Gender Divide & Sexuality

From Tazlure Gaming System Wiki

An important question for your setting will be how you deal with the different genders and the different kinds of sexuality? Is there total emancipation? Did society evolve from something else than patriarchial society?

[edit] Traditional Settings

This is based on pre-industrial Earth.

Men, as the stronger sex, were thought to be intelligent, courageous, and determined. Women, on the other hand, were more governed by their emotions, and their virtues were expected to be chastity, modesty, compassion, and piety. Men were thought to be more aggressive; women more passive. These differences were echoed in the faults to which each sex was thought to be prone. Men were prone to violence, obstinacy, and selfishness, while women's sins were viewed as the result of their tendency to be ruled by their bodies and their emotions, notably lust, excessive passion, shrewishness, and laziness.

Expectations of male and female conduct derived from these perceived virtues and weaknesses. In marriage, men were expected to rule over their wives, and all property (except in some cases property acquired by the woman before marriage) belonged to the husband. Men were the primary wage earners, while women were expected to be primarily responsible for housework and childcare, though both sexes participated in all these activities.

Women's paid employment was typically low status, low paid, and involved fewer skills and responsibilities than men's. The types of work available to women were confined to a few sectors of the economy where the work could be seen as an extension of women's domestic responsibilities, such as domestic service, the clothing trades, teaching, and nursing. In politics, women possessed virtually no formal rights, though they could exercise influence informally. Beyond employment, women's public roles were generally confined to the exercise of their moral and domestic virtues through participation in religion and charity.

This even went as far as to influence the punishments inflicted upon criminals of either gender. For instance women were less likely to be persecuted (they were less dangerous to society) and even if they were, their sentence was often milder or if they were pregnant (or claimed to be) completely tossed out. In addition women who committed treason were not drawn and quartered (which would have exposed their bodies), but rather modestly burned at the stake.

In such a strict society, it is no wonder that sexuality is covered with taboo. Crossdressing, transexuality, homosexuality are things not mentioned, much less practiced.

[edit] Total Emancipation

Yes, perhaps once upon a time society was patriarchal or matriarchal but right now men and women are equal. Likewise all sexualities are accepted, neither legally nor culturally repressed. In fact it is so normal that it is hardly mentioned. Tanya Huff uses this to full effect in her Quarter series. To our contemporary eyes this is equally weird as we are used to such things being a matter of debate and contention.

• Is there still a difference between genders? What qualities and sins are associated with which genders? How are alternative sexualities regarded?
• What prohibitions are there? For instance how is rape dealt with? What are the punishments for gender and sexuality related crimes?
• How does life differ from real life?

[edit] The Reversed Setting

Women are considered superior over men, being in charge in their matriarchal society. This of course has its effect on how society is run, giving an entirely different focus. You can use 19th century feminist utopian literature as a reference. Another alternative would be having homosexuality or other forms of alternative sexuality the norm rather than what you are used to right now.

For questions see above, but also ask yourself if there is an emancipation going on. Are there rebels? What in particular do they attack as unjust?