Mir's Reviews > On a Sunbeam

I think the non-binary thing can be that outwardly one may look a female, but the inner gender identity doesn't go in female/male directions (nor subscribe to all typical gender behavior/tastes/looks). I'm non-binary (genderqueer) and think of it like that.

7jane wrote: "I think the non-binary thing can be that outwardly one may look a female, but the inner gender identity doesn't go in female/male directions (nor subscribe to all typical gender behavior/tastes/loo..."

That's my normal-world understanding of it, but unless I missed something in this sci-fi future there are only women. I feel like if you are going to make a point of having a character insist they are non-binary gendered I need a bit of background about gender in the fictional world. Are the men all on their own planet? Are they extinct and girls learn about them in school? Does the character just feel they are not like other women in some way they can't explain?

I mean, there has to be a binary in place in order to have something be non-binary, right?

Miriam wrote: "7jane wrote: "I think the non-binary thing can be that outwardly one may look a female, but the inner gender identity doesn't go in female/male directions (nor subscribe to all typical gender behav..."

Yeah, to be non-binary there, I think you have to have had another gender (men) existing at some point, otherwise it's just a not-woman gender.

Miriam wrote: "And I am a little puzzled as to what it means to have non-binary gender in a world that appears to have only women in it."

Besides what was well written above, if no men existed in reality or memory, they would be the product of an active imagination.

I was wondering about this, too!

7jane wrote: "I think the non-binary thing can be that outwardly one may look a female, but the inner gender identity doesn't go in female/male directions (nor subscribe to all typical gender behav..."

That perfectly describes my thoughts. I wanted a quick explanation on where the men were or if they had ever existed. And I also wanted to know more about Ell. Part of me wonders if having only one gender would make it even harder to be gender diverse because there wouldn't be a spectrum to exist on. Even if it's a limiting explanation, it's easy to think of people in terms of male- or femaleness. But if there aren't males, it's like measuring someone's humanness—there's nothing to compare to. One's desire to wear floral dresses and makeup would no longer be described as feminine, but just their fashion preference. So, in that world, wouldn't using "they" pronouns be similar to saying you don't want to use "you" or "I"? "She" wouldn't be gendered any longer because there's no other option.

My take was less that there aren't any men in existence, but that this story didn't include any, just as many books "coincidentally" don't include any women, and we don't wonder if all the women died or consider it a failure of worldbuilding.

Finn wrote: "My take was less that there aren't any men in existence, but that this story didn't include any, just as many books "coincidentally" don't include any women, and we don't wonder if all the women di..."

I would have assumed that if it had been pure space adventure, but since there were several different families and couples and no one had a male parent or sibling or romantic interest.

There just happen to be no men in this story. I don't think it's a universe where no men exist. If that were the case, Mia wouldn't have described her school as an "all-girls" school.

In the French translation which I read, the pronoun used to talk about people in general is the female pronoun (and when we have men & women, we use the male pronoun as a neutral one). This + the fact that there are only women in the book (except Elliott) is in favour of an all-women universe where being non-binary dozes makes no sense.

Does* and i don't know if the translation is just bad or if I'm missing something :/

Oh, interesting to know. I wonder if the author was asked her preference regarding the pronouns or if that translator decided on their own.

Have you read Ancillary Justice? That is narrated from the point of view of someone who has trouble understanding gender. (So, for example, sometimes the speaker will use "she" and later the reader will realize it was actually a man.)

Never read it. I will add it to my «to read list», thanks !

I hope you enjoy it.

Genevieve wrote: "it's like measuring someone's humanness—there's nothing to compare to. One's desire to wear floral dresses and makeup would no longer be described as feminine, but just their fashion preference. So, in that world, wouldn't using "they" pronouns be similar to saying you don't want to use "you" or "I"?"

There's an interesting science fiction/romance by R. Cooper where on the alien world they have a larger variation of pronouns that are some part biological (I think there were some for being a child-having person) but a larger part other qualities of personality and fashion choices. And iirc they made some differences in how people interacted, like if you chose (they were choice and peopel sometimes changed them) the "not assertive" pronoun people weren't supposed to challenge you to duels, and stuff like that.