Suzette Haden Elgin

"In 2205, the Nineteenth Amendment has been repealed and men hold absolute power. The Earth's economy relies on an insular group of linguists who "breed" women to become interstellar translators until they are sent to the Barren House to await death. But instead, these women are secretly creating a language of their own to reclaim their autonomy and make resistance possible for all."--Back cover.