In the RW, I work for the Canadian Blood Services. It is an absolute fact that many fewer women than men are able to pass the blood-iron test which we use as a prescreening test prior to giving blood. This in a world with few pregnancies/woman, lots of vitamin supplements, an enriched diet and modern medical knowledge of human physiology to detect and manage thryroid problems or other abnormalities. These lower blood iron levels are not directly due to menstruation, though that can have a temporary effect. It turns out that one of the things that testosterone does is to promote the formation of red blood cells.
Now, what can we do with this in Glorantha? I agree with Jane, iron is unlikely to be the key. Iron has too many other specific associations. Can we come up with anything that goes back to Grandfather Mortal?
Women routinely do lose more blood than men. Could it instead be tied to Ernalda? Women give a regular sacrifice to Ernalda, the Earth. You could tie copper into that, though I must admit that brings back images of Vulcans, instead. Oh my, just had a Freudian typo. Typed 'Vulvans' first. Heh-hmm.
I pass this over to the great collective imaginations of Glorantha.
Alison
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