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Gender in the Kingdom of Anaxas

Social Roles of Women and Men

In Anaxas, there is still a long way to go to achieving gender equality. Strictly speaking, the higher you go on the class/race totem pole, the less pervasive sexism will seem. This does not mean that sexism is never a problem among the galdori citizenry. It is merely quieter, subtler, and more subdued.

Galdori Society

Perhaps the furthest along the road to true equality are the galdori. This is due, not to their rejection of traditional lines of thinking or a modernization of their concept of gender, but to their extreme and almost religious devotion to the pursuit of knowledge, something which is considered a heroic ideal both for men and women. There is an equalizing effect in play when it comes to this; women are naturally just as good at magic as men, and in the narrative of galdori culture, it is always preferable to have more practicing sorcerers. (This particularly affects their view of people who are incapable of casting.)

However, within this dynamic there are inherent differences and inequalities.

There are less obvious inequalities than among humans, leading to much self-righteousness among the galdori, but the problem of expected gender roles persists. Women were traditionally expected to take on more passive roles in their preferred application of magic; it is only recently that female Seventen became more common, for example. It remains far more acceptable to women to be healers or scientists than to use their magic for defensive purposes. The lofty heights of academia are still cloistered and somewhat sexist (the induction of Ophelia Servalis as Headmistress caused more than a few raised eyebrows). And though there have been massive strides to treat female students equally, this is sometimes difficult to enforce, especially among the older and more established professors (who remain overwhelmingly male).

Galdori women and men alike must deal with certain social expectations. For the most part, career choice is not restricted to specific genders, with only a very few exceptions. However, the genders are divided in complex and subtle ways. The notion of chivalry, though increasingly unpopular among the new generation, is still influential in male/female interactions. Galdori men are expected to treat all women with restraint, politeness and respect that they would not necessarily afford to all male acquaintances. Certain personality traits (kindness, patience, cheerfulness, optimism, generosity) are valued more highly among women, while others (ambition, strength of character, decision-making, pragmatism, business acumen) are more prized among men. Clothing, too, is gendered, as it is for all parts of Vitan society, but as they lack the economic need to dress more practically, galdori women are expected to dress as women (in female-gendered clothing) without fail. (Men are held to the same standard of birth-gendered presentation.)

Secular Society

Among the secular citizenry, women are only recently able to do the work of a man (manual labor, fighting and other traditionally male pursuits) and choose to do so despite the knowledge that the decision will reap derision and judgment from her social circle. This is often a practical choice for families without a male figure, but secular society is still occasionally judgmental to women who take on traditionally masculine roles. Likewise, men who choose to take part in a traditionally feminine occupation are also judged for it, given leeway only in the case of pressing economic motivation. The guidelines for what is considered masculine and feminine are tempered with the general understanding that the "ideal" is not always possible, especially for the very poor, so there is some wiggle room. Certain occupations that involve strength or hard manual labor are strictly male, while household occupations such as cleaning and child-rearing are strictly female. There are a myriad of professions, however, that are seen as gender-neutral.

Marriage

In all societies there exists the stereotypical family unit consisting of a dominant husband and a submissive wife (or, in the galdori case, a dominant and submissive partner). The majority of household duties are passed onto the submissive individual, while the majority of economic and social power is given to the dominant one. Note that among galdori, dominance is not based solely on gender; class does play a large part, and if a woman's family is far more prestigious than her husband's, she will take on a far more dominant role than the one expected of her gender.

Childhood Indoctrination

Children are not heavily gendered by society until they begin to hit puberty, when the male and female roles laid out for them are explained in greater detail, but there is a definite tendency to quash any "wrong" behavior - boys playing games that are traditionally for little girls, girls wishing to go into traditionally male careers, etc. This is less of a concern among the galdori, who largely ignore their offspring's gender presentation until they come of age. Among wicks, children acting in a manner outside their gender is not only expected, but encouraged, as it is believed that such exploration can only strengthen character.

The Gender Binary

In Anaxas, the gender binary is still seen as an absolute way of life, a necessary component for society to function, as evidenced by the innately gendered government (i.e., the King and Queen). There is no widespread doubt in the veracity of the binary, and therefore Vitan society as a whole does not acknowledge any variations or gender nonconformity as legitimate.

Gender Presentation and Nonstandard Gender Identities

As stated before, clothing (and therefore gender presentation) is heavily gendered among all parts of Anaxi society. Sadly, stepping outside these boundaries is seen as a sign of mental imbalance, even sociopathy, by most. There is no acknowledged need to step outside the gender binary and those who choose to do so publicly are brutally marginalized, often treated as insane.

