>True, but I suspect some of that is the effect of RW sexism having a
>kind of reverse effect. "All I've ever done is cook and childcare"
>(because it's all I've been allowed) "therefore it must be a
>worthwhile thing to do and you shouldn't want anything better". Sour
>grapes effect. At least, that's why that idea only seems to work one
>way in the RW.
In some case yes but there are plenty of women who do work outside the home and still think that way. However the outside work often isn't better but then dull repetitive work isn't restricted to women.
>Of course, in Glorantha there's the point that the traditional
>female role is much wider and more responsible - keeping the family
>fed and clothed requires a bit more than a trip to the supermarket.
>So the women who suggest that messing around with less important
>things (like trading, law-speaking etc) is a waste of valuable time
>are to some extent correct.
And because it is more responsible it has a higher status. There's probably nothing worse in their minds than paying for childcare. "You'd haggle like a trader over your children?"
>> There's plenty of sexism in Heortling society, it's just not the
>> sexism which developed during the industrial revolution on the
>> basis of Roman Christianity. It's the sexism of tradition based
>> on solutions to practical problems.
>
>And therefore isn't sexism, since that implies *unfair*
>discrimination.
Which tradition often is, it becomes unfair when the tradition is used to pressurise individuals into roles they aren't comfortable with or suited for. The cults of Vinga and Nandan are outlets for those who decide to break with the traditional roles but there's plenty of social pressure on individuals not to choose them. And in all (Orlanthi) cases it succeeds.
>> There's a lot of farm work
>> which requires brute strength and mass. Certainly women can do it
>> but the average woman is less efficent than the average man so it
>> becomes men's work.
>
>I just realised something on that. I'm not sure I can spot the feat
>in HQ, but do you remember which RQ cult supplied the "Strength"
>spell? Hint, female, begins with "E". Mass? who's got the spells for
>making things heavier? Where does endurance magic come from?
Yes, but one of the big points about Earth magic is that it's often more applicable for someone other than the caster. Kadone doesn't make herself heavier, she makes people and things heavier. Using, as opposed to having, extra mass (not weight) requires practice. I'm sure Ernaldans use their magic this way but for most it'll be an augment of 2 or 3 which is going to put them on a par with their husband. However they can also augment their husband by the same amount.
>> Equally pregnancy and breast feeding tie women
>> to the stead so they tend to specialise in work that can be done
>> there.
>
>And in things that require a lot of dexterity - fine sewing,
>spinning, weaving. Same thing, some men can do it, but the
>average is biased in favour of women.
I'm less convinced this is natural ability rather than cultural expectations. Women are expected to perform such tasks so they learn them and become more dexterous though doing so. And a lot of heavy manual labour damages the hands making one less dexterous.
-- Donald Oddy http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/
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