The Gate to Women’s Country

By Sheri S. Tepper

Imagine a society divided in two: the enclosed women’s country that includes many towns run by and named after women and the nearby warrior garrison where the majority of men reside. Imagine a place where men are forced to choose between two lifestyles; that of a warrior or a servitor. Neither choice is without consequence. Imagine having to choose between a life of war or education. There is no middle ground, no compromising between the two.

In Women’s Country, it is the girl’s who are educated. Boys who choose the life of a warrior are denied access to the type of books that girl’s and women are expected to study:

       She gave him an astonished look.

      “It’s all in the books! The garrison has a library.”

      “Romances, Stavia. Tales of battle. Sagas. Designs for armor. Hygiene. Maintenance

     of garrison property. Nothing about real things. Nothing about medicine, or

     engineering, or management.”

     “Those are women’s studies.”

Hmm, a place where the women are the educated ones, where men who live with the women do so because they have made a conscious and totally willing choice to do so. A place where the women are safe from attack and crime. A place with no fear of rape.

 Is there life beyond Women’s Country and the garrison? What type of place might we find beyond the borders?

This is the story of Stavia and Chernin; of how they live within the society that they find themselves. It is also an engaging examination of gender roles and how men and women are socialized. A totally engrossing story and very thought provoking. Having clear-cut social roles doesn’t leave anything to chance…or does it?