Genderspeak

Almost done with this book, and noticing an interesting feature: a lot of "gender dialogue" is more based in "dominance dialogue." Women are still traditionally in subordinate positions, and those who aren't are often viewed as "speaking like men." So it's food for thought what would happen if the natural trends in society were reversed. Would a hundred years be enough to change this perception?

I am beginning to worry that a hundred years isn't long enough for the societal changes I'm trying to create, but I have two points in mind. Firstly - look at everything that has happened since 1910 or so, including events that could have created other, sweeping changes, but didn't happen. Secondly - I need to have the disease strike be close enough that the ladies of my isolated space station still believe it might be a plausible threat. If I move any further out, I start to lose immediacy.

To help accelerate my divided society, I've had the disease unleashed unevenly. This fouls my balanced dynamic a bit, but it has a rational reason. What I'm hoping is to establish top-down change: the leading elements change very quickly, and that filters down through society within 20 - 30 years. Understand that you've got worlds in chaos and the necessity of survival and this kind of swift lockdown ... well, hopefully it will make sense.

Ow, my head.