I don't know if anybody else has seen this, but in the December issue of Cosmopolitan (I look through my girlfriend's copy) there is an interesting article about "the sworn virgins of Albania".
Essentially, in certain rural communities women are expected to look after the home, cook food, look after babies etc (sound familiar?). However, if for some reason a family does not have a son to grow up and eventually become head of the household (or if they have a son who is totally unsuitable to become head) then one of the girls is separated from the other girls and is brought up as a boy; she starts to wear male clothing, do men's jobs, she gets to drink and smoke with the other men in the village and so on. This in no way implies that she becomes a lesbian; (s)he takes no partner.
One example given was the case where a girl's uncle and aunt's only
son died suddenly, and she was sent to join them. Can you imagine
what a shock to the system this must have been. One day you're a
little girl, fully expecting to grow up like all your sisters and to
marry and be subservient to your husband, and the next day your sent
away and dressed and treated as a boy/man for the rest of your life.
This same "sworn virgin" told how to have your biological sex talked
about is bad manners (to say the least). One man threatened to rape
her, so (s)he simply told him that if he came anyway near (her)him,
(s)he would kill him.
Now we know that Orlanthi don't have many qualms about women taking men's roles (i.e. through Vinga) and the Lunars are pretty liberated, but what about conservative cultures such as Yelmalions and the Malkioni. Perhaps this is a way for women to reverse roles in these cultures.
Just a thought,
Rob
(Back to lurking)
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