Our lit thesis. The FRUIT OF OUR LABOUR.
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Transformations in gender roles and sexual conventions in
utopian/ dystopian fiction
1) Introduction
a) Introduction to thesis
b) The Role and Influence of Gender in Society
c) The Role and Influence of Sex and the Sexual Instinct in Society
2) Comparison and Analysis of books
a) Characteristics of Utopian Societies
b) Characteristics of Dystopian Societies
c) Gender Roles in Utopias/ Dystopias
d) Sexual Conventions in Utopias/ Dystopias
3) Personal Analysis and Response
a) Importance of Gender Differences to Gender Equality
b) Reproduction
c) Marriage and Family
d) Relevance
4) Conclusion
5) Bibliography
6) Acknowledgements
Appendix:
a) Synopses of books
b) Detailed analysis of each book
c) Deviant behaviour and punishment
d) Deviant sexual behaviour
Introduction
Since Sir Thomas More�s publication of Utopia in 1514 and 1516, the world has been fascinated by the idea of a perfect state. Coined by More, the word �utopia� is founded from the Greek words �ou� (not) and �topos� (place), and effectively means �nowhere�. This rather farsighted stand that More took still stands today, as the formation of a perfect state has yet to happen.
The idea of perfection is a largely intangible one, as we struggle to grasp its limitlessness. It is a hypothetical situation, which has attained a stage where there can be no further improvement. However, the lack of improvement gives rise to the impression of stagnation or degeneration of a society and its people. In this paper, we explored the irony of this ideal and the effect it had on gender roles and sexual conventions in various utopian/dystopian societies.
The utopian/dystopian texts chosen for study are 1984 (George Orwell), Brave New World (Aldous Huxley), The Handmaid�s Tale (Margaret Atwood), The Giver (Lois Lowry), The Dispossessed (Ursula Le Guin), Woman at the Edge of Time (Marge Piercy) and The Female Man (Joanna Russ). The utopian societies discussed are Anarres (TD), Mattapoisett (WET) and Whileaway (TFM) . The dystopian societies discussed are Oceania (1984), The World State (BNW), Gilead (HT), the society in TG, Urras in TD and New York (WET).
As a group, we were fascinated by the ironies of perfection presented through the various perspectives of the authors. Struck by glaring similarities in the texts, we decided to focus on the degeneration of gender roles and sexual conventions. Our thesis is that both utopias and dystopias advocate, to some extent, the degeneration of gender roles and sexual conventions.
In view of the intangibility of perfection, we have defined a utopia to be a community deliberately and successfully created and maintained based on ideals true to the human conscience. The society does not need to be holistically perfect and is considered a utopia as long as there is little or no evidence of dehumanisation or suppression.
A dystopia, however, is characteristically referred to as the converse of a utopia. We define it to be a situation in which citizens live suppressed or dehumanised lives. Citizens of a dystopia are either subject to suppression by totalitarian control, or are victim to low social awareness and consciousness. In the latter, they are often unaware of the violations of morality/humanity that their lifestyles constitute.
We define degeneration to be an act of dehumanisation in which there is disregard for the human mind, body and spirit, where freedom of choice, free will and rights of others are overlooked. In dehumanisation, humans are unable to control their individual instincts and there is a severe devaluation of morality as well as acute unawareness. In context, degeneration refers to degenderation- in which gender is removed or obliterated either by force or choice, or there is severe abuse of the male or female gender. It also refers to the cheapening of sexual instinct and conventions among the people.
The Role and Influence of Gender in Society
Since time immemorial, gender has been a determining factor of a person�s role in society. The differences between the male and female genders include differences in physiology and physical strength, differences in psychology, as well as hormonal and biological differences. These differences have influenced the ability of a certain gender in various areas, with males traditionally being protectors and providers, and females being caregivers.
Aside from its necessity in reproduction, gender creates a balance in society and accentuates the need for interdependence. Females tend to be seen as being �softer� and gentler, which is a direct contrast to the dominance of males. This results in equilibrium in society, such that it has, ideally, equally feminine and masculine aspects.
Today, however, gender roles are becoming blurred as society becomes more open to the idea that both genders are equally important. This was likely due to the decreasing importance of physical strength with the Industrial Revolution. The feminist movement made its appearance during this period, eventually causing a greater awareness of feminine ability, and leading to the slow shifting away from male dominance in most fields. Although stereotypes still exist, gender roles are, on the whole, becoming more fluid. Compared to a century ago, it is more acceptable today for a man to stay at home, caring for children, while his wife takes care of the financial aspect of household affairs.
In a utopian society, there is complete equality; gender discrimination is nonexistent. Thus, either gender differences are minimised, or else there is equality and mutual respect despite the differences. With the former solution, however, there is the danger of dehumanisation, in that the concepts of �masculine� and �feminine� are lost to society�for each is defined by the other. The most ideal situation, therefore, is one where the differences between males and females are embraced; where despite these differences, men and women are equally important. Only then can society truly be enriched. This issue will be elaborated on later.
In contrast, gender roles and differences are often exaggerated in dystopias, particularly in those modelled on the world of today. There is usually inequality and oppression, with females being treated as objects. Gender roles also tend to be rather rigid. People have to live up to demanding stereotypes because society expects this of them, and does not condone any deviance. There is therefore little room in which to exercise personal freedom and choice. In all, this creates a repressed society in which there is a lack of harmony and love.
The Role and Influence of Sex and the Sexual Instinct in Society
The issue of sex is very pertinent to any human society. The sexual instinct is a natural part of us, but our moral systems and values often check this instinct. Thus, the act of sex and the sexual instinct become two separate entities, and this sets us apart from mere animals.
The sex instinct can be described as an instinctive, passionate driving force, inflammatory, often uncontrollable� perhaps as a sexual desire for or a physical attraction to another person. Together with sex, it has been the means of propagation for the species. Sex itself involves the creation of a temporary but pleasurable physical bond; there may also be a spiritual bond present when love is in the equation, because of the very intimate sharing between two people. In general, the today�s world encourages sex when two people love each other, as a healthy and beneficial sexual relationship exists where mutual communication, understanding, affection and trust have formed, and where two people have committed themselves to each other in a permanent relationship. However, it must be remembered that viewpoints on sex differ greatly over the many different societies of today.
Another related issue is the recognition that different people may have different sexual inclinations�whether it be heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality and so on. Today, there is still much stigma against unconventional sexual practices. While we do not expect that everyone find these various practices acceptable, we feel that it is important not to define a person by his or her sexual inclinations.
