Gender/what we may ask of a writer

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 15157

Jenn wrote:
 
> Unfortunately, we live in a world where the majority of high 
positions 
> ARE held by men.  It sucks and I hate it, but it is so.  Would as 
many 
> people have bought the whole idea if Hogwarts and MOM were run by 
> women? 

Now, that raises an interesting question . . . are writers doing a 
disservice when they suggest that the world is more just than it 
really is?  It seems to me that half the court scenes I see on TV have 
a black woman judge.  Would that this were possible in real life . . . 
I've probably seen more black women judges on television than there 
are in the entire US judicial system.  I'm glad everyone's seeing 
this and absorbing the idea that black women can be strong, smart, and 
worthy of respect, but on the other hand, I don't want people to start 
thinking, "racism isn't a problem 'cause look at all those black women 
in power"!

But JKR doesn't have this dilemma, because she's creating a world that 
has a separate history from modern Muggle Britain.  Without making the 
wizarding world a utopia, she could make it much more equal than the 
Muggle world.  That would send an interesting message.  One of the 
great things about speculative fiction is that you can do this kind of 
thing without instantly getting a "that just isn't possible" response. 
 Ursula LeGuin created a very interesting nonsexist society in The 
Dispossessed, e.g. (I never miss a chance to plug one of my very faves 
<g>).

Amy Z

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