Re: Transgendered Naffness

From: Meirion Hopkins <Meirion_at_ukgateway.net>
Date: Sat, 23 Sep 2000 11:45:07 +0100


simon_hibbs:
> Another oddity is that Nandan is supposedly the principle manifestation
> of homosexuality in heortling culture, yet the desire by men to bear
> children is very rare among homosexuals. It's similar to making the
> goddess of penis envy the main cult for lesbians. I'd find that
> equally silly.

The Nandan cult's origin in the Great Darkness was obviously born out of a need to make babies with no other option available. However, in historic times there is likely to be no need for this manifestation of his powers within a clan. A clan with problems bad enough to need follow that path are unlikely to survive and other options are available now which weren't then.

I can't see that Nandan is the principle manifestation of homosexuality in Heortling culture. IMO, most homosexual Heortlings are going to be members of normal cults applicable to their daily lives, rather than worshipping a specialised 'gay deity'. How prevalent is Nandan worship supposed to be in Heortling society anyway? Does every clan have a few devotees or is it found only in a few clans?

In historic times, for the cult to survive, it will have attract followers (unless Nandan's original clan survives somewhere and keeps his rites going). These followers are going to either be men who want babies (possibly gay couples who want children), or men who want to be women (whether they have children or not).

Cheers

Meirion

PS I called the affinity Transexuality because I couldn't think of an appropriate one-word Heortling equivalent.


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