by
Dangrus
Acceptable behavior for Free Women
(These are in no particular order.)
Walking: glide, perhaps, but sashay, meander, skip... absolutely not. (The only way for a woman to walk without her hips moving at all is to bind her knees together.. hmmm.... that explains the frigid references.....)
Speaking: preferably not. A vacuous smile and nod will do. Stating opinions is only allowed if they agree with the opinions of men. Any which do not are to be stifled. How can a woman speak her mind when it is not recognized that she has one? (in this situation, a vapid smile and nod will usually do the trick. )
Laughing: a muffled chuckle now and then is acceptable, but no giggles or guffaws. We would not wish anyone to think a FW might have a sense of humor. Any displays of animation are verbotten.
Smiling: chaste smiles... or soft smiles are good, but no warm smiles. Any reference to a temperature above freezing is taboo. (Vacuous smiles are best.)
Winking: No.... too flirtatious. (Blinking is acceptable)
Grinning: (see smiling above)
Glancing: only if directed at a slave. A glance at a man is seen as a direct challenge.
Nodding: good one. Not very animated. Solemn nods are best.
Touching: only at risk of blue flame death. All other persons (especially male persons) should be kept at arm's length if not further. This distance must be maintained at all times. (The FW room monitor will measure any questionable situations.)
Hugging: (see touching)
Kissing: (see touching) Air blown kisses are not acceptable either, since although they maintain the proper distance, the required pucker is not allowed.
Descriptives: Absolutely forbidden! The FW is not allowed to describe herself in any way. (other than to mention vaguely the caste colors of robes) Any displays of personality or signs of life are subject to immediate public chastisement and vilification.
(Does the word "Stepford" ring any bells here?)
Hmmmmm..... wonder if Marcus ever found that Gorean word for "frowning-man-with-a-stick-up-his-ass?"
"The Gorean woman, for reasons that are not altogether clear to me, considering the culture, rejoices in being a woman. She is often an exciting, magnificent, glorious creature, outspoken, talkative, vital, active, spirited. On the whole I find her more joyful than many of her earth-inhabiting sisters who, theoretically at least, enjoy a more lofty status, although it is surely true that on my old world I have met several women with something of the Gorean zest for acknowledging the radiant truth of their sex, the gifts of joy, grace and beauty, tenderness and fathoms of love that we poor men, I suspect, may sometimes tragically fail to understand, to comprehend.
Yet, with all due respect and regard for the most astounding and marvelous sex, I suspect that perhaps because of all my Gorean training, it is true that a touch of the slave ring is occasionally beneficial."
Quite a difference from the neuter, lifeless cross between Mother Theresa and the Virgin Mary image that seems to be thrust upon us at times. We are not saints. We are women. Passionate, loving, spirited, thinking, feeling beings. Strong females with thoughts and opinions that we will express. This is the essence of the Gorean free woman. She has the right to express those opinions without asking permission so long as she does so in a polite and respectful way. By respectful, I mean simple common courtesy for the other person. She does not have to kiss his butt. She has the right to disagree. To smile and nod in agreement while thinking "what utter boskpoop" is not being true to oneself. And it does a disservice to the man by implying that he is not strong enough to handle her opinions.
Does this mean we can say or do whatever we wish? Well... no. That is a misconception many new FW have when they come to Gor. Being free gives you a few more rights than a slave, but it does not give you license to strip down and dance on tables or wiggle your butt on some man's lap. It is possible to display affection for a man without tickling his tonsils with your tongue. It is even possible to flirt without displaying body parts or resorting to crude humor. It is also possible to disagree with a man and express that without resorting to name calling and verbal castration.
Accept.
A simple word, but one that carries so much weight. Accept that while not all men are stronger than you (relatively few in some cases), the natural order sets him ahead of you on the food chain. Accept that there are those whose will is stronger than yours. You need not prove how free you are by being obnoxious. The cap on your name will display your status. Many feel that if they let their guard down, be "too feminine," that they will be seen as slave. Not true. Well, not by those men who are secure in their manhood. A man who has stepped up and accepted his own place in the natural order will not be threatened by a woman disagreeing with him. He will not feel the need to slap you down to affirm his masculinity.
You are already free. Now, be a woman. As Norman says, "acknowledge the radiant truth of your sex." (sex in this context meaning gender, not "glistening body parts") Be a strong, gloriously feminine woman. And rest assured that on those occasions when you might step out of line in the natural order (and we all have those silly moments) there will be a stronger hand to nudge you back into place. Not by bullying or name calling or public humiliation. Usually a few well chosen words will do it. (The words "Dangrus, behave," are all too familiar.)
Being a Gorean free woman does not mean one must be stern, haughty, reserved or frigid. Being free does not mean you will never be slave. It means you are not slave now. And being female does not mean you "have" to be slave. It simply means accepting the possibility that given the right man and the right situtation... you could be. It may never happen, but accepting that it could puts a whole new perspective on things.
Once you learn this... once you accept this... you will truly be a free woman. And there is only one place to learn this... from a man. Not just any man. A man who has himself accepted his own place in the natural order. A man who no longer feels the need to prove to himself or anyone else how Gorean he is or how manly he is..... one of those rare treasures.... a Gorean male.
