You may have seen mentions of Weft's 'feminine' build - small and lithe, though narrow-hipped - and to a human, elf or what-have-you he does give off mixed gender signals. However... Weft's not secretly a woman. He is a male Weftworld humanoid, as in the non-child-bearing of the two sexes, and a very male male at that.
Weft's build, gracile and slightly shorter than average, is exactly as expected for a Weftworld humanoid male. The height ranges in Weftworld humanoids (which look like the usual bell curve) are almost exactly overlapped, much more than with many humans, though the mean value for females is slightly higher.
The stereotypical female is confident and commanding, sturdy, an organiser, and uses her brain.
The stereotypical male is creative and intuitive, agile, a skill-worker, and uses his muscles.
Neither gender is typically more 'cooperative' or 'competitive' than the other. Both tend to seek one major ally (and generally marry them) and then it's the two of them against the world.
Weftworld ideals of beauty are different for male and female, but equally fussily applied by husband- or wife-hunters.
For example, what's desirable in a man could include dainty feet and graceful movements... what's desirable in a woman could include a charming smile and well-rounded breasts.
There are standards of desirable behaviour and skills too. If you're looking for a wife, you'd want her to have aptitude for [the term they'd use here is partway between 'battle strategy' and 'business skills', take your pick], calculating the household accounts and schedule and forging friendships and alliances, and good manners. If you're looking for a husband you'd want demureness, the ability to fight if necessary to defend your family, a profitable trade or skill, and good manners.
Manners are important.
Marriage is an equitable arrangement. It's seen as an alliance of skills, funds and ambitions. A spouse is an absolute: somebody completely trustworthy, because your goals are the same. It doesn't have to be someone you fancy or love.
It's up to individuals to arrange their own marriage; their parents' role is limited to nagging.
All marriage is between males and females. If you're a gay male or a female who really can't stand her husband, you marry anyway and see a prostitute - nobody talks about this overtly, but nobody would criticise you either. On Weftworld all prostitutes are male. The idea of gay females is completely taboo, but presumably they make their own arrangements.
This is a traditional society in the sense that the values above are universally acknowledged (even if some people are less bothered than others about following them strictly) and have been the same for a long period of time. One thing that's absolutely not tolerated is cross-gender behaviour. They would find the idea of a transgendered person ridiculous.
But there are no rules against males entering typically-female occupations, or vice-versa. They might be teased by their friends, but as long as they don't start behaving in a boyey/girly way, there's no problem.
| Job | Sex | Notes |
| Tradesworker | M | Typically more capable, precise and patient with physical skills. |
| Management | F | Often in a working-class couple, the wife manages her husband's business. |
| Composer | F | Regimented, control-freakish. Females are viewed as more musically gifted. |
| Writer | Both | Men usually write literature for men, women for women. |
| Poet | more M | Poetry is a slightly boyey hobby. |
| Painter | M | Emotional but precise. |
| Weaver (as manufacture or art form) | M | See? |
| Chef | M | Intricate knifework and creativity. |
| Science | F | Impose her order on the universe! |
| Law | F | Keen on order, institution and precedent; persuasive and logically-minded. |
| Construction | M, often with F foreman | Neither sex is (traditionally) more muscular. |
| Architect | F | Able to switch between overview and detail thinking. |
| Dancer | M | Physical, expressive. Grace is desirable in a husband. Unmarried men often become dancers to try to get a wife. |
| Soldier | Both | Regiments are often made up of married couples and the single soldiers are encouraged to pair off. |
| Strategist | F, some M | Females are methodical, organised and multi-tasking, thoroughly grounded in theory but not always innovative. Males make more impulsive, intuitive decisions. |
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