h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I dont know how true it is, but I have heard that it wasn't *too* tricky to pass oneself off as a gent in them days. The social setup meant that it was relatively easy to keep one's body covered and disguised, and that it would be really rather out there to suggest to a colleague that a fellow gentleman was a lady. Gender differences were attributed as much by what you wore and what you did as what sex you actually were.

And who would question a proficient doctor? They had respect once!

Of course, if you're not expecting a woman in men's clothes, she's harder to spot.

If trousers=man, you're going to expect one when you see trousers...

Quite. Especially if, culturally you never expect a woman to wear anything other than women's clothing and the differences are well defined.

Do you know that Icelandic saga with all the cross-dressing?

Basically, Girl marries Boy. Girl decides she likes Boy II better, but he's married to Girl II. Girl lays out one of her own (short-sleeved) tunics for her husband, who puts it on in the morning when he's not quite awake. She divorces him for cross-dressing.

Then she starts a rumour that Girl II wears leg wraps - can you imagine? - when she goes out riding. Boy II divorces Girl II, Girl I courts him.

When Girl II finds this out, she really does dress in men's clothes (the saga emphasises this especially) so she can ride out to her ex husband's farm. She catches him (and Girl I) in bed, and uses a sword to cut off his nipples before riding away again.

His friends come running and ask whether they should go after her, and he just says "Nah, I kind of deserved that..."

Wow...

I'm sure there's a Jilly Cooper novel in there somewhere...

leg wraps!!! What WAS she thinking!?

Scores Comments welcome

HD
-5 ..

Clive
+2 Rose diagram..

Taff
-5 Florence N..

Fiesor
+3 James Barry
+2 discovery
+3 caesarean..

Matt
+3 Breakthrough..


SCORES POSTED