On Strike Against Patriarchy: Joanna Russ’s Feminist Vision of Rebellion, and of Love

Science fiction writer Joanna Russ, best known for her futuristic feminist novel The Female Man (1975), made one lone foray into the world of realistic fiction: On Strike Against God (1980). Reissued by the Feminist Press with superb supplementary materials, On Strike Against God is a fascinating novel that highlights both how the suppression of lesbian desire leads to the suppression of self and, conversely, how making visible lesbian desire is akin to making it real and possible, both for Russ herself and for her readers. The story is narrated by Esther, a lesbian college professor on a quest for freedom, for sexual satisfaction, and for love. At turns humorous, bewildering, and polemical, On Strike Against God is a revolt against all that historically has been deemed “natural” for women: femininity, passivity, heterosexuality. The supplemental materials—which include alternate endings of the novel, letters between her and fellow writer Marilyn Hacker, an interview with Russ’s friend, renowned science fiction writer Samuel Delany, and essays by contemporary literary critics—enhance and illuminate Russ’s novel. This edition of On Strike Against God provides longtime admirers of Russ and those just discovering her work with a thoughtful, admiring exploration of her unapologetic feminist vision.