An Insight

[bloodyrosemccoy]

Another sign that my science-fiction-writing brain has been destroyed by the internet:

While trying to figure out a culturally-constructed gender role dichotomy for my arhode aliens that was not just some kind of variation on the common human provider/nurturer one,* I realized that the roles I did come up with still fit a dichotomy known to humans.

That’s right, apparently my aliens’ gender roles can be defined in terms of pirate vs. ninja.

I leave you to guess which is male and which is female.


*This is actually rather hard, what with my 23 years of cultural conditioning. I can see why writers default to Crazy Backwards Land where cultural norms dictate men are nurturers and women are providers. At least then you still have your bearings.

Comments

[fayanora.livejournal.com]

More like bi-gendered, I think. Although I guess it would depend on whether it was a ninja who gave up her life of ninjahood to become a pirate, or if it was a ninja who crept stealthily in the night onto ships, silently slaughtered the inhabitants, and then vanished with the ships.