In utopian societies, lust and passion are tempered�the individual is able to exercise control over his or her instincts. At the same time, there is sexual fulfilment; sex is both pleasurable and meaningful. The spiritual bond definitely exists, so that sex is not a mere mechanical act, for in utopian societies, qualities and concepts such as love, loyalty and sacrifice should play an important role. Ideally, everyone�s different needs and inclinations are accepted as part of their nature, and there is no prejudice against those who choose a celibate or homosexual lifestyle, to name a few. Whether �sex without strings attached� (i.e. no responsibility and no need for commitment) should be a part of utopian societies depends very much on the societal values, and on the basis on which the society is built.
Sexual degeneration is a concept that is inherent in dystopian societies. There is usually one of two scenarios: either the value of sex is cheapened and it looses its meaning, becoming a mere commodity, or else there is sexual repression and a lack of pleasure in the sexual act. The former scenario involves promiscuity, especially promiscuity from a young age; sex becomes nothing more than a carnal act to satisfy the sexual instinct, or a bargaining tool. In the latter scenario, sex is repressed and pleasure in the sexual act is discouraged; passion exists no longer, let alone love. The frustrated sexual instinct is channelled into other areas, and sexual intercourse is only practised because it is necessary for the purposes of reproduction.
General Characteristics of Utopian Societies
The utopian societies examined are Anarres (TD), Mattapoisett (WET) and Whileaway (TFM), which share many startling similarities.
Utopian �governments� rule by the will of the people through democratic (Mattapoisett) or �communistic� means (Anarres and Whileaway). They enforce a fair measure of control and discipline, designed to protect the rights and freedoms of individuals. Anarres is anarchist, but this does not mean that there is no control� control is exercised through the social conscience, and any person who invades the rights of another or shirks duty will be duly punished. Whileawayan �Safety and Peace� personnel follow a criminal wherever he goes as a more effective form of punishment. There cannot be total individual freedom, as complete assertion of one�s rights would certainly invade another�s. Thus, some compromise and enforced discipline results in harmony, peace and social stability.
Utopian societies demonstrate a high regard for the essence of humanity and a person�s individuality. The inhabitants are not always happy but experience the full range of human passions because they retain emotional and mental capability. In Anarres, Shevek experiences pain and loss when he is separated from his partner, just as he experienced joy when he found a soulmate in her. In Mattapoisett, lovers experience jealousy while in Whileaway, Janet hungers for another woman. Art and philosophy, then, which are human responses to the complexities of life, are also developed in utopias. In practical and bare Anarres, art is used to communicate ideas and feelings and usually takes the form of simple, pretty crafts capturing the marvel of existence. Mattapoisett �holies�, which are abstract 3-D movies, often have a message or deal with a theme (or simply look impressive), while Whileawayan philosophers are highly respected.
These societies are not always comfortable and well provided for, although they are self-sufficient�both Anarres and Mattapoisett have scarce natural resources and must work carefully and wisely to maximise these. In all three societies, there is happiness in hard work, physical health and an active body. Its inhabitants work closely and harmoniously with nature, depending greatly on agriculture for survival. While technology is essential and used to overcome many problems such as childbirth and production (Anarres, Mattapoisett), the people are not controlled or oppressed by it. They use technology to enrich their lives and work in tandem with nature.
Other common features include a lack of money. In Anarres and Mattapoisett, this is due to lack of ownership while in Whileaway, trade is done by barter. This reflects a low emphasis on material possessions� trade, if any, is not for profit but for survival. All three societies are very communal. The individual does needed jobs for the sake of the community, without thought for individual benefit. Families and societies (on a larger scale) are often very close-knit, supporting its members both emotionally and in work. People are highly tolerant of each other, recognising it as the key to peace and progress. Anarres, in particular, relies heavily on the social contract as there is no law but the pervasive force of the social conscience. Sharing takes the place of ownership, and to �egoize� is extremely distasteful. Conflict is settled quickly and decisively� in Anarres, conflict is often settled by discussion or by moving off and doing your own thing; in Mattapoisett, by discussing and �worming� out the conflict; in Whileaway by a duel to death. Conflict cannot be allowed to remain and rot the society.
In summary, utopias work around unchangeable factors like human imperfection and conflict, environmental fragility, the sex drive and gender and physical differences to create a harmonious society that retains the essence of humanity. The fact that utopia remains attainable, by this definition, is what has captured the imagination of so many people over the centuries.
General Characteristics of Dystopian Societies
The dystopian societies explored are the World State (BNW), Oceania (1984), Gilead (HT), A-Io (TD) and New York (WET). The society in TG is also considered dystopic by our definition, although it effectively occupies a middle ground between a harmonious utopia and a dehumanised dystopia. Similarly, most of these societies, namely the World State, Oceania, Gilead and A-Io, create an impression of utopia, or at least try to convince their citizens that they live in a perfect society. From an outsider�s perspective, however, the flaws of these nightmarish societies are glaringly obvious.
Most dystopian governments are totalitarian� the World State, Oceania, Gilead and New York all have invisible control centres that control every aspect of the citizens� lives, whether or not they are aware. The World State, like New York, is also a classic example of a technocratic society, where technology defines and controls people, invading and mechanising life and sucking out humanity. On the other hand, Gilead has regressed�literacy and education is suppressed and technology is considered �irreligious�. In these repressed societies, people are allowed no freedom, no choices and no opinions. Propaganda, brainwashing and the warping of truth are especially evident in Oceania and Gilead, while the World State uses conditioning to ensure conformist behaviour from those capable of basic thought. Like in New York, the lower caste are simply deprived of intelligence. Such �people� are menial servants in the World State and �living organ banks� in New York. In Oceania, �doublethink� on the part of Party members enables them to subconsciously know that something is false while at the same time truly believing it, just as it enables them to �know� they are happy. More drastic means of ensuring obedience are rigid laws, like in Gilead and New York, or simply vague but all-encompassing codes of conduct such as in the World State and Oceania. Punishments are harsh and include death, exile and torture. Both New York and especially Oceania exercise thought control, so that at any time anybody can be monitored and his inmost thoughts detected.
A-Io is modelled on present-day capitalist America. Society is driven by profit�there is in effect little freedom because the capitalist �masters� control the lower classes and people are taken advantage of everyday. People sacrifice morals, values and even humanity to get ahead. In TG, the governing council is usually wise and makes sound decisions. However, it does not relax its control over the people, and the breaking of the smallest rules is punishable by �release�. The only difference being that they retain basic human values such as cooperation and equality, are unconscious of their loss of humanity and therefore content.
