Eberron: no sexism

[jeffwik]

I just noticed this: there's no textual support for sexism in the Eberron setting. The sexes seem pretty well equally represented as heads of state, Dragonmarked houses, et cetera. I don't see any evidence that wives are more likely than husbands to stay at home and cook/clean/raise the kids while their spouse goes off to work in the field/adventure/fight the War. A female adventurer (of any class) is no more or less unusual than the corresponding male. Other than in fashion, Khorvaire seems to be a gender-blind society.

Unless there are instances of gender discrimination or such that I haven't noticed.

 

[GreatLemur]

Yeah, it's a much-appreciated--and subtly-expressed--decision. It saves us from tired talented-woman-denied-lofty-military/scholarly-position-due-to-her-gender bits. We've seen sexism, patriarchy, and matriarchy examined in fantasy settings enough, already. And even if that sort of thing was still interesting in linear fiction, it could only be an annoyance in a game setting.

 

[mhacdebhandia]

I just noticed this: there's no textual support for sexism in the Eberron setting.

Yes. In fact, it's worth noting that the rightful heir of King Jarot was his daughter, Mishann of Cyre, so while primogeniture appears to have been the rule in Galifar, it wasn't male primogeniture. Wikipedia calls this "absolute", "equal", "lineal", or "full cognatic primogeniture", when the eldest child inherits regardless of gender.

I don't know if it's come up in the game material, yet, but the novel The Orb of Xoriat assumes that men who marry women from dragonmarked houses take the house's surname.

 

[Nifft]

There's also a distinct dearth of wandering prostitute tables.
Is this some secret WotC agenda? To let girls into our club?!

Feh, -- N

 

[Aust Diamondew]

Can't be too secret if female is the generic gender in the core books.
Makes sense IMO, if a GM really wants sexist societies (like real life) he can add it to the game pretty easily. In fact I'd be surprised if there wasn't some sexism in most ebberron games given that real life is sexist.

 

[Meloncov]

There's also a distinct dearth of wandering prostitute tables.

There's a fair bit about prostitutes in S:CoTs.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I just noticed this: there's no textual support for sexism in the Eberron setting. The sexes seem pretty well equally represented as heads of state, Dragonmarked houses, et cetera. I don't see any evidence that wives are more likely than husbands to stay at home and cook/clean/raise the kids while their spouse goes off to work in the field/adventure/fight the War. A female adventurer (of any class) is no more or less unusual than the corresponding male. Other than in fashion, Khorvaire seems to be a gender-blind society.

Unless there are instances of gender discrimination or such that I haven't noticed.

The same thing goes for most fantasy settings, including most DnD settings; it's not restricted to Eberron. I usually only see sexism in novels, and it's usually only to oppose female characters. In a rare instance in the Warcraft novel "Cycle of Hatred" where a female character didn't think it was a good idea for another female character to be a warrior. (She didn't have a problem with a female mage though, although there was plenty of sexism among the mages as well.)

Female adventurers might be less common, but adventurers are an "unusual breed" to begin with. How often do you see a half-orc, a human, a warforged and a gnome being pals? At that point, I doubt the peasants will be nonplussed to see that the half-orc and human are female.

I guess we can put it this way; sexism in a setting is realistic and may even add to the setting (in a "let's kick that sexist jerk" kind of way), so long as it isn't used against female characters (unless the player is okay with it, that is).

 

[buzz]

I just noticed this: there's no textual support for sexism in the Eberron setting.

It's not just Eberron. D&D 3.x in general is all about gender equity. To which I say, BOOYAH!

 

[Dirigible]

There's also a distinct dearth of wandering prostitute tables.

Rolls 78: Warforged Strumpet.

"Query: Is puny human looking for a good time?"

 

[Solarious]

Not to mention that in Eberron, many of the 'great' figures in it's history are female. You might have to squint, but if you look closer, its a virtual flood of estrogen.

Lhazaar, of the Lhazaar Principalities fame, first to lead humans to Khorvaire? Female.
Taratai, leader of the rebel Quori and founder of the Path of Light? Female.
Aeren, who lead the elves in fleeing Xen'drik to Aerenal (Aeren's Rest)? Female (Magic of Eberron is GLAHHHH!!!).
Mishann and Wroann, two of the key instigators of the Last War? Female.
Tira Miron, Voice of the Flame? Female.
Vvaraak, the Scaled Apostate, who taught the orcs the druidic path of the Gatekeepers? Female.

You tell me what it says about Eberron.