From L to R: The Witch and the Chameleon, no. 5/6 (1976), cover by Amanda Bankier; Janus, no. 1 (1975), cover by Jennifer Wilson, Jeanne Gomoll, and Janice Bogstad; New Moon (Winter 1981, 1982), cover by Robert Kellough; Aurora (Winter 1981), cover by Steven Fox
Over the last few years, I have highlighted a few curated pieces of science fiction scholarship in my Exploration Log series that I’ve found memorable, historically important, and worth sharing.1 Today I have an interview with SF scholar (and friend) Loïg J. F. Pascual, author of the recently published article “The Collective Memory of 1970s-1980s Feminist Science Fiction Fandoms: A Case in Reflexivity and Historiography for fan Studies Practices” (2026). The article appeared in Transformative Works and Cultures, Vol. 49 (2026) You can read a translated version in English and in the original French. The French version includes multiple Youtube video interviews with important figures in the movement.
More than just an interview about his specific area of research, Loïg dives into the larger history of feminist fanzines and the vital role of fan culture in the creation and memorialization of genre. Enjoy!
Graphic created by my father
1. Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Please introduce yourself and your interest in feminist SF fandoms in the 70s and 80s.
My name is Loïg J.F. Pascual, and I am a Ph.D. student at the Université du Québec À Montréal. I started reading science fiction (SF) with the books my father bought—collections of Philip K. Dick stories, Hard to Be a God (1964) by the Strugatsky brothers, and Robert Charles Wilson’s Spin (2005), Axis (2007), and Vortex (2007) series. We would spend hours looking for new SF reads in used bookstores.
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Science Fiction and Other Suspect Ruminations 