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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Malanath" data-source="post: 2877880" data-attributes="member: 25538">Thanks again everyone, especially you Fusangite as you seem to have articulated what I was trying to get across.  That pretty much sums up my reluctant feelings.I've been reworking some of the society and culture of my world to reflect that people with same-sex inclinations exist.  I really feel that it has made a positive impact on the world as a whole, especially in making things more interesting.  Let me give you an example.My world is based around a single Empire in decline.  This empire has existed for nearly 2,000 years and as such has developed a rather interesting culture.  In this culture honor and family are paramount.  Many people would rather die than to have their honor or integrity impugned.  Shame plays a huge role in society.  Family also plays a central role in the culture of the Empire.  In commoner families, for example, young children may be educated with very basic reading, writing, and math skills before learning a craft around the age of ten or eleven.  For children born in rural areas this is typically the craft of their same-sex parent, for more urban areas children may apply for apprenticeship at a guild.  The roles of male and female in my society are very well defined.  The roles of females typically evolve around the home, child raising, and the like but can also include such jobs as Midwife, Herbalist, or village wise woman.  At around the ages of 14-16 children will typically find themselves being prepared to enter an arranged marriage.  All children are expected to get married, and polygamy is quite common among commoners and sometimes among the high nobility.  Now, here is where same-sex relationships come into play.  It would not be uncommon for women who are married to the same man to also have a sexual relationship with other women in the marriage.  When a woman is added to the marriage all of them are considered married to each other.  For men, even though they are expected to marry women, also typically form a relationship with another man called a silksokai - meaning "chosen brother" - in which sexual acts are typically involved, although this may not always be the case.  Forming a silksokai is a very special relationship between two men, and is one that is held in high honor and esteem - it is literally a marriage of two families.  Members of a silksokai also typically arrange to have their children marry one another.  Although it is not very common, women who are married to one husband in a silksokai may also have a sexual relationship with the women of the other.  However, the two men never sleep with each others wives - it would be akin to sleeping with your sister-in-law.  (Not to mention the problems of your child marrying back into your family, thus creating an incestuous relationship.)If someone wishes to escape marriage then the only real way to do that would be to join one of the religious orders.  There are three of them, two exclusively male and one exclusively female.  There is sometimes same-sex relationships within the orders.   This is more or less the extent that same sex relations will affect my world.  Sex between people of the opposite sex is generally either viewed as a procreative act or an act of high love and affection.  Sex between people of the same sex is generally viewed as a very intimate and loving friendship.  In general the society is much more open about sexuality than ours, sex is something done in private, but general displays of affection are quite common.  A general greeting among acquaintances is a kiss on the cheek, where as a greeting among good friends is a kiss on the lips.  Hugging and other such displays of affection are also common.Interestingly, though, displays of playful sexual touching (such as slapping someone on the butt) is considered shameful and embarrassing.  As would be more affectionate kisses or certain types of caresses.  Although hand holding is something rather common among good friends.</blockquote>

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