Thus, all these governments create a dehumanised society in one way or another. Individuality is sacrificed for the sake of conformity so that all have common needs, wants, opinions (if any at all) There is great inequality�an inflexible caste system can be seen in almost all the societies. There is suspicion and little communication between castes, to minimise dissatisfaction. In New York and the World State, each person has a set niche in his society and a �predestined� role to play, in which he is designed to be contented. Epsilon Semi-Morons in the World State, for example, are designed to carry out mindless jobs which more intelligent people would detest, while in New York, female �contractys� are adapted to provide maximum satisfaction for men, with minimal intelligence. In Gilead, people of different statuses have different duties within a family unit. In Oceania, people of the Inner Party enjoy greater privileges than people of the Outer Party. The �proles� are considered too unconscious to be of any danger and are largely ignored. In A-Io, the two classes are those of the �haves� and the �have-nots�, the oppressor and the oppressed. (Often, we see the society from the point of view of the higher classes.) This is the dystopian way of ensuring harmony and stability, but at a great cost.
There is little or no love and vivid emotion in dystopias, as such passions are the source of much instability. Passion is instead redirected (as in Oceania) for the benefit of the Party or into harmless outlets, as in Gilead and the World State. In New York and TG, passion is removed biologically. Moral, truths and values are skewed through brainwashing and propaganda from the government, or simply through the demands of the society. Consumerism is encouraged as fuel for the economy�the World State is designed to consume as much as possible while war in Oceania is for the unspoken purpose of creating a market for goods and destroying excess. In A-Io, property equates to power, creating an insatiable appetite for goods and thus driving the economy.
There is degeneration of many essentially human concepts such as family, art and religion. The family unit is weak�in Oceania, parents are encouraged to be fond of their children while the children are expected to spy on their parents. In the World State, family is taboo��mother� is a dirty word. In Gilead, the family unit is merely a team that helps the handmaid produce a child. In The Giver, families are bonded not by love but by �enjoyment�, �appreciation�. Art is no longer an expression of human emotion, for there is none. Entertainment, which takes the place of art, is mindless and manufactured, as seen in the World State, Oceania and New York. Religion is another recognised outlet for passions�in the World State, Ford, the �god� of consumerism, is portrayed as omnipotent and omnipresent. In Oceania, people are encouraged to direct their worship onto Big Brother, who acts as a �focal point� for their passions. In Gilead, the God of the Bible is supposedly the head of their state, but biblical values are unrecognisably warped while piety is a mere show�prayers are offered by dialling a telephone number, whereupon a machine will read out one of five variations.
The environment in dystopias is often harsh�the societies do not live in harmony with nature like the utopias, but suck up its resources and drain it of its beauty. In the World State and among the higher classes of A-Io, there is an environment of material richness and comfort, while Oceania, Gilead and the poor of A-Io exist in decrepit, obviously poor environments. However, both these environments are harsh and ugly, often dwarfing and engulfing people in their towering structures and confined rooms. Dystopias are usually isolated and have little contact with the outside world, which presents a happier alternative society. There is constant war (as in Oceania, A-Io and New York) to distract the people from their troubles and to justify harsh control over them. Another very interesting feature is the alteration of language in almost all these societies. Most obvious is Oceania�s invention of a completely new language that limits thought through limiting its means of expression. In the World State, New York and the society of The Giver, many words take on new and negative meanings, while others are purged of multiple meanings. For example, the word �love� is obsolete in The Giver, having no more meaning. In Gilead, literacy is restricted, for the same reason that language is altered in Oceania.
Dystopias, instead of working around human traits, attempt to suppress, change or deny human nature. This results in control, terror and dehumanisation�the weakening of the human spirit that so innately defines us.
Gender Roles in Utopias and Dystopias
The role of the male and female in society is innately different, because of their various strengths physiologically and psychologically. Today, there is a gradual blurring of male and female roles, as the world accepts the rising feminist movement, and gives females the same chances as men. Gender roles in utopias and dystopias are glaringly different from those of today, one having reached the ideal equality, and the other veering wildly from equality�s path.
In utopian societies, males and females are not judged by their gender, but instead by their abilities. There is mutual respect as they co-exist together and gender differences are either overlooked, or minimised. As society sorts its people by their abilities, instead of their sex, it becomes highly efficient and progressive.
People are allotted work according to their talent, interest and strength and gender is often overlooked, as the society strives as a collective body for progress. In TD's Anarres, society has allowed for its people to enjoy the work they are good at, resulting in an even better job. Even without the use of machines, men work faster and women work longer, giving rise to a society that is highly efficient. Men and women are viewed as intellectually equal and there is no discounting of one�s abilities, merely because of gender discrimination.
Alternatively, gender differences are brought to a minimum. As equality is seen as synonymous with harmony, this breaking down of gender differences is seen as a necessary measure. In Mattapoisett, in WET, women have given up exclusive rights such as childbirth and nursing for the sake of an equal society. By removing any significant differences between female and male physiology and abilities, there is no biological �power� of the female gender over the male, or vice versa. Also, pronouns have taken a non-sexist turn, in which �him� or �her� is replaced by a generic �per�, and �his� or �hers� by �person�s�. Equality is echoed in their actions, and citizens see the need to remove any source of �power� or �control� their physiology might exude over the other, and in the process minimise gender differences. In Whileaway (TFM), a female society without men, females are equally masculine and feminine .
In dystopian societies, the role of females has become increasingly cheapened. Although equality is often struck at face value, it is actually not the case. Male dominance seems to be the norm, and the role of females has degenerated in three aspects.
Firstly, females are looked upon as reproductive mechanisms or objects of sexual pleasure, their feminity cheapened. HT remains the starkest degeneration process of the female in society. As a handmaid, the woman�s role is predominantly to reproduce. Women who no longer have �viable ovaries� are sent to the colonies for hard labour. Evidently, ovaries and their functions are necessities for a woman to be viewed as of any importance to society. In BNW, the woman has become an object of sexual perversion, despite widespread promiscuity. They are casually referred to as a �piece of meat� to be �had� or �tried�. The extent of the situation is put into perspective, as the woman �thinks of herself as meat� as well. Males and females view the woman as a tool of sexual pleasure more so than the women view the men as such.
In WET�s New York, men are seen as more superior and in control, while women are seen as sex objects, facing severe restrictions. In conjunction with this, Urras in TD also represses a woman�s sexuality, which she finds a useful weapon in a �power struggle with men�. As can be seen, a woman�s sexuality is necessary for her to be on par with a man. Feminism is cheapened, and women are viewed as sex objects, to be repressed, or exploited.
