male protagonist to where he needs to go in his story arc/character development
3. Books/stories with an ensemble or large cast have a balanced cast of male and female characters instead of being male-dominated to the point of having only a handful (or fewer) women in supporting parts or bit/walk-on parts?
Examples of male-dominated stories/books:
J.R.R. Tolkien and a not-unnoticeable number of Grimdark Fantasy and Sci Fi written by men - I'm looking at you *evil side eye*
4. The book/story passes the Bechdel test?
Translation: Are there scenes and instances in the story where there are two female characters talking about something other than a man or male character?
5. The male characters treat the female characters with respect
At the very least, the male protagonist does so (if the main character is male) or at least one male character in the story does so.
Said male characters would also, at one point or another, school misogynistic or sexist male characters about treating women with respect if such behaviour comes to their attention.
Variation: The male characters learn - in the course of the story - to treat the female characters with respect. And they usually learn from interacting with the female protagonist or other female characters.
This is a very common character development arc in Romance (including Paranormal Romance) written from the 2000s onwards. As Ilona Andrews pointed out in an interview with the anti-violence against women nonprofit I worked for: "Nobody in their right mind wants to live with an Alpha-hole."
6. As for male characters who don't treat female characters with respect...
... their behaviour and actions on this point is clearly presented by the author as negative and undesirable behaviour.
Not treating women and girls with respect range include a male character treating a female character as less-than-human (i.e. objectifying them - I see you Harry Dresden - or treating them as nonentities) to a male character doing things to the female character without consent to a male character perpetuating violence against women
The male character may or may not get his comeuppance in the end (he usually does) but the author always makes it clear that such behaviour is unacceptable and abhorrent.
7. Women's experiences are reflected and discussed in the stories
Sexism in the workplace, reproductive rights, patriarchy, violence against women - these are just some of the issues that women face in their daily lives.
Some books handle it head on. Examples include
The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood (women's reproductive rights);
the Soulwood series - Faith Hunter (underaged marriage, organised religion's misogyny).
Other books handle it more subtly. Examples include:
The Mercy Thompson series - Patricia Briggs (Mercy works as a mechanic - a male-dominated job and industry and nobody bats an eyelid at it in her world);
The World of the Lupi series - (Lily Yu works as a detective and her werewolf husband supports her work)
8. Female stereotypes are tackled and dismantled
Some feminist SFF books and stories actively work on subverting and dismantling toxic stereotypes of women. For example Soman Chainani takes hilarious - and very sharp - potshots at the whole Princess trope in his
The School For Good and Evil series.
And then there's the whole slew of Urban Fantasy series with female leads who disrupt female stereotypes in so many ways - from Jane Yellowrock who continues the tradition of the Ripley school of female action heroes who don't fit the typical assumption that women are less physically imposing than men to the various female lawyers and lawmakers in Max Gladstone's
The Craft series who wield more influence and power than the male characters.
9. Toxic relationship tropes are OUT!
Whether it's romantic relationships, female friendships, or working relationships, feminist books/stories typically present the reader with examples of what functional and equitable relationships may look like.
From Katniss in
The Hunger Games who picks Peeta in the end because he had always treated her as his equal to Cornelius Harrison who opts to be a stay-at-home dad to his daughter while his high-powered attorney wife is the breadwinner in Ilona Andrews'
Hidden Legacy series, we see examples of how male-female relationships don't need to fall into the traditional mold to work.
And female friendships are not portrayed as a constant competition and the apex of bitchy backstabbing. Instead, books like Susan Dennard's
Windwitch series and Isaac Marion's
Warm Bodies series show female friendship as complex but ultimately warm and nurturing.
10. Toxic masculinity is not acceptable either
The stereotypical Alpha male and his aggressive, overbearing, sexist behaviour is not welcome (or at least, exposed as the destructive force that it is).
Instead, he learns - over the course of the story - that that sort of behaviour won't get him anywhere with either the woman he's pursuing or situations that need to be resolved.
Some authors such as
Steven Erikson and
Ken Liu have examined the fall-out of toxic masculinity as part of their stories and the pain, violence, and havoc that it brings to women, children, communities, and to the men themselves. And they themselves have said that they intentionally included such themes in their work.
11. Violence Against Women
Of all the feminist themes and topics that feminist or feminist-leaning SFF could tackle, violence against women is a big one because there are so many toxic tropes related to violence against women in SFF (and fiction in general).
Right now, the issue of writers (especially male authors) still using violence against women (especially rape and sexual assault) as a shorthand to create dramatic tension or ratchet up the shock factor or to facilitate the male protagonist's development is still very much ongoing. And they are still getting
lauded for it.
Instead of making women's pain a convenient plot point, feminist books/stories would follow up on the consequences of the violence to the victim/survivor herself and how it affects the people around her and her own journey as a character instead of her pain being the catalyst for the male protagonist's story.
12. And yes, Romance can be feminist
There are plenty of toxic tropes in Romance ranging from Kidnap fantasies to Rape fantasies (gives side-eye to the Twilight series and all its offshoots).
However, modern Romance can be feminist with independent heroines and outwardly Alpha male heroes who understand the concept of consent, appreciate their partner's spirit and strength, and who don't exhibit toxic masculine behaviour (e.g. rape, coercion, bullying etc). In fact, toxic masculine behaviour is NOT rewarded at all.
We can see this in traditional Romances from
Mary Balogh, Julia Quinn, and Angela Quarles, as well as Paranormal Romances including those written by
Kelley Armstrong, Chloe Neill, Nalini Singh, and Darynda Jones.
You'd be surprised how many of these authors include topics such as domestic violence, rape, sexism in the workplace etc in their stories - and NOT in a gratuitous way but in thoughtful scenes pertinent to the story.
And female sexuality is NOT demonised but seen as the perogative and right of the woman.
These are - in my opinion and observations - the major criteria for identifying if a book or story is feminist or feminist-leaning or not. If anybody feels/sees that I have left anything out, please add to this list.
