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Why do we assign genders to robots, even when they look like Wall-E or a Roomba vacuum cleaner? That was the subject of a panel at WisCon, where a roboticist debated sexbots and macho tanks with writers and science fiction fans. More »
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One of my favorite science fiction conventions on Earth is Wiscon, a gathering that happens every year on Memorial Day weekend in Madison, Wisconsin. No, it's not just the macaroni and cheese pizza that draws us to this fine midwestern city: It's the terrific programming and cool people at Wiscon who get together to talk about science fiction and its social meaning. Wiscon is billed as a feminist conference, and over the years it has evolved into a lot more. It's a book-centric conference about the politics of science fiction, whether related to feminsim, antiracism, class, religion, or just the internecine debates of fandom. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5264533&view=rss&microfeed=true If any of you are going to be at Wiscon this weekend in Madison, say hi to Charlie Jane, Nivair, and myself! We'll all be there wandering around hoping to find awesomely cool books, as well as dropping in on many of the excellent panels planned for the con. So if you see us, tell us about what you're reading, and what you'd recommend! Nivair is there currently, and Charlie Jane and I are on a plane right now, arriving late this evening. More »
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