“Europeans brought with them the view that men were the absolute head of households, and women were to be submissive to them. It was then that the role of women in Cherokee society began to decline. One of the new values Europeans brought to the Cherokees was a lack of balance and harmony between men and women. It was what we today call sexism. This was not a Cherokee concept. Sexism was borrowed from Europeans.”

—Maria Mankiller

Issue 2024.71

Short stories

• ‘Whiskey Mud’, Jonathan Olfert - art by Cécile Matthey
• ‘Deep Sea Baby’, Faith Allington - art by Sebastian Timpe
• ‘That Small, Hard Thing on the Back of Your Neck’, Vanessa Fogg - art by Ellis Bray
• ‘In the Field’, Shelly Jones - art by L.E. Badillo
• ‘Deirdre’s Skin’, Amalie N. Ingham - art by Sarah Salcedo

Poetry

• ‘A Moon Witch Seeks a Shell’, Devan Barlow - art by Melkorka
• ‘Two Hybrids’, Rachel Rodman - art by Fluffgar

Download e-book version: PDF | EPUB

Some of the finest potential of speculative fiction is the opportunity to show a diversity of perspectives, assumptions and behaviors. Aliens or magical creatures can be truly Weird, but humans can also be truly human, with as much variety and beauty as we see in the world around us—unlike the somewhat monolithic heroism and lack of imagination in the more “realistic” media we’re drowned in. Past worlds, cultures other than our own, the best hopes for more tolerant and progressive futures, or indeed invented and irreal sets of mores can offer inspiration for bettering our situation. (Dystopian and apocalyptic scenarios can do the same, by reminding us how deadly are inaction or failure to change.)

This variety and beauty is what we strive for in TFF as well. This month brings us more spacefaring, non-human Terrestrial sapients, and other unexpected species in the misfits and outcasts from fairytale strangeness. We also meet human (or mostly, or partly, or apparently) misfits, surviving the enforced conformity of childhood and the socially constrained conformity of adulthood; or perhaps even winning the freedom to be who they are, or to transform into who they need to be. We speak to those in silent communion, in concord with their community or a oneness with nature. And we hear about the ecopocalypse, the world destroyed or blighted around us, and stories of how we cope with hostile first contact, or how we choose what we see in the world.

Above all we need to remember that inequalities, repressions and abuses are imposed on us from outside, they are not inevitable, they are not caused by our genetic makeup, animal instincts, or nature red in tooth and claw. And we can do better.

And so come in, and enjoy the hope and the beauty and the horror brought to us by Amalie, Cécile, Devin, Ellis, Faith, Fluffgar, Jonathan, L.E., Melkorka, Rachel, Sarah, Sebastian, Shelly and Vanessa. Please share the pleasure of the pieces you enjoy, and feel free to leave a note telling us about it.

Djibril al-Ayad, October 2024

Comment on the stories in this issue on the TFF Press blog.