Appearance
Gender Issues
Differences with our real world feminism
It's not called feminism, rather we just call it gender studies.
Rights of Solfrey
One major aspect of the world's culture is the Rights of Solfrey document. Because of its universality all cultures are influenced by it.
I'm hoping that there'll be more regional variations once this world building gets fully fleshed out but right now I'm only thinking about the "standard" culture.
Since the Rights is a highly oppressive document that's centering on maintaining control, future progressive thought also revolves around how to enhance and support the Rights, rather than the concept of individual rights we have from the enlightenment.
That being said, people still value having opportunity, fair treatment, and shirk against those who selfishly take from them while giving nothing in return.
In that context we have a different schools of thought on gender, not a marxist philosophy of destroying the old patriarchy like in real life, more of a how can we find ways to help all genders flourish in this world in the context of the oppressive Rights. There is no grand theory of social justice and equality for all, rather it is all about finetuning how society works.
To be clear, this isn't some kind of fake feminism, or controlled opposition feminism like how some modern marxists might view it, but a serious progressive change that's hotly contested and warred over by thinkers who are seen as radical and hated by conservatives.
The most important thing in the writing to sell that is to focus on the individual battles where feminism is being fought. Show the potential winners and losers, and how the losers would strongly resent change.
Rape
In modern times one of the biggest feminist issues is rape. This is definitely less so here because of magic. Men are not automatically stronger than women and attempted rape is extremely dangerous. It is easy to disarm women when a man is assaulting her IRL but you never know if a victim can just kill you with magic.
The second issue is one of motive. IRL men are typically seen as the aggressor in any rape case, but here the presumption of guilt is separated between Solfrey and commoner men. Commoner men are still seen as the aggressors but Solfrey men are seen as victims from commoner women's aggression.
Between Solfrey Men and Women and between commoner men and women the default aggressor and victim is still the men and women respectively, however because of magic it is not seen as an overwhelmingly feminist issue because women are relatively more capable of defending themselves. It's sorta a tier 3 feminist issue instead of a Tier 1 like IRL.
Mormalon Cycles Theory and the Establishment of the Third Class of Loyalists
As described in the Rights of Solfrey Interpretations, cycles theory is a system where Solfrey produce loyalists with commoners, frequently male Solfrey with female Commoners. Some effects of the Mormalon Cycles system is that many male commoners are aborted and there are whole generations of female Hila produced. In effect, this creates a gender bias for females in commoner society, and since Loyalists are of a higher social class, it creates a female bias in the upper class of loyalists mothers.
This leads to more women in power and women in decision-making positions in commoner society. As a result the Mormalon Cycles system is seen as a form of female empowerment, and is seen as a good thing by many women. The female preference is also beneficial for commoner men who find it easier to get mates.
To summarize,
For: Progressive Solfrey Women who want to see more female role models in power and women getting opportunities. Cinean Sung is an example of this. These women like to see other women in charge but are also one of the most ardent enforcers of Solfrey supremacy. They do not want the Loyalists to have any sway on their men. 25% of Solfrey women. Ex: Cinean Sung
For: Centrist Solfrey Women who want to see more female role models in power and women getting opportunities. They like seeing independent women and women being promoted above men. They dislike the lack of separation between solfrey and commoners and put up with it as a necessary downside. 25% of Solfrey women. Ex: Wife
For: Commoner women who wants social mobility, the power that comes with being loyalist as well as the empowered gender over commoner men. Generally speaking this is the demographic most for the Mormalon Cycles system. 85% of commoner women.
For: Progressive Solfrey Men who wants sex and talks the good talk about feminism. 25% of Solfrey men. Ex: You
For: Conservative Solfrey Men who wants sex sees the Mormalon system for its original purpose, as a tool of oppression. 25% of Solfrey men. Ex:
For: Conservative Solfrey Men who wants sex. In cognitive dissonance over having solfrey associate with commoners this way. Expresses hatred, guilt, and sin, through sex. Blames the commoner women for making them sin. 10% of Solfrey men. Ex:
Against: Commoner women who feel more loyalty to commoner men and who sees the systemic class warfare in this system despite the gender benefits. 15% of commoner women.
Against: Commoner men who see their power diminished, sees themselves being aborted. There isn't much to say about this group, they are understandably angry and resentful. 99% of commoner men.
Against: Conservative Solfrey Men who are very strongly pro the sanctity of marriage and strong separation between commoner and solfrey. Labeled as ugly or unpopular such that commoner women generally don't choose them. 40% of Solfrey Men.
Against: Conservative Solfrey Women who are very strongly pro the sanctity of marriage and strong separation between commoner and solfrey. 25% of Solfrey women. Ex: R5
Against: Conservative Solfrey Women who are against single motherhood, want commoner women to find love not power. Want their men to not have such easy access to casual sex with commoner women. Labeled as jealous or selfish instead of doing all they can to support the Rights. 25% of Solfrey women.