Octavia Butler's BloodChild follows a society of humans on a preserve who are governed and watched over by a superior insect-alien race, The T'lic. The T'lic use the humans to host and give birth to their young in a blood ritual. The story focuses on the love story between a young male who is the future host of T'Gatoi's offspring. T'Gatoi is a powerful T'Lic with political influences.
Questions:1. The general "deal"is for each human family to offer at least one son to the T'Lic to breed their young. Apparently The T'Lic prefer women but leave them free to bear more children (more future hosts). Do you believe that this tradition or the story exhibits forms of sexual discrimination towards both genders that can be paralleled to our society?
2. Bloodchild exhibits reversal of gender roles when the T'Lic use mostly men to "birth" their young, and T'Gatoi is a powerful T'lic whose a female political figure. What roles in society that are dominated by one gender are beginning to welcome the other gender?
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1. This is an old example, however the concept of being drafted parallels the idea of sexual discrimination. When the draft was put into effect only men were drafted when women were equally as capable to serve and do as good of a job as a man. However, the women were left to take care of children they already had and bear more children.
ReplyDelete2. I feel an obvious role that is dominated by men that is beginning to welcome women is in the area of government officials. Women are reaching higher and higher levels of status within our government. Another profession that I have seen personally that is typically female that is welcoming more and more males is in the field of nursing. This might not be a major example, but there appears to be more and more males in hospitals serving as nurses rather than the typical role of a doctor.
1. I do agree that there was sexual discrimination for both genders in the story. Such as, the boy who didn't receive any alternatives except to bear a child and die. Then the women, where mostly controlled by the T'lic. The eggs she would distribute to them, to keep their minds focus else where would keep her in charge. However, in today's society women are the majority when it comes to sexual discrimination. It's an unwritten amendment that men will always be more superior to women. As a nation we where founded on old traditions, which are still in existence,that women should stay home and bear children. If she doesn't want children, then she is ultimately seen as a taboo to society. Discrimination is also seen in the work force. Even though more women are working, there's only a number of careers that women can work their way up, and some where they wouldn't even be hired. For example, there are many more women as kindergarten teachers then lieutenants in the police force.
ReplyDelete2. Careers that where dominated by women, which now is beginning to opened up to more and more men is teaching, through the levels of k-12. I remember in grade school having mostly all female teachers. Then, once I reached high school there were many more men. These statistics could remain then same because often men don't want to deal with younger children, but I believe it will gradually become an even ratio of men to women. For women, the military has become an option for a career. Although, they cannot serve in any infantry MOS, there are hundreds of other jobs they can choose. Also, in the military, women have a chance to reach higher rank, which means more money, status, and power. Finally, women in the military are protected by Equal Opportunity, so if they ever feel discriminated against women can press charges.
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