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By Megan Hasenwinkel
Cyberpunk as a reaction to feminist science fiction
Cyberpunk seems to be a negative reaction to feminist science fiction in almost every way. Cyberpunk's macho style almost causes testosterone to ooze from the paper. In fact, cyberpunk (and specifically the work of William Gibson) has been called, "the most fully delineated urban fantasies of white male folklore." (Foster, 708) In speaking of cyberpunk in general, Thomas Foster says that cyberpunk is "not only commercialized hype. . .but specifically adolescent male commercialized hype." (709)In an interview, Samuel R. Delany, who has been classified as a feminist cyberpunk writer, said this, "It's interesting that the feminist explosion - which obviously infiltrates the cyberpunk writers so much - is the one they seem to be the least comfortable with, even though it's one that. . .has influenced them most strongly. . ." (176) And later, he says, "Cyberpunk is, at basis, a bastard form of writing. It doesn't have a father. . . What it's got are mothers." (177). Frances Bonner agrees with Delany, saying, ". . .cyberpunk needs to be seen not just as the child of the father figures it claims for itself, but also through the mothers it denies." (6)
Why does cyberpunk present such an uncomfortable view of gender and the body? And what are the implications of the emergence of this reactionary, macho and technological genre of science fiction? Is it perhaps a subconscious (or conscious) response to the male fears of the strength of feminist science fiction?
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