Thursday, June 23, 2005

Homosexuality and Intersexuality in Mythania

I was on the website for Dungeons and Dragons when I found a forum on the Forgotten Realms. There was a section where they were talking about homosexuality in the Forgotten Realms. I found this interesting, for instance how would dwarves feel about homosexuality?. In the end, the people have decided that the Forgotten Realms are pretty excepting about homosexual relationships, since there are also relationships between all kinds of species. Come to think about it that doesn’t prove anything.
Anyway, I have decided to write a thing about homosexuality in my own fantasy universe of Mythania. Mythania is home to all kinds of cultures and they all have different views on homosexuality. In some cases it is considered the ultimate taboo, in some it is necessary for the priest caste. I will also deal with Intersexuality, which is a word that I have just made up. Below is a definition.
Intersexuality, 1.(noun) the preference of another sentient species. 2. The romantic and/or sexual relation between two beings of different species.

Okay, so here is what various Mythanian groupings feel about homosexuality and intersexuality.

Dylisanite, because of there genetic memories, Dylisanite are bisexual. Gender boundaries mean next to nothing to them. Dylisanite do not date, their entire breeding process is carefully monitored so that there population doesn’t experience any booms. This maximum will go up during wartime, but not by much. Marriage is rare in Dylisanite society, but not unheard off.
Dylisanite do have relationships with other species, but they rarely take them very seriously and prefer relationships with there own kind. This is because of the vast amounts of knowledge carried by each Dylisanite makes it hard for the Dylisanite to relate to other species. This is was a common theme in early Commonwealth literature, such as the classic Tragedy of G’Dki’Tel and Wodan.
Half-Dylisanite, a term for any hybrid of a Dylisanite are rare. There have been records of Talortreal, Draan, Cronullaban and Korling Half-Dylisanites. Alexander Buddhachrist, father of the Alexander Bloodline was a great lover of non-dylisanites and fathered over thirty children with non-dylisanites. Dylisanite hybrids have some of the powers of there dylisanite parents, but they are rarely as powerful.

Draan, The draan, being known as the most enlightened of all species, are excepting of all species and almost anything. The draan are capable of homosexuality, but it is even more complex because of the draan third gender. While most draan are either male or female, there is a separate gender combining both male and female characteristics. This third gender is highly respected among the draan and are the closest thing they have to priests.
Intersexuality is common among draan, but they are picky about partners with other species. Because the draan are completely devoted to peace, they find most other species barbaric. They have been known to make exceptions among some for the member of that species being less violent then other members. On no conditions would a draan ever have romantic relations with a soldier.

Perxesism, Perxes is considered one of the most influential religious figures in the history of Mythania. Rarely does one man start a religious following of his magnitude. Not only did Perxes start a vast religion with hundreds of different sects, movements and schools. Perxesist beliefs on homosexuality and intersexuality differ. Amoran Perxesism is against homosexuality and intersexuality, and basically anything sexual at all. However, Amoran Perxesism is not the most common form of Perxesism. Most Perxesist sects are open to homosexuality. This can be defined that they believe God is both male and female. In the end, most Perxesist sects are all right with same-sex and different-species relationships, with Amoran Perxesism as an exception.

Riusism, the faith of genetic memory has different views of homosexuality and intersexuality in there ranks. Making there way to the top of the list against homosexuality and intersexuality, not only among Riusism, but Mythanian religion in general are the Zaiokyn. The Zaiokyn are the greatest examples of a religious movement bent to the will of madmen into something decrepit and corrupt. Zaiokyn believe that the teachings of Rius are meant for the Traidon people only and that all other species should be whipped out. Homosexuality is also against Zaiokyn beliefs because it goes against genetic memory. It should be said that Zaiokyn are not a majority in the world of Riusism and only makes up 5% and is constantly going down.
Mainstream Riusism has nothing against homosexuality itself. They accept gay men and lesbians as part of the community and do not harass them about it. If the individual had children before coming out, it is even the better because it guarantees them eternal life in genetic memory. Since the science of creating a child with the genetic material of two beings of the same gender has been discovered, Mainstream Riusism has no problems with them.
Intersexuality is considered respectable in Mainstream Riusism because of the ultimate goal of Riusism is to create a unified species. Because of this Riusists are some of the most open Intersexualists in Mythania.

Tawazee and Elayren, Tawazee and Elayren are liberal in their views of homosexuality. Despite their common ancestry, the Tawazee and Elayren differ in homosexuality, being the Tawazee have the second smallest percentage of homosexuals and at 6%, and Elayren have the highest percentage of homosexuals at 19%. Bisexuality is unheard off in both species.
Intersexual relationships are common among the Tawazee and Elayren, but only among themselves, being they find "Mainlanders," unattractive. Intersexual relationships among Tawazee and Elayren are usually a Tawazee male and an Elayren female. Tawazee-Elayren hybrids are often outsiders in the societies of both the Matriarchal Elayren and the Patriarchal Tawazee. These outsiders usually join the Explorer’s Guild. Despite their outcaste status, the Tawazee-Elayren hybrids are highly romanticized in both societies.

Dvekti, While the ultra-right wing Zaiokyn are on the end of the expectance of homosexuality, there is no doubt that the Daina/Kaylynn cult is on the far left, being the only religion that doesn’t only embrace homosexuality, but makes it a necessity in there clergy. This is because Daina and Kaylynn, Co-Founders of the Dvekti Goddess Cult are lesbians. While no one is sure what a gay fertility Goddess represents, it remains a necessity for the clergy of the Dvekti Goddess Cult to be homosexual, or at least act the part.
Note of Interest: Only female dvekti are allowed in the clergy, but this does not prevent males from joining. Stay with me on this. For a male to be initiated into the Dvekti clergy, he must be castrated, have his tail spikes cut off and injected with female hormones. The male initiate is then at a half-way point between male and female. There faces still betray their masculine past, but they are more relaxed and feminine.
Intersexuality is unheard of among Dvekti.

Well, that’s it. I do not know how to end this, hope you found it interesting.

Oh, if you want to see the inspiration for my latest post, click here.

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