You'll Love This Feminist Flash Fiction Event

The realm of fiction has long been a place for women to explore more fair and just societies than our own — which is why science fiction website Tor.com are running a flash fiction event on International Women's Day (March 8). The event will be named "Nevertheless She Persisted," in honor of the now-iconic words spoken by Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell about why Senator Elizabeth Warren was silenced: "She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted." The words have since become a battle cry for people to acknowledge the struggles faced by women throughout history — and their refusal ever to give in.

The "Nevertheless She Persisted" fiction event will build on this inspirational truth, featuring stories about women beating the odds and breaking glass ceilings. In their announcement post, Tor.com talked about the important role that science fiction by women has always played in striving towards a more gender-inclusive world through creative expression — from Mary Shelley (who is credited with inventing science fiction when she wrote Frankenstein) to the Muslim feminist Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hussain, who wrote the utopian story "Sultana's Dream." Now the baton has passed to some of the best science fiction and fantasy writers of today — including Seanan McGuire and Catherynne M. Valente — who on March 8 will each be dreaming up visions of women surviving and thriving beyond their circumstances.

Here's the full list of participants so far announced by Tor.com:

• Charlie Jane Anders
• Brooke Bolander
• Maria Dahvana Headley
• Amal El-Mohtar
• Kameron Hurley
• Seanan McGuire
• Nisi Shawl
• Catherynne M. Valente
• Carrie Vaughn
• Jo Walton
• Alyssa Wong

I can't wait to see what these amazing authors come up with, but I can already bet they'll have one important thing in common: these will be stories of women being warned, being given an explanation, but nevertheless, persisting.