A Fanzine of Her Own: Women in Post-War Era Science Fiction Fandom

This thesis examines the active contribution of women science fiction fans who were referred to as 'femme fans' in the post-war era (1944- 1967). Femme fans experienced harassment and ridicule from male fans who believed women to be unintelligent and unable to contribute anything worthy to fan culture. Many male fans believed femme fans lacked an understanding of science and were therefore incapable of critiquing and writing science fiction. Male fan historians in the mid-twentieth century ignored the labour and contributions of femme fans in their historiographical work. This oversight of femme fans' participatory and enthusiastic practices leaves a gap in both fan and academic historiography. This thesis engages in reclaiming the history of these femme fans by documenting their engaged practices in fan cultures. By unearthing the narratives of femme fans, I underscore their engagement and knowledge of popular science in the post-war era. This thesis argues that femme fans in the post-war era shaped the genre of science fiction through their active engagement in fan cultures and knowledge of popular science.