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Old 11-19-2005, 06:46 PM   #18 (permalink)
Gilda
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Location: Out on a wire.
I might be tempted, just to see what it's like, if only for a very short time, but I have it on good authority that being male isn't really all that great .

John Varley's nine worlds society is built, among other things, on the concept of being able to change sex cheaply and easily. It leads to a society with a bunch of interesting characteristics:

There is essentially no sexism.
Gender distinctions remain.
People tend to consciously adopt the traditional manner of presentation and mannerisms for their chosen sex, to the point that, when changing sex, most people go overboard.

At first, the majority of those changing sex were male-to-female (just as in our reality), and would do so permanently, but as it became accepted, a larger and larger proportion of the population began to do it, and it became normal for a person to change sex several times during a lifetime to fit their mood, as a means of expression. Eventually it becomes the norm, with only a small portion of the population staying one sex permanently.

This isn't the only aspect of the society, and it's only the central point of two or three stories, but it creates a background that adds flavor to just about every story.

Steel Beach is the best introduction to the world, involves a sex-change for the main character, and a lot of commentary on the differences between the sexes.

I do find it a little interesting that, though the sex changes tend to go both ways equally, there are more stories looking at male to female than the opposite. Or maybe not. There are a number of male sci-fi writers who like to explore the male-to-female sex change theme, while female to male tends not to get the same focus. Female sci-fi writers tend to be more likely to make their sexually non-traditional women lesbians rather than transsexuals. I think that says something about how men and women think differently.

I tend to think it's unlikely that things would progress to the point they do in his world, but he's such a good writer that it's convincing when you're reading it.

Gilda
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