In science fiction, aliens often represent an opportunity to explore the other. Ursula Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness utilized aliens to explore gender, and Octavia Butler’s Lilth’s Brood utilized aliens to explore gender, race, and sexuality. Does the role of aliens change in our current climate and how do we avoid the pitfalls of utilizing aliens as a thinly veiled attempt to promote stereotypes and outdated ideals?
