Are Goreans naturally Sexist? Or just realists?

I could not let International Women's day pass without some comment. I would not have even have known such a day existed but fortunately for me my local public radio station had a series of programs on that day about women's rights and their struggle around the world. Sadly it is still an uphill battle for them in many parts of the world. Considering myself Gorean yet still living on Earth, I am sensitive to the day to day conversations and actions I have with one half of the worlds population.

I am sensitive to those conversations because Gorean culture can be seen by the outsider as institutionally sexist, and they would be right. Goreans however place a high value on women in a variety of ways, either monetary - the buying and selling of slave girls is part of the Gorean fabric, or holding them to high standards of behavior. Paradoxically Gorean women in the books are loved, have a quiet strength and dignity that radiates out and are respected. Even the slaves to a great extent are respected. The women were able to express themselves and make their opinions known in a variety of ways.

Gor, for better or worse however, is a man's world. So eventually the women in Norman's world fall into the collar, mere property who melt at the touch of a mere man and who beg for slave rape. It is a shame that Norman never fully developed his world in the books to the point where a free woman could be seen as contributing in many ways to the society. Even on Earth it's very easy to ignore the contributions of women.

However respecting the individual and respecting the entire sex are to different things. We also have to define how culture and natural philosophy differ. First off lets review a little bit of history and biology.

Biologically speaking it makes sense for the male to try to impregnate as many women as possible, to pass on his genetic code. For the woman, who has to carry the child for 9 months and then raise that child for the next 10 - 12 years, until it's able to live independently it makes biological sense to be with one man - or even share one man - that can provide food, shelter and protection. Mortality rates for women in childbirth even a mere 100 years ago were shockingly high. Child mortality rates were also high.

It sounds horrible but the truth of the matter is that woman were seen as having less value unless they were able to live through childbirth, and produce a living offspring. They were then expected to raise that child. We see this pattern repeated over and over again in different parts of the world and within different cultures and time periods.


Where as the modern women have no choice to a great extent to enter the workplace, it was not always that way. In fact, a recent poll conducted by Reuters/Ipsos found that 1 in 4 adults, both men and women, thought that a women's place was in the home - what makes this poll even more interesting is the fact that the countries polled where a combination of developing, and developed countries.

In other words, our evolution has programmed us to to see women as caretakers and mothers. Another interesting study from Princeton University found that when men look at sexy pictures of women, it stimulates the same part of the brain that using tools do.

The researcher, Susan Fisk of Princeton University, concluded that "[T}he changes in brain activity suggest sexy images can shift the way men perceive women, turning them from people to interact with, to objects to act upon." While I am not a trained biologist or psychologist I think the conclusion she reaches is wrong. Men are simply byproducts of nature. The fact that the same part of the brain that uses tools is stimulated by sexy pictures is because woman are tools. In the sense that they will carry a child and allow the genetic code to be passed on. So, in a way, it does make sense that this part of the brain is stimulated.

In my understanding of Natural Philosophy these differences between men and women are to be respected, understood and even celebrated. Thus the Gorean knows that living close to nature, he or she will act according to their nature. Women raise the children, maintain the home and support the efforts of her man. The man's duties are to protect and provide for his family. He also supports his free companion and treats her with respect and dignity.

Over 10,000 years of human evolution has allowed our species to develop technology to extend life, to make travel and communications easier...but it has not rewired our brains in many ways. We still deep down in the reptilation part of our brain have deep seated understandings of the role of men and women. Understanding that is part of the Gorean experience.

Where culture comes in is the artificial restrictions we place on women. To cover themselves in modest clothing. To speak only when spoken to (A non Gorean idea I might add as Gorean women were expect to speak their minds in the books - and even slaves were valued for their opinion), or walk three paces behind the man. A mere 100 years ago, women were not even allowed to vote in the United States.

We can not confuse the natural with the cultural. Women have and will continue to make great contributions to the human experience. So it is natural for us to desire that the women stay at home, taking care of the children and contributing to the home in a variety of ways.

It is unnatural and against Natural philosophy to deny a woman the right to participate in that society just because of her sex.