I tend to deprecate looking from a modern perspective of what Nanda & Vinga
"really" mean in terms of socially constructed gender roles, sexual
preference etc. from my 21st century real world perspective.
Hit me upside the head with the myth: Vinga was the thunder brother who was born in a woman's body. She demonstrated that, whatever her body looked like, from a mythical, magical perspective, she was a man.
Nanda is being of fluid gender, both genders, yet neither. Initially male in outward form, he flows between forms.
Is reproduction a magical act? In Glorantha, hell yeah. It always includes a
"mundane" element, but in many ways it's not as important for reproduction
as the magical (otherwise, Broo Would Not Work).
Can Vingans be daddies? If they can be chiefs, certainly they can be daddies.
Can Nandandies be mummies? Certainly, truly, physically and magically.
Do husbands trust Nandandies in the loom house? IMG, when they're in the loom house, they're women, so yes. Mythically, there is no precedent for a woman to become attracted to a woman unless she is really a man in a woman's body (Vinga), even if the other woman is currently in a man's body (Nanda).
Does this mean same sex relationships are taboo? I'd say yes, because Heortling society only allows them if one of the people in the relationship declares they aren't really that gender.
In fact, it's as complicated as the real world...
-- _______________________________ Pete Darby http://pete_darby.livejournal.com
Powered by hypermail