The Female Man

Abstract

The Female Man, by Joanna Russ, is a feminist science fiction novel that follows four women – Jeannine, Joanna, Janet, and Jael – who exist in parallel worlds. Janet comes from a futuristic, all-female society called Whileaway, where men were wiped out by a plague centuries ago. She meets Jeannine, who lives in a world still stuck in the Great Depression, and Joanna, whose world closely resembles our own. Together, they explore each other’s societies, highlighting the differences in gender roles and power dynamics. Janet’s arrival disrupts these women’s views on life, particularly through her strength and independence. She becomes involved with Laura, a young woman from a typical American family, leading to a transgressive relationship. Meanwhile, Jeannine struggles with conforming to societal expectations of marriage. The story takes a dramatic turn when the women meet Jael, who reveals that they are all versions of the same woman from different worlds. Jael comes from a world where men and women are at war, and she recruits them to a secret mission to overthrow patriarchal societies by empowering women. Janet, however, refuses to join the cause, remaining loyal to Whileaway’s pacifism. The novel ends with each woman returning to her respective world, transformed by their experiences and with a new understanding of their identities.