What is an Unwoman?

An Unwoman in The Handmaid's Tale is a woman whom the Republic of Gilead considers useless, dangerous, or disobedient. Women can be labeled Unwomen for many reasons: being infertile, refusing to follow Gilead’s religious rules, being politically rebellious, identifying as lesbian, or simply being too old to serve the regime’s purposes. Offred learns that feminists, nuns, failed Handmaids, and other dissidents are often sent away as Unwomen.

Most Unwomen are exiled to the Colonies, where they perform brutal labor such as cleaning toxic waste or burning bodies. Moira describes the Colonies as places where everyone wears gray dresses, and where workers usually die within a few years from radiation or exhaustion. Offred’s mother is sent there after appearing in feminist protests, and Moira explains that older nuns and rebellious women are sent there as punishment.

The label “Unwoman” shows how Gilead values women only for obedience and fertility. Aunt Lydia constantly teaches that women must become “worthy vessel[s],” and women who cannot or will not fulfill that role are treated as disposable. Even Janine fears becoming an Unwoman if she fails to produce a healthy baby. The term itself strips women of identity and humanity, reducing them to whether they are useful to the state.

Margaret Atwood uses the idea of the Unwomen to show the extreme consequences of Gilead’s rigid gender system. A woman’s worth is measured entirely by her body, her fertility, and her submission, and anyone outside those limits is erased from society.