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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Inzae" data-source="post: 658433" data-attributes="member: 4600">yuppersHere is one brief I found on the internet.<a href="http://www.studentsforgenitalintegrity.org/intersex.html" target="_blank">http://www.studentsforgenitalintegrity.org/intersex.html</a>It does not discuss it in detail nor its historical or social impact, frequency ect.  At least I don't think it does, I just skimmed it.  I generally use the library for such things and wander into professional texts/papers.  If you are more intersted go to Anthropology and Medical sources looking up gender, gender fixing, male cutting, circumsision, penisdectomy ect.  It is an eye popper.  There is a lot of stink about African female cutting in the press today but male cutting is rarely addressed (of course, female cutting seems a bit extemem and more brutal - and I think it is).  While we are on female cutting in Africa, the same occurs with growing frequency in America but under a different guise.  Currently, one of the quickest growing areas of plastic surgery is labia reconstrcution.  With the advent of internet porn and exotic dancing, it seems a perfect labial appearnece is coming to fore.  As with breasts, reconstructive surgery is handling the issue.  And lest you think this is an exclusively female arena, think again.  Males are undergoing increasing high numbers of operations to improve the butt, chest and thighs as well as penis (a botched case is in court in Britain right now).There is a lot of 'fixin' goign on in this country.As for the Homosexual and Lesbian comment, it was a missive but the "Um...this is breathtakingly wrong." hardly constitutes a discussion, rebuttal or argument so am not certain how or if to respond.As for the Geisha as a prostitute.  I hate to beat a dead horse, but it is not prostitution in any sense of the word.    And I am not sure how to address this without going into a long history of the geisha, prostitution in the west and relative manners of percieveing and catagorizin these activities.First though, because Americans and Westerners in general have no social category similar to that of a geisha, we tend to lump them into the nearest convenient category.  Thats  understandable, if not wholly unjustified.  In the west there is nothing like a geisha. nothing.  sothe tendency is to lump that group in with prostitutes.  The reason is that sexual services seem to be exchanged for money.  But the context and nature of that exchange are poorly understood and, in many cases, willingly misunderstood.  It is much easier to lump people into preexisting categories then wrap one's mind around a new.  That seems to be a common human trait.Sex is not a forgone conclusion.  During the Ebo period it was forbidden.  When sexual relations occur it can take up wards of 10 years to happen, but also happens in shorter periods of time.  Geisha who engage in sexual intercourse with their customers too often are looked down upon by other Geisha.  More often than not, potrons of the geisha houses avoid sex with the girls for fear it will ruin the experience and nature of the environment.  The girl can refuse any cutomer once reachin iki.  geisha often have boyfriends.  They are generally well respected.   Geisha are distinct social, cultural. political and economic group.  Prostitutes are designated differently (Yoju I believe) both legally and culturally.  Having met several Geisha and innumerable Japanese, I have to say, they are continually confounded at Americans persistance desire to misunderstand that institution!As for temples and prostitutes.  First, do not use the word prostitute unless you want to convey that.  Do the temples actually run brothels? Would there be a  reason for this?  Make up a term and create the activity into something you want.This is my suggestion.  I mean, if I wanted this as part of my Campaign Setting.  For a cleric or paladin to gain a level he or she must engage in sexual intercourse with a priest/ess.  The passing of the seed is a ritual and spritual activity which energizes the god in question.  The god literally consumes the power of your being and grows therefore.  The god then shows praise to those who helped him by giving them a level.  However, if one were to do this, it should probably be an across the board thing.  All gods would require the same of their followers.  Just an idea.As for running a straight up whore house.  Thats fine too.  Perhaps the temple grounds are the only place it could be legal, perhaps the purity of the temple grounds purifes those who act in said manner, perhaps it is a socail service for women, providing women whowould otherwise be incapable of caring for themselves a manner of doing so.  Many things are possible.  But do not limit yourself by catagorizing them as prostitutes.  As a fantasy setting you can really break the mold and creae a fasscinating environment.  davis</blockquote>

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