Contraception Technology in a Fantasy World

[S J Lee]

Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarrion books had female and male co-ed warriors and there were bowls of "birthbane" herbs in the mess. No need to go any further than that. No details given whatsoever, no side effects on fertility later (apparently). Cos fantasy.

However, ask yourself what happens next. Egalitarian respectful utopia? Or men pressuring annoyed/reluctant/intimidated women into sex "cos now you have no excuse?"

Your fantasy is fantasy - but keep it real!

 

[Rosemary Tea]

Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarrion books had female and male co-ed warriors and there were bowls of "birthbane" herbs in the mess. No need to go any further than that. No details given whatsoever, no side effects on fertility later (apparently). Cos fantasy.

However, ask yourself what happens next. Egalitarian respectful utopia? Or men pressuring annoyed/reluctant/intimidated women into sex "cos now you have no excuse?"

Your fantasy is fantasy - but keep it real!

That's an excellent example.

The Paksenarrion story isn't about an egalitarian respectful utopia, by a long shot. Yes, women can be soldiers, but sexual harassment and assault are problems, in the military as anywhere. (Elizabeth Moon is a military veteran herself. She's put a dose of realism there, only in her imaginary world, sexual assault in the military is much more likely to be severely punished than covered up.) And girls can be married off at their fathers' whims, which is how the story begins: Paksenarrion runs away and joins the army rather than marry the guy her father wants to force on her.

 

[PirateMorg]

Just for the record...female athletes eventually losing their periods is a minority. That's definitely not a common thing for women, and a female athlete is not going to be the same as a female soldier (trust me, I was a female soldier for 8 years and never lost my period, unfortunately). So saying a female might lose her period because she's athletic would be similar to saying a weightlifter will die from his intestines falling out. It happens very, very rarely, but you only hear about it when it happens, and not the millions of other times it doesn't.

That being said....it's your world and your magic system. You can make all the female soldiers lose their periods just cause of the metal in the armor - or maybe some way of wearing armor causes impotency in both genders? Or maybe there's a magic ritual they partake in where they set aside their ability to procreate until they can go home from war, sort of like a safeguard their ancestors put into effect so kids didn't lose their parents to war and become orphans. Either way, it's your story and up to you. I hope you figure it out.