Secondly, they have been degraded from people to assets, representative of male prestige. In Gilead of HT, one must be issued a wife and it is considered prestigious to have one. She is viewed as an asset to male prestige, more so than as a woman. Often, a woman bears her man�s name, signifying that she is his property, exclusively belonging to him. This is apparent in Gilead, where handmaids assume names such as Offred and Ofwarren and Urras, where women assumed names comprising of their father�s, their husbands, then only their own .
Thirdly, females are not given jobs commanding high prestige, while top jobs are given to their male counterparts. This is highly evident in most dystopian societies, reflecting inequality of gender, importance falling heavily on the male. In 1984, all significant figures such as Big Brother and Goldstein, apart from Julia are males. Females like Mrs Parson still stay at home to act as homemaker. In Urras, women are not permitted to work in many areas, unlike males. In Gilead, the function of women is predominantly asset-based (wives), reproduction (handmaid) and servant (Martha), all of which augment the male Commander�s prestige.
Altogether, the role of the female in dystopian societies is to complement the man, and provide for his pleasures.
Utopian societies judge people by their abilities, instead of their gender. There is also an effort to equalise the sexes, sometimes resulting in degenderation, in which characteristics unique to males or females are taken away. This is, no doubt, some form of dehumanisation. Dystopian societies, however, place males in positions of greater importance and females are often of secondary concern. Their main responsibility and function to society lies in reproduction, and they often become objects of male sexual perforation. Females are male property and elevate his status.
Sexual Conventions in Utopias and Dystopias
The sex instinct is an inflammatory source of instability in any society. In today�s society, sex is often taboo, a �dirty� act with strings attached, not to be engaged in until marriage. Most people, conditioned since young, consciously suppress their sexual desires in order to exist in such a society. Thus, many of the social problems faced today stem from the concentrated passions arising from sex and the denial of sexual needs. Utopias and dystopias have different ways of dealing with this �problem��strikingly similar yet innately different.
In utopian societies, sex involves both physical and spiritual bonds. The act is pleasurable, often passionate, and takes place by a person�s free will. The sex instinct is not taboo, nor something to be denied or suppressed. It is instead respected, indulged and worked into the social fabric, so that all physical and spiritual needs can be fulfilled. There are two ways of doing this�promiscuity and fidelity. The three utopian societies explored use different �configurations� of these two elements to optimally fulfil all needs.
In Anarres, a person goes through two stages of maturity and immaturity. When a person is immature, often during the childhood and teenage years, sex equates with lust and consists of experimentation with as many people as possible. These are purely physical relationships involving no commitment. When he becomes mature, however, physical satisfaction is not enough�the spiritual need for love and belonging surfaces. Partnership to one person who fulfils both needs then takes place�this is the Anarresti version of marriage, but without the legal trimmings. Partnership is instead a promise of fidelity between two people, a �self-limiting of choices�, a sharing of lives. In Anarres, promiscuity and fidelity are clearly distinct. In Whileaway, physical promiscuity is separate from and coexists with spiritual loyalty. In other words, marriage provides spiritual support while �whoring� with various partners is simply physical. �Whoring� carries no negative connotations but is in fact encouraged as an outlet for sexual passion. In Mattapoisett, sex is also part of everyday life. In fact, children explore each other�s bodies from a very young age out of curiosity. Here, one or more partners fulfil one person�s spiritual and physical needs. These needs may or may not be separate, and can be fulfilled by different people. Promiscuity and fidelity are both accepted�partners often come and go, and relationships range from one-night stands to lifelong partnerships. It is quite common for a person to have physical relationships outside his usual loyalties. In both these societies, promiscuity and fidelity are both accepted, the purpose of any relationship being to fulfil different and separate needs.
In dystopian societies, sex usually involves only the physical bond, if at all. The spiritual bond is disturbing in a dystopia as it is an acknowledgement of humanity and individuality, a singling out of one person and a focussing of passion. In Oceania, it also diverts power and control from the Party as actions are dictated by passion rather than by the government.
There are again two main ways of handling the passion that comes with sex�one is, like in utopias, indulging all sexual wants, and the other is completely repressing the sexual instinct, so that it is no longer a factor.
The dystopias that encourage promiscuity are the World State (BNW) and New York (WET). In the World State, �everyone belongs to everyone else� so that no one lacks sexual satisfaction. There is often attraction and lust, or at least a sense of duty, but sex is always loveless and without commitment. Women are pieces of �meat� to be passed from person to person and all, even the women, are satisfied with this arrangement. Violent Passion Surrogate (VPS) is used as an outlet for unavoidable passions and frustrations. Effectively, almost all wants are indulged, so that dissatisfaction is minimal. There are many sexual taboos, however, because of the difficulty of indulging �alternative� needs such as homosexuality. Celibacy, even, involves the denial of other�s wants and is hence taboo. In New York, women are surgically altered so that they become unintelligent beings with exaggerated sexual features, �contractys� to be hired by men for sexual entertainment. Since they are brainless (literally), they are fairly content.
In other dystopias, the sexual instinct is completely repressed or even removed. In TG, pills are taken to quieten the �stirrings�. In Oceania, the Party redirects sexual frustration, �bottling down [the sex instinct] and using it as a driving force�. In both Oceania and Gilead, sex is only for the purpose of reproduction�loveless and done only for the sake of duty. There is rigid control over partners. At the same time, brainwashing renders sex and passion taboo and uncontrollable passions find their outlet in state-provided substitutes�in the World State, the �Two Minutes Hate� or in prostitution (Oceania - 1984), while particicution allows handmaids in Gilead to vent their frustration.
An unusual example is A-Io, a patriarchal society where women are intelligent but oppressed, seen as sex objects. Women thus expertly wield the only power they have over men�sex is a mute expression of their control over men, and each man �conquered� is a rebellion against male domination. Similarly, passionate sex in Oceania and Gilead is a rebellion against the �powers that be�.
In these dystopias, the meaning and value of sex has been removed or warped. Sex is no longer a pleasurable and fulfilling act in itself, but a duty or a rebellion, given another significance and purpose altogether. The spiritual bond is removed, taking away all meaning from the sexual act�it is no longer a divine expression of human love but mere physical entertainment. In utopias, however, sex is beautiful, pleasurable and often spiritual, something innately human and necessary. Sex in these societies has the capability of transcending the mundane and taking a couple into a new realm of spiritual fulfilment, aptly described in TD (page 322).
