| Free Women |
Robes of Concealment Many free women and most High Caste women wear Robes of Concealment and veils. The Robes are intricate and cumbersome. The Robes commonly cover them from head to toe. Gloves are usually worn too. Part of the justification for the Robes is to protect women from being kidnapped. Most warriors won't steal a woman who may be ugly. It is much easier to steal a slave who they can see is attractive. The higher your caste, the more complex your Robes. Low Caste women often own only one or a couple sets of Robes while High Caste women may own dozens. A variety of eyes and hooks commonly keep the Robes secure. Veils Veils are worn in various numbers and combinations varying by preference and caste. Many low-class women own only a single veil which must do for all purposes. Not all high-caste women though wear lots of veils. Free women in public commonly wear one or two veils. These might include the light veil, also known as the last veil, and the house or street veil. Other veils include the freedom veil, also known as the citizeness veil, the pride veil, and the intimacy veil. Each veil is heavier and more opaque than the one which lies within. The street veil is bulky, heavy, and completely opaque. The house veil is worn indoors when there are guests present not of the household. Some wealthy women may wear up to nine or ten veils. There is even a veil of state, worn by a Tatrix or Ubara. Pins are used to secure the veils. Normally only a father and husband may look upon a women unveiled. Sometimes in their homes, with their family, servants and slaves present, they may not wear any veil at all. They may also do so with some special guests depending on the circumstances. Free women, when drinking in public, commonly lift their veils to drink. Some women though will drink through their veils. In many Cities and Camps, the Robes and veil are not legally obligatory. It is a matter of custom only. Custom There are other pertinent laws though that do exist. A free woman who bares too much flesh in public, may find herself enslaved by law. Face stripping, removing the veils from a free woman against her will, can be a serious crime. In the Wagon camps, women do not veil themselves. Most free women rarely wear cosmetics and perfumes except for the bolder ones. Many women regard them as for slaves only. But in some cities, such as Ar and Delphius, most free women commonly use them. There are stores who cater specifically in cosmetics and perfumes for free women. Those stores do not commonly stock products for slaves, only free women. Upswept hairdos are commonly reserved for only free women as most slaves wear their hair long. Free women are treated with respect and honor. Considerable deference is due to a free woman. They enjoy a prestige and status higher than that of a normal Earth woman. Free women may speak freely and without permission. They command attention when they speak, as it is their due. They may be bold and do much of what they wish. Yet, most men find free women boring, in their inertness, ignorance and arrogance. Though they will respect them, men prefer the company of slave girls. Suitable punishments and disciplines may also be arranged for a free woman suitable to her status and dignity. Such discipline is only done by a Free Companion or male relative. Men normally do not collar women of their own Home Stone unless those free women act inappropriately. Frigidity is accepted in free women only. Most free women know little about sex and view it as a chore more than a pleasure. If free women wish to change their frigidity, many physicians tell them to learn slave dance. Most free women thus hate female slaves because they know that their men prefer the company of kajirae. Some free women envy the freedom of slaves who may act quite freely in matters of love. In the presence of free women, slave girls are commonly required to be more modest. This applies only in homes and certain public places. On city streets though, kajirae are rarely admonished for not being modest. Free women cannot control public streets and must tolerate almost whatever slave behavior occurs. A free man can walk his kajira naked through the streets if he so desires. Most free women will just avert their eyes at that point. In some cities, free women must have permission of a male relative or their Free Companion to travel. In public, women normally travel only with a suitable retinue of armed guards. They understand the dangers of trying to travel alone. |
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| More Information for the Gorean Free Woman to be found here. Thanks to Mysty Rayne & delilah {Brazen} |