Feminism in Latin American Science Fiction

Indianapolis, IN

The purpose of my investigation is to identify aspects of feminism, under the genre of cuban science fiction, in Anabel Enríquez’ short story Deuda Temporal. My research starts off broad, by defining feminism in the critical theory context, and marianism and how it fits into latin american society. I explore how Deuda Temporal can be interpreted as criticism towards marianism and the restrictions that society imposes on women to become wives and mothers, but nothing more than that. The story shows how a woman follows her passions and neglects her maternal duties. Rather than being a simple shadow of her husband and daughter, this woman pursues her dreams and passions to the fullest, giving the example that women have more routes in life to take than simply the maternal ones. Using the context of Cuba, I also address education, specifically STEM programs, and how as time passes, more women are pursuing higher education in fields where they weren’t allowed to in the past. Seeing more and more women take charge in their lives, allows them to shed the character of damsel in distress, in which they have been trapped for many years. This goes to show how feminist science fiction has evolved and grown slowly, but consistently, in favor of women and an equal distribution for all.