Gender Equality

The Tursiops pod has severely retrograde gender politics, believing that the female members are inferior and are to be used basically as slaves for the men, which is illustrated by Ea's introduction to the sub-males. Upon meeting her for the first time, Ea optimistically thinks that maybe she can be the one to teach them better manners after they act so aggressively toward her at first. However, her illusions are quickly shattered, as she makes it "clear that they are not to touch her," signs that are "ignored" until they eventually chase her down and rape her (105). The sub-males, who have been exiled for the rape of one of the lord Ku's wives already, have grown up thinking that women are just toys they can use to their will whenever they want. Indeed, they were exiled for believing the same thing, assaulting a different female...