Re: Heortlings: Sexist/Egalitarian?

From: John Hughes <nysalor_at_...>
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 09:56:33 +1100

Gareth:
> >
> > Social structure is egalitarian, and gender roles are not
> > associated with
> > superior or inferior status.
> >
>
> Well, you can make that CLAIM, but I don't see it that way myself.

But of course. I clearly stated this was my personal take - *everything* i post on this list is my personal view. Creative and constructive disagreement is one of the things this list is all about. Glorantha is a myth: we might agree on some broad parameters, but every campaign is unique.

> That said, HW is obviously a bit more politically correct than the real
> thing - it is after all a 20th C. product.

Yip, we live our myths.

> But it does propogate some
> sexist patterns IMO; frex. if HW presents the IN GAME rationale
(biological
> determinism) as an OUT OF GAME rationale (biological determinism). I do
not
> recall this actually appearing in HW, explicitly, though, but it has been
> presented here.

Good point. Personally I'm more on the cultural determinism axis - biology is always translated through culture, which provides almost limitless alternatives. While all of us write about things from a particular viewpoint (consciously or unconsciously) Glorantha should be fluid enough to have those viewpoints filtered out by its own magical and mythical rationales.

Cheers

John