Interestingly, however, there can also be said to be some measure of dehumanisation in utopias. Promiscuity is essential in both utopic and dystopic societies, which lessens the value of sex� sex as a sacrifice to one person, a special expression of love, the giving of the body and soul, intact, to another.
The Importance of Gender Differences to Gender Equality �
Is it moral to equalise the sexes?
There has been much controversy over the traditionally defined gender roles with regard to gender and sex. The goal of the feminist movement is to elevate the status of females to the equal of men.
But is this possible or moral? To answer this, we have to examine how tradition defines the roles of female and male � before the feminist movement the traditional role of woman was simply to do housework and (to put it crudely) to propagate the human race. The superiority of men is evident from the fact that this so-called �tradition� is defined by men.
In the Female Man, Joanna is told that �instead of conquering Everest, [she] could conquer the conqueror of Everest and while he had to go climb the mountain, [she] could stay home in lazy comfort listening to the radio and eating chocolates. [Her mother] was upset, [she supposed], but you can�t imbibe someone�s success by fucking them. Then she said that in addition to that (the pretty clothes and so forth) there is a mystical fulfilment in marriage and children that nobody who hasn�t done it could ever know.�
The general rule for women is simply to be domestic while the man is the breadwinner. It was therefore considered unseemly for a woman to take part in money-making activities. What feminists have been fighting for is the right of women to gain equal status. However, many feminists have forgotten to take into consideration the added responsibility of being a woman whose role in society is �equal� to a man�s � in addition to being a domestic housewife and child bearer, a woman now has to take on male responsibility. There are now even more responsibilities for her to juggle than a man � in contrast the man, with all his superiority, is not expected to be able to domesticate and he certainly cannot bear a child. What we have here is therefore an extremely convenient catch-22: while feminists try to equalize women�s rights, the roles of gender and sex between males and females do not balance simply because their responsibilities are not equal.
Another disturbing point about the attempted equalization of the sexes is the conception that women who are successful in a man�s world (i.e. outside the home) often lose their feminity having chosen one gender role over another. For those who try to juggle both, however, the common view (by men) is that women ultimately fail and end up choosing one over the other. The effects of choosing the male gender role as a woman are clear and many fail to see the importance of the family unit. The degeneration of the family unit therefore begins here, where a woman discards her traditional role in society in favour of another.
In The Female Man and Woman on the Edge of Time the gender differences of women and men have been minimized � this ultimately resulted in women having equally feminine and masculine roles (this was especially true in The Female Man where Whileawayan society only included females) � and in this way it can be said that in order to take on the role of both sexes, one essentially becomes a hermaphrodite; the woman is therefore considered desexed. And this ultimately leads to degenderation � the degeneration of gender.
The problem with equalizing the sexes seems to be that all the equalizing is done by the female counterpart in society � what are the men doing? They are not taking an active role by taking on some of the traits of the female sex. The crux of the matter lies in the fact that men cannot accept that women want equal status and chance in the working society; in order for women to prove themselves, they often strive to be treated as equals rather than to be treated as women. But the question now is this: Is it necessary to think like a man and behave like one in order to be equal to one? Are all successful women female men?
Is it therefore necessary to equalize the sexes, or is the whole feminist movement borne out of a discontentment with a system that works perfectly well for any society? The roles of gender and sex of the male and female are meant to complement each other. They are separate, but they are equal. Similarly it is dehumanisation to take on both gender roles, to be female and male at the same time as to do this would be to completely eliminate gender in the first place.
Reproduction
The importance of reproduction cannot be denied, as it is central to the continuation and survival of any society. As such, it is an issue of great significance in both utopian and dystopian societies.
Many technologically advanced societies deal with reproduction by creating babies through scientific means rather than sexual intercourse. In WET, females do not give birth due to minimisation of gender differences. Babies are produced in machines called brooders, randomly created from a genetic mix. In BNW, identical children are produced in batches according to caste. Although many utopian and dystopian books suggest using science for reproduction, dystopias often use it to engineer babies to their purposes. In Whileaway in TFM, the authorities decide on whether the ova (merged in test-tubes) will give twins, or �singletons�. BNW demonstrates the ultimate control over reproduction; male and female gametes are combined in the Hatchery and Conditioning Centre, and fertilised eggs are divided to produce clones through Bokanovsky�s process. Ideally, society in BNW comprises �standard men and women�, in uniform batches. Caste and sex are also predetermined, and controlled by varying oxygen and alcohol levels in the foetus. The idea is to create stability through uniformity; a clear social stratification that will enable society to function smoothly; that will allow contentment despite social strata as people are engineered to fit types of work they are needed for .
The implications of these methods are startling: in WET and TFM, babies are produced by machine at random, and while this is as close to human reproduction as we can get from a machine, it is unnatural to find babies produced outside the human body. Throughout the books, the terms �production of babies�, �brooders� and �Hatchery� are fairly common � all of which imply a more animal treatment to babies than usually accorded to humans. This is particularly true in BNW, where caste and sex are predetermined. This is a deliberate engineering of the human genome to suit society�s purposes; this is both unnatural and immoral � while people cannot control their own characteristics, it is hardly fair that someone else control it for them.
In less technocratic societies, reproduction is still by sexual intercourse, although it is out of necessity, rather than desire or love. Intercourse is central to HT; it is the basis for Gileadean society where pregnancy is rare and birth rates are plummeting. �You just want a baby. You don�t care how it�s done.� � women with viable ovaries are sent from man to man, trying to conceive a child. In TG, married couples do not have sex; this job is assigned to Birthmothers. There is some control exercised over the children born�those who are too weak are �released�, and there are exactly 50 children born each year � each of them numbered.
Intercourse is also necessary for the continuation of the government, and seen as a duty as a viable alternative has not been found. Reproduction in 1984 is the closest to what we have today, except that intercourse involves no love or even desire. �She would lie there with her eyes shut, neither resisting nor co-operating, but submitting.�
In HT, promiscuity is permitted, even encouraged, and in TG there is no sex at all save for those who are assigned to reproduce. The absence of love or desire reduces sexual intercourse to a mechanical process, becoming entirely dehumanised because it is out of necessity rather than any great want to do so. It also erases the love between children and their parents, and subsequently any other emotions, as married couples do not consummate their relationship out of love but necessity. Children are not treated as humans but objects and statistics, there for the sole purpose of continuing society � in 1984 they are merely to ensure Party survival, and in TG children are assigned numbers, not names.
