>There are both patriarchal and matriarchal clans and for each there
>will be challenges for a member of the non-dominant gender in becoming
>powerful and influential. Part of this is that the way clan marriages
>work is that for most clans one gender were born into the clan and
>know each other from childhood whilst the other gender typically come
>from one of several other clans and hence have that many fewer
>childhood friends to call upon for support as adults[1].
And fewer childhood enemies who will oppose them out of spite.
In truth I suspect that the out-clan partner will get drawn into the friendships and feuds of the in-clan partner and this is something which is carefully considered by the matchmakers.
Furthermore the clan ring has specific positions many of which are usually filled by a specific gender. E.g. on the Lightbringers ring Chalana Arroy could be filled by a man *if* there was a male member of the cult in the clan and he was acceptable to the clan healers. More likely it will be filled by one of the Ernaldan healing subcults.
Even the split between patriarchal and matriarchal clans is overly simplistic. The matriarchal clan with an earth ring containing only a single man taking the role of husband is one extreme while the patriarchal clan with a hill ring and only a single woman in the role of Ernalda is the other. In the hundreds of clans in Sartar there are all sorts of possibilities in between those extremes. So you could have a patriarchal clan with a storm ring where instead of Hedkoranth they have Vinga who is traditionally an unmarried woman born in the clan. That would give women a majority on the ring.
>I do not see how sexism would last on an overt level - few would
>marry into a clan that treated the lesser sex (whichever it was)
>too badly and the clan would die out.
Assuming a completely free choice, possibly. However most clans have only a limited choice of other clans for marriage partners. Maybe four or five within easy travelling distance and they will have feuds with some. You could easily have a choice between marrying into a sexist clan or spending years and much cattle to resolve a feud with a less sexist one. After all there are Yelmalian clans, they haven't died out and you can't get much more sexist than that by Heortling standards.
-- Donald Oddy http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/
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