One common theme could be the loss of self - identity. As women's roles are restricted or they face certain pressures, they may start to lose a sense of who they are.
I haven't come across particular 'Shrinking Women' short stories myself. However, you could look into anthologies of feminist literature as this theme might be explored within that genre. Some independent bookstores may also be able to point you in the right direction.
There might be a shrinking women story set in a science - fiction world. Maybe due to some experimental technology gone wrong, a woman starts shrinking. As she shrinks, she realizes she can see things from a whole new perspective. She discovers tiny ecosystems in her garden that she never knew existed before. This kind of story can be a great exploration of the concept of scale and perception.
Another theme is transformation. The physical shrinking is not just a change in size but also a transformation of the character's identity. He has to re - evaluate who he is and his place in the world. It's a very profound change that affects every aspect of his life.
One aspect of 'Shrinking Man Short Stories' could be the exploration of the human psyche in extreme situations. When a man shrinks, his perspective on the world changes drastically. He might face new fears and insecurities that were not present before. For example, things that were once small and insignificant become huge obstacles. This can be seen as a metaphor for how our perception of problems can change depending on our state of mind.
One such story could be in a magical world where a powerful witch accidentally shrinks the men in her village while trying out a new spell. The men then have to deal with a world that has suddenly become huge and full of new challenges like climbing up tables and chairs which were once easy to access.
One theme could be isolation. When a woman shrinks, she is often separated from the normal world. For example, in a story, a shrinking woman may find herself alone in a corner of her room as everyone around her is too big to notice her. Another theme is adaptability. She has to quickly learn how to survive in a much larger environment, like finding new ways to get food and shelter.
Yes, they can be considered part of speculative fiction. Since shrinking is not a normal occurrence in real life, it falls into the realm of the speculative. It often involves elements of science - like a scientific experiment gone wrong causing the shrinking - or magic - perhaps a magical spell that shrinks the woman. So it has elements that are typical of speculative fiction.
One common theme could be the power dynamic. For example, a character might find the idea of a woman being shrunk and thus in a more vulnerable position alluring. Another theme could be the exploration of a tiny world. If a woman is shrunk, she may experience a world that is normally unnoticed, like the space under a couch or between floorboards. Also, there might be themes related to protection or domination, where the shrunken woman is either protected or dominated by the other characters in the story.
Another type could be a time - travel related story. A woman travels back in time and her presence causes some kind of energy fluctuation that shrinks the men in that era. She then has to figure out how to reverse the effect while also dealing with the historical and cultural implications of having shrunken men in that particular time period. This type of story can be really interesting as it combines science - fiction elements with historical settings.