Most utopian and dystopian books offer up or warn against seemingly utopian solutions to population control, but most agree that genetic manipulation only results in the dehumanisation of the human race. At the same time, intercourse without love or passion results in an equal dehumanisation, reducing humans to no more than machines for reproduction.
Marriage and Family
Marriage and family play an integral part in today�s society, as little groups that form a whole. In marriage, bonds are formed, linking two people physically and emotionally. Family is an extension of marriage. These bonds or union have varying importance, in utopian and dystopian societies.
Although marriage is not explicitly stated in two of the utopian societies explored , there is evidence of emotional bonds, where two are reliant on each other for emotional support. This emotional bond is very much based on loyalty and mutual promises. Although there is minimal romance, there is a very strong partnership between the two parties. The affection is mutual and exclusive.
While marriage carries close ties, the family unit, which includes a child, differs. Although the child is loved by the family unit (which is formed voluntarily), the child is encouraged to be independent, as he is to leave the family unit after a certain age . In the family unit, children are given love and guidance, but over-attachment is discouraged. This is representative of their society�s emphasis, independence and individuality. Affection is encouraged, but not love and the child is looked upon more as an object of responsibility .
In dystopian societies, however, marriage is either non-existent , or not founded in love. Many a time, the government acts as matchmaker, allowing or disallowing union .
Similarly, the family unit is used to the government�s advantage in dystopian societies, more than for the individual. Mostly, the family unit is a team whose aim is to procreate to ensure the continuity of the government and its citizens . The government, especially in 1984, uses the family unit to its advantage, as it educates children to spy on their parents. In TG, parents play an important part in bringing up their children by implementing the right ideals. However, there is a strong lack of familial bonds and love . Alternatively, the family unit is completely obliterated, as in BNW. The state produces and takes care of the young, and takes over the role of family. This reduces chances deviant behaviour as the young are indoctrinated with the party�s ideals.
In a utopia, a partnership between two is formed predominantly by mutual loyalty and promises, while a family remains a party responsible for the development of a child. There is more affection, than love within the family. In dystopian societies, marriage and families are used largely to the government�s advantage. There is no love and no affection, and has degenerated largely into a feeling-less unit.
Relevance
Utopian and dystopian fiction is more than mere storytelling, but a serious and highly relevant commentary on today�s society and trends. The dystopian novels serve to scare and warn while the utopian novels express hope and suggest improvements to society. Either way, the societies portrayed are often very realistic and thoroughly thought out extrapolations of today�s society based on the author�s observations and opinions. They present an array of �alternate futures� which demand reactions and raise questions. Where are we heading? Are these futures to be avoided or worked towards?
Gender and the sexual instinct are issues that must be addressed in any society in order for it to function. In these books, we are presented with different ways these issues are tackled, seen through the author�s imagination. Although some societies such as TG and TFM consist largely of fantasy and are rather unrealistic there are still many lessons that can be learnt and many issues even more starkly brought out in an �adapted� society such as the issues of gender in TFM and dehumanisation in TG. We witness the flaws and successes of these systems and this allows us to effectively evaluate our own society � how similar or different are we and this ideal? Can it be better? As a society, we cannot stagnant but must either progress or regress. These books provide direction and foresight, and in this way are extremely relevant and impactful.
Conclusion
Having studied utopian and dystopian societies at a deeper level, several striking similar characteristics have been found of both, especially in the aspects of gender roles and sexual instinct among fictional utopias and dystopias .
In utopian societies, governments rule by the will of the people. Control and discipline are enforced to protect the rights and freedom of individuals. This takes place by peaceful means such as the exercising of the social conscience or rehabilitation. Technology is used wisely to improve the quality of life. There is little focus on material possessions and prestige and money is not a need.
Individuality is not blurred into conformity and the members of such societies experience the full range of human passions. The act of sex is mutually pleasurable and passionate, and at the person�s free will. The sexual instinct is denied but is recognised and worked into social fabric, so all physical and spiritual needs can be fulfilled. Sex comes with spiritual and physical bonds. There are two ways of fulfilling this need�promiscuity and fidelity. This can be seen as a form of sexual degeneration as there is little or no loyalty in such relationships.
Art and philosophy are encouraged as expressions of human reaction. Although resources are scarce, there is happiness in hard work and an active body. Citizens of utopian societies work towards gender equality. There are two approaches to this: overlooking gender to focus on ability or minimising gender differences by removing physiological capabilities of either sex. While the first case is ideal of gender equality, the second constitutes degeneration of gender, in which the male and the female lose the characteristics that define them.
Dystopian societies are often totalitarian. Propaganda and spying are used to discipline a nation, alongside corporal punishment. Often, punishment is harsh, constituting torture or execution for mistakes. There is little freedom among the people because of the capitalist nature of the state to control the lower classes. There is also an overwhelming lack of self-awareness and members of dystopian states are unaware of the morality their lifestyles violate. An erasing of individuality is also evident, and conformity is the preferred arrangement.
Technology is often used in reproduction. The government is often in charge of this aspect, which is tightly controlled and deliberately engineered to suit society�s purposes. Sexual intercourse is seen as a substitute measure and as a duty to the state. In this light, sex often loses its element of passion as it is a duty, more than a result of desire. The sexual instinct is either numbed and discouraged, and secondly or allowed to extrapolate into unbelievable promiscuity. The first allows the passion of sex to be redirected into different outlets to benefit the government and the second tempers sexual passion, because it is readily available. Without a doubt, there is a severe degeneration and/or repression of the sexual instinct.
Dystopian societies also strongly advocate the degeneration of the female role in society. While the male is viewed as the stronger and more important sex, the female has three predominant roles--- being an asset to male prestige, holding jobs of secondary value to aid males who often hold top jobs, and for reproductive means. She is seen first as a female, and her abilities are often not given respect. The role of the female is marginalised and its importance removed, hence constituting degenderation.
The questions still remain: if a society constitutes a degeneration of gender, is it then, considered a utopia? Must equality be attained to achieve perfection, and is it moral? Does a society�s harmonious nature justify the erasing of gender, or the implementation of promiscuity? How has a dystopian society, supposedly founded on utopian values for the general good of the state turn into a chaotic imperfection?
