Hmmm. While most of John's discussion is quite beguiling and well argued, this particular bit leaves me uncertain. In my opinion, the Orlanthi are a very conformist lot. For example, though there is no requirement for people to stick to their appropriate gender roles, they all do. It would appear to take a strong willed, determined person to go against the expectations. Having said that, it does appear that most of the time they are quite tolerant of those who do go against the grain (bar some snide comments, bad jokes, etc.) so they are perhaps more tolerant than most of our society. (Or perhaps it just seems that way given Scotland's Media's current bout of homophobia...)
I would have expected this attitude to extend into sex. It would seem there would be a normal pattern that all people would follow. Exactly what this is, I'm not sure - anything from our own 'heterosexual is normal' to 'only have sex with the other gender for making babies'. Something still to be discovered. Whatever it is, there is always room for the one in six who doesn't conform, but is accepted 'cos "he may be different, but he's ours".
Graham
"We don't like their sound. Groups of guitars are on their way out."
Decca Records
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