I finished Joanna Russ' "The Female Man" last night and was left enthralled and philosophical. As you sage-like readers know, the book is a highly charged feminist text - probably the MOST highly charged feminist text in science fiction. It was also written published in 1975, an era when most women went to college to meet a husband, female professionals were few and far between (except in traditional fields like nursing and education), and the old-boys network ruled.

I like to think the USA has come a long way in the last 29 years. As an example, I, a white, educated man am also the lowest ranking person of about ten other State Dept. students studying Chinese. Some of those students are women with Master's degrees from Ivy League schools and are also younger than I and probably much more competent than I.

In the Army, there were numerous high-ranking female officers whom I thought completely professional and keen in their military duties.

Temple's English Dept. had a fairly equal mix of male and female teachers.

The two areas that lack adequate female representation are government and senior executive positions in major corporations. Hmmmm.

So the question remains how effective would "The Female Man" be received if it were released today? How many of the issues are still relevant? What do women feel? I would like to think times have changed for women, but I'm still a white male. It was my kind that put womankind on stakes and burned them. Thus I know I can never answer this question with authority.

North of the Rio Grande, the only area that I wish women would make more progress is in dating. There is still a lingering fear among women to ask a man out. Which is a shame. A big crying, fucking shame. As I go through my memory banks, I can't remember a single woman who ever asked for my phone #, invited me for a beer, or asked me to their hotel room at a SF convention.

With one exception: Seoul, South Korea. I was approached at least once or twice a month by women who wanted to go out with me. The funny thing is that Korea is a place where "The Female Man" needs to be read! The women there are treated like crap-o-la. It's a very 1950's mentalilty. Women go to college to meet a husband. The wives work for a few years then quit when they get pregnant and never return to the work force.

But there I was a celebrity. In a land where women are indeed opressed, they loved me!

But if it weren't for my initiative here in the western hemisphere, there would have been no helcat, no gerrgirl, no one-night-of drunken passion in Toronto, no romance in Clarion, no nothing.

I need a new book to read! And maybe write one too. To me the most touching moment of "Female Man" is the last few paragraphs where Russ says a little prayer of hope for her book. What a touching sentiment. If it weren't so obvious, I would do the same. My stories know I love them, but tonight I will remind them.