Aye, and Gomorrah by Samuel R. Delaney

I surprised me to find out that Aye, and Gomorrah by Samuel R. Delaney was written in the early 60s, for the themes and problems laid out in the work feel very resonate in our contemporary time. If someone had told me this had been in the past five years I would have assumed as much. The complexity of sexuality in this future is something that mirrors some of the sexual problems facing society today. Also with very scientific explanation helps make the situation of the “spacers” even more believable. Also, there is something to say about the fetishizing and worship of them in the eyes of the rest of the population. Many of the themes of a unique group of people and how they interact with the rest of society not just sexual but physically and visually correlates to our modern times perfectly. You can easily see similarities between Spacers and Homosexual, Transgender, and peoples of other races but with a slight spin than usual. The worship of them, instead of rejection. Even though parts of LGBT and other races cultures are “worshiped” in a way today this wouldn’t have been the same when this story was written. Even with admiration and fascination, there are aspects that still are negative to the different and unique group still. While not being as violent as it seems to be more manipulative and exploitative, people attempting to coop and use the Spacers for whatever some aesthetic purpose. Even in both extremes whether its complete rejection or fetishizing a unique group can still have problems within a modern society.