According to our definition, a utopia is a community deliberately and successfully created and maintained based on ideals true to the human conscience. The society does not need to be holistically perfect and is considered a utopia as long as there is little or no evidence of dehumanisation or suppression. Although there are signs of degenderation, these are often voluntary, by members of utopian societies who are in total control of their senses. In maintaining equality, society is able to work harmoniously to bring about greater progress. While degenderation is one way, the ideal utopia would still be one which judges its members based on ability, while overlooking gender. In this way, its members would be better suited to jobs, while still maintaining defined characteristics of their sex. Meanwhile, utopias and dystopias remain at two different ends of the perfection spectrum. What differentiates them is the society�s retaining of personality and individuality, as well as the absence or presence of totalitarian control. While utopian governments recognise the need for sexual contact among its people, dystopian governments often choose to obliterate it completely, or make it a duty, fuelling passions into pro-government purposes. The sexual instinct is therefore either �free� or repressed.
As the lines are blurred more and more between the genders today, we are thrown into a middle-ground, between perfection and imperfection. As utopian fiction offers hope for a perfect state, dystopian fiction offers a stark warning and satirical interpretation of various elements of a society greatly deviant from our morals today. These fictions offer direction for us, and are strongly impactful and relevant as we progress.
Bibliography
Ursula K. Le Guin, The Dispossessed: An Ambiguous Utopia. Harper Mass Market Paperbacks; Reprint edition (September 1994).
George Orwell, 1984. Signet Classic; Reissue edition (May 1990).
Joanna Russ, The Female Man. Beacon Press; March 2000.
Aldous Huxley, Brave New World. Perennial; Reprint edition (September 1998).
Lois Lowry, The Giver. Laureleaf; September 2002.
Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid�s Tale. Anchor Books; April 1998.
Marge Piercy, Woman on the Edge of Time. Crest; Reissue edition (January 1990).
Rajeev Patke and Susan Ang, Utopias and Dystopias�NUS Course Description. Feb 2003
http://courses.nus.edu.sg/course/ellpatke/Teaching/teaching_index.htm
Patrick Maguire, Dystopias. Mar 2003
http://www-scf.usc.edu/~swain/topia/dystopia.htm
D. K. Peterson, Tomorrowland Resources Page: Utopias and Communities. Mar 2003 http://www.english.wayne.edu/~peterson/Tomorrowland.html
Ingolf Vogeler, Intentional Communities in the USA. Mar 2003
http://www.uwec.edu/geography/Ivogeler/w188/articles/utopia.htm
Paul Brians, Study Guide for Ursula LeGuin: The Dispossessed (1974). Feb 2003
http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~brians/science_fiction/dispossessed.html
David Pearce, Brave New World?: A Defence Of Paradise-Engineering. Mar 2003
http://www.huxley.net
Michelle Erica Green, Marge Piercy, Woman on the Edge of Time (Fawcett, 1977). Feb 2003
http://www.greenmanreview.com/book/book_piercy_woman.html
Susan Stone-Blackburn, Single-Sexed Utopias and Our Two-Sexed Reality. Feb 2003
http://www.math.uwaterloo.ca/~dmswitze/slonczewski/stone-blackburn.html
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank:
Ms Lina Tan, our teacher-in-charge, for much support, encouragement and editing.
Our parents, for sending us home in the dead of night and for paying the electricity bills.
Our friends, for lending us their books and for much interesting discussion.
You, for appreciating the fruit of our labour.
[and then the appendix.]
Brave New World
Aldous Huxley
The society of Brave New World, the World State, is a technocratic dystopia. Its aims are �Community, Identity and Stability�, and it seeks to achieve these aims through uniformity and conformity�in other words, through the elimination of individualism. People, however, generally believe themselves to be content due to state propaganda and due to the suppression of discontent through the (legalised) use of drugs. It is only the select few who are discriminated against due to an inadequacy or over-endowment in a certain area (compared to the rest of their caste) who are able to see the faults of their society: the dehumanisation that results from advances in scientific fields without the accompanying quest for truth and beauty.
1984
George Orwell
Oceania is a totalitarian dystopia, ruled by �the Party� which seeks to control all facets of the human mind, the rationale being that once control of the mind is achieved, control of the body or of the physical environment becomes unnecessary. Life has thus become insecure and uncertain, and humans exist more like machines to do the bidding of the Party. Like Communist Russia, it is characterised by the amount of propaganda and the lack of freedom. The Party, however, makes no pretence of having altruistic motives; instead, as Winston discovers, its sole aim is to seize and retain power, for �power is not a means; it is an end�.
The Handmaid�s Tale
Margaret Atwood
Offred is a handmaid in Gilead. Her job is to have viable ovaries and produce a child. She lies on her back once a month and prays that the Commander will make her pregnant. Told from the point of view of a woman who has experienced a family, love, feminism and freedom, only to have lost it, The Handmaid�s Tale is a chilling tale of the suppression of the female gender.
The Giver
Lois Lowry
Jonas lives in a land that sees no colour, hears no music and knows no love. He thinks release calls for celebration. He shares his feelings with his parents every night, and controls �stirrings� with medication. At the age of twelve, while other children are called to be doctors and nurses, he is made the Receiver of Memory. As he finds out more from the Giver, the black and white world before him unravels in colour and emotion- drawing more from him than anything ever could. The Giver is a poignant tale of a young boy�s journey from unawareness into acute realisation, and his realisation that his utopia is actually a dystopia.
The Dispossessed
Ursula Le Guin
Anarres and Urras are planets in a solar system, representing two contrasting societies. A-Io is an Urrasti capitalist nation with a stark class divide. Anarres is a utopic anarchist state that condemns ownership, laws and the concentration of power. However, the society is degenerating due to subtle power manipulation within the syndics. Shevek, a physicist, wants to �unbuild walls� by again reasserting the right of the individual against the stagnant Anarresti social conscience. He has a controversial theory that could revolutionalise intergalactic communication. A member of his syndic, Sabul, is technically not superior to Shevek but can nevertheless prevent the publishing of his theory. Shevek then decides to go to A-Io in Urras (against the social conscience) to give his theory to all, so that all benefit. He finds that A-Io is not at all pure and utopic, coming face-to-face with the oppression of the lower classes and realising that he is being �bought� for his theory, to be used by one state to compete against others.
Anarres, among other things, is a commentary on love, sex and gender from a feminist point of view. Gender roles in jobs are equalised while sex and love is an integral and beautiful part of Anarresti ideals.
Woman on the Edge of Time
Marge Piercy
Connie Ramos is a poor woman thrown into an asylum. She communicates with the future through a woman named Luciente, and witnesses her ecologically friendly, technologically advanced utopia (Mattapoisett) where equality, harmony and love is key and all gender differences, including biological, are minimised. This society is at war with a technocratic alternate future, with women as sex objects. Women and the lower-class are physically engineered to be mindless. Connie is a test subject in an experiment to control her mind. With the help of her friends from the future, she fights her own war to retain her freedom.