Trans individuals and cisgender individuals alike are given little choice by society in presenting as their bio-gender. There are few who are brave enough to present themselves in a gender-nonconforming manner, and they often suffer for doing so. The consequences for such a choice vary between social settings. Galdori are not usually in any physical danger for doing so, but they would undoubtedly suffer massive social consequences and encounter little sympathy or acceptance. It is more acceptable for a woman to wear trousers assuming her life's responsibilities call for the more practical choice, but for a man to wear womens' clothing is considered outrageous. For humans, such a decision could easily result in physical violence, social ostracizing or even being judged mentally ill.

Tolerance Of Nonconformity in Anaxas

Trans individuals are almost invisible to the majority of Vitan society. In the mainstream there is practically no tolerance for stepping outside the norm when it comes to gender identity.

There are exceptions in certain societies, however. For example, among the Anaxi nomadic wicks and those in Anhau, gender nonconformity is seen as "quirky" rather than dangerous. Wicks expect other wicks to act in ways that emphasize their individuality; this includes gender presentation, and it is not usually interpreted as a mental ailment. This does not indicate a completely accepting viewpoint, or even a tolerant one, but at least those who do not conform to the binary are not ostracized or put in any actual danger by their families and tribes. In rare cases, gender nonconformity is seen as a positive trait (mostly in women who present as men or in a traditionally masculine manner). This slightly more open-minded view may stem from the clothing worn by wicks, which is often somewhat gender-ambiguous.

Sexuality in Anaxas

Birth Control and Abortion

Birth control is available in several forms, though the human public is largely ignorant of this fact. Wicks make use of a tonic made from stopsage to control the ovulation cycle. Galdori, meanwhile, have very precise spells to prevent pregnancy, and most women learn to use them by the time they marry - though their husbands might not know about it.

Abortion is similarly available to galdori, but for social reasons it is rarely used unless the mother's life is endangered.

For wicks and humans, only very dangerous methods of abortion are available, usually self-administered. There is a poison made from clippitch blossoms that can induce a miscarriage, but at substantial risk to the mother. In desperation, some women turn to back-alley doctors to procure emergency abortions. Despite this, economic realities force the hand of many human women, and abortion (and abortion-related death) is common.

Sexual Stigma and Promiscuity

As a rule, in Anaxi society, women are expected to be the less dominant of the pair. This is slightly different among wicks, where women are often the aggressors and instigators of sex. It is a common stereotype of witches that they are sexually promiscuous and adventurous.

To be seen as promiscuous (aside from the aforementioned wick society) is to be thought mentally weak and of poor moral fiber. It is especially shameful for women, who often have difficulty shaking a bad reputation earned in their youth. In a double standard, male promiscuity is typically ignored or forgiven, especially during the younger years.

Women are expected to be virginal before marriage. This ideal state of affairs is so rare, however, that women sometimes engage in a kind of performance art on their wedding nights - screaming, crying, and breaking a small bladder of blood between their legs. It is practically a tradition; blood bladders are sold under the counter at many apothecaries.

Prostitution is rampant among human society, and prostitutes are paid visits by men (and some women) in all walks of life. To be a prostitute once is to be considered one for life, and it is a dangerous profession; they are very likely to contract sexual diseases, and stand a good chance of being physically abused or even murdered.

Homosexuality

Homosexuality is treated differently in different cultures.

The galdori are extremely open-minded toward homosexual relationships. Homosexuality is generally accepted as normal (and even fashionable) for high-society women. By law, homosexual marriage is just as valid as heterosexual marriage and is even recognized by the church. It can be upsetting for parents to learn their offspring are homosexual, because their family lines might be threatened (and galdori parents rarely adopt), but apart from this there is no opposition to it. This acceptance goes back as far as galdori history; many of the most famed and respected historical figures were openly homosexual.

Human societies, in which marriages are largely for convenience and for the purpose of childbearing, are less accepting of homosexuality. In women it is considered crass; in men, it is considered a weakness. This leads to a lot of frustration and pent-up emotions. Bisexuality is equally discouraged, but considered a job necessity for women who work in the sex industry; this double standard has led to the widespread human belief that female homosexuality or bisexuality leads to promiscuity. The forbidden nature of human homosexuality has led to the formation of a type of underground within the human underground; unfortunately, for fear of retribution, members of this subculture are unwilling to seek medical or legal help and can be open to exploitation, abuse and disease.

Wicks, living outside the lines of human and galdori societies, do not have ethical problems with homosexuality. Perhaps because of the openness of their sexuality, and the lack of social stigma towards experimentation, bisexuality seems more commonplace among nomadic wicks than in other cultures. However, those engaged in homosexual relationships rarely marry in the traditional sense. Borrowing some of the prejudices of human society, homosexual marriage is seen as a "golly thing," and impractical in the long-term due to the impossibility of bearing children. So, while it is more comfortable to be a homosexual living among wicks, one must deal with homosexual relationships not being taken as seriously as comparable heterosexual relationships.