Re: In Defence Of A Goddess

From: Simon Phipp <soltakss_at_bGgoOCW6UtJ38cIBPf32POjGA2ygcUZMJyoQPS1XP4BlPiDr91mFtszUOoC2I4PFGqz>
Date: Wed, 16 May 2007 11:23:48 -0000

> Jeff says that Vingan warriors may get pregnant unintentionally
because
> they may not have great birth control.
> I say Ernaldans have a feat called Aid Contraception or similar
(it's
> the second time I said it here so I may have hurried in my typing)
> I conclude that Vingans may, if they belong to a clan with
Ernaldans in
> it, have access to magical birth control.

Maybe, but there are traditionally several methods of birth-control:

1. Abstinence (Celibate Warrior-women)
2. Same-gender relations
3. Alternate-Orifice-Entry
4. Essence Control
5. Physical/Chemical methods

Since Vingans do not have sex to become pregnant, otherwise they would probably belong to Ernalda properly, and assuming they don't want to be celibate, otherwise the problem doesn't occur, then you are left with the others. Same-gender was covered in depth, the others might be unpleasnat, unwanted or unreliable. I can't believe that all Vingans have access to magical birth control - simply because it would be useful doesn't mean it exists.

In any case, historically, women didn't have access to good birth control and this was a major cause of opression. Celibacy or alternate-orifice were often used. Normal sex suffered from the Russian Roulette game of possible pregnancy. I can't see why a fantasy world would be any different.

> I say that I therefore don't understand why people assume there is
so
> little control over reproduction for Orlanthi women (or that they
need
> to divert their sexuality into specifically non-reproductive
forms, if
> anyone ever actually said that).

Which I just did :-)

See ya

Simon