The Female Man
Joanna Russ
Living in an altered past that never saw the end of the Great Depression, Jeannine is waiting to be married. Joanna lives in a different reality: she�s a feminist trying to succeed in a man�s world. Janet is from Whileaway, an anarchist utopia where only women exist. Jael is a physically re-engineered warrior from an earth with separate and warring female and male societies. When these four women travel across universes and meet, the startling characteristics of feminism and utopia are brought out with cunning subversiveness.
Deviant Behaviour and Punishment
Deviant behaviour is an issue that almost any society, save one that gains complete control over human consciousness, must deal with. Utopian societies, which advocate maximum possible free will, have little deviant behaviour to deal with as long as the members of society agree to respect the social contract and do not infringe on each other�s rights. In contrast, dystopian societies often repress their population, and thus, deviant behaviour occurs much more frequently.
WET seems to be very ideal where deviant behaviour is concerned�no behaviour is considered deviant apart from conflict between people. Its people �live and let live�, and settle any conflict by �worming� through the problem. Essentially, it is the idea of harmony and peace that is important. Similarly, in TD, society has few mindsets and no laws. Social conscience decides when an action is not permissible, and social conscience accordingly metes out the punishment.
Of the dystopian societies, BNW has the most fitting punishment (if it can be termed as such) for deviant behaviour. Since this society is totalitarian, deviant behaviour chiefly takes the form of unorthodoxy, which �threatens more than the life of a mere individual; it strikes at society itself�. Unorthodoxy is punished by exile�one is sent to �an island�, to live with others whose thinking does not conform to that of the World State, �everyone, in a word, who�s anyone�. It benefits both the non-conformist and the World State; it allows one entrance into a world that is not controlled by a totalitarian government, and at the same time it rids society of those who might lead others astray and threaten stability.
The other dystopias have much harsher punishments for deviant behaviour, although unorthodoxy and rebellion is still the chief form of deviant behaviour. In HT, disobedient handmaids are punished by being beaten with steel cables (�cattle prods�), and there are public hangings (also known as salvagings) for �gender treachery� (homosexuality), murder or attempted murder (particularly that of a Commander, a Wife or a Handmaid) and adultery. Many of these crimes stem from society�s problem of reproduction and its way of solving them. There is also exile to the Colonies and particicution.
The Giver is surprisingly harsh in its punishment for deviant behaviour, even though its citizens seem relatively law-abiding, considerate and content. Deviant behaviour is punished with release�death by another name. A citizen is given three chances before release. Yet it is not so much the release itself that people fear (perhaps because they do not really know what it is); rather, they have a horror of the disgrace and humiliation associated with the release. �For a contributing citizen to be released from the community was a final decision, a terrible punishment, an overwhelming statement of failure.�
1984 is by far the most frightening in terms of how deviant behaviour is handled. Deviant behaviour is not limited to one�s actions; it is extended to include one�s very thoughts, and Party members are monitored all the time to check for any possible sign of non-conformity. �Thoughtcrime does not entail death; thoughtcrime is death.� Orwell based his dystopia very much on Communist Russia, and thus there are labour camps (if the offender is lucky); if not, death. Yet death is never given straight out. The Party is not content with negative obedience. Offenders must repent and come to believe in the good of Big Brother and the Party�their spirit must be broken before they are finally eliminated.
Deviant Sexual Behaviour
In any society, deviant sexual behaviour is perhaps the issue that elicits the most vocal response, whether it be scathing criticism, horror, or disgust. In today�s society, molest, rape and incest are among the most abhorred forms of deviant sexual behaviour, and forms other sexual behaviour that are considered unacceptable by a significant number of people include homosexuality, bisexuality, and promiscuity.
However, a society�s view on what deviant sexual behaviour is depends very much on the issues facing the society. This is apparent in the various utopian and dystopian societies studied in this project, many of which present sexual behaviour that many would term �perverse� today.
A prime example is BNW. Here, promiscuity is definitely encouraged; indeed, society revolves very much around the sexual instinct. �Everyone belongs to everyone else�, thus, there can be no loyalty to a single person, and no way of demonstrating love, if love can ever exist in such a society. �Feeling lurks in that interval of time between desire and its consummation�, and this feeling contributes to instability in society by causing discontent or unfulfilled desire. As such, to remove this threat to stability, promiscuity must be encouraged. Spending time alone is considered abnormal, and failure to have multiple partners is not condoned. Monogamy is considered quite appalling, and celibacy even worse. Homosexuality is not mentioned, but as it goes against the general inclination of most members of the society of BNW, it is unorthodox and probably punished in the same way as other forms of deviance are punished�by exile to the islands.
Gileadean society in HT has also undergone major reforms in sexual conventions, although much of what is considered deviant sexual behaviour today is also considered deviant in the Republic of Gilead, and is viewed with even less tolerance. Homosexuality is given the name of �gender treachery�; incorrigible lesbian women are sent to work as prostitutes. Promiscuity is also a �major taboo� (although many Commanders indulge in it secretly, perhaps as a means of relieving pent-up sexual frustration). On closer inspection, however, this is ironic in light of the role of the Handmaids, for with them, what exists is controlled promiscuity, legal promiscuity�promiscuity for the sake of increasing population growth.
1984 is similar to HT in that neither homosexuality nor promiscuity is condoned. Not even sex�whether referring to the act itself or to the desire�is condoned, as can be seen from the Junior Anti-Sex League. Love, ideally, does not exist, except in the form of love and loyalty towards Big Brother and the Party. Celibacy would be encouraged except for the need for reproduction. Nevertheless, like in Gileadean society, consorting with prostitutes is �one of those rules you [can] occasionally nerve yourself to break�. It is even �tacitly� encouraged as an outlet for the sexual instinct�as long as it involves women belonging to the dregs of society. �The unforgivable crime was promiscuity between Party members�.
Whileawayean society, in TFM, is much less rigid than these totalitarian states mentioned above. Since it is an all-female society, homosexuality is of course a part of everyday life. While people are generally promiscuous, loyalty to another still exists in terms of emotion, but not in terms sexual partners.
In conclusion, it is apparent that most totalitarian states are much less tolerant of various forms of sexual behaviour compared to more utopian societies, and seek to rigidly suppress behaviour that is considered deviant.
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