Just out of curiosity... (Asan'gar)

[Ganth]

I'm working on a re-read of KoD and I just finished Chapter 3 (At the Gardens). It's blatantly clear Asan'gar is sexually attracted to Graendal - unless she is acting in order to successfully manipulate Graendal.

 

Now, rewind. Halima has always been portrayed as a floozy since her introduction. Clearly in these instances she is attracted to men.

 

Is this just her vague memory of Balthamel resurfacing briefly? Or is Halima the first obvious bisexual/homosexual (at least that I've noticed) in Randland?

 

Like I said... this is just out of my own warped curiosity.  ::)

[deathgate]

He was reborn in a female's body and after a while didn't really remember much of being male. All though odd I don't think orientation really enters in to it.

[Cedric Greene]

I don't think Halima actually did anything with the men except use her looks to get their attention/what she wants. Could be wrong but don't remember any point where "she" did anyway... then again I've only finished up through Path of Daggers.

[Sabio]

Don't remember which book but there is a passage where she states the "change" has only heighented her appetities.  To her its a game, a way to manipuliate people.  I don't think she cares if its a man or woman anymore.

[Vemynal]

Let us also remember what Shaidar Haran said to Aran'gar

 

The Soul will conform to the body, and the body to the mind. You will be who you were but will adapt.

 

 

Aran'gar fully remembers being male and is seen reminiscing about hitting on women, but at the same time now that she is a woman she is also attracted towards men.

 

Her mind still says women but her mind also says men now.

 

So yes, she is bisexual, but more in the sense of a guy getting a sex change to a woman. Before he got the change he was straight, and now that he's a woman he's into men. But just because the body changed doesnt mean the mind has.

[Thorum]

And also: she's not the first. Or what do you imagine "Pillow Friends" are (in the novices and Accepted)?

[Nateku]

She's definitely not the first. In pretty much all of Galina's PoVs she takes note of a woman's beauty. And she hates men, which isn't unusual for a red, but on top of her admiration of women...

 

Pretty sure she's a lesbian. xD

[Luckers]

Aran'gar stated that in her female body her tastes hadn't changed, they'd just expanded. So, therein they still include women, but now have come to include men. And she has done more that just flirt with men, Chesa makes that clear.

 

And she is not the first homosexual character in play--as indeed has been stated. Lesbian relationships are quite common in the tower--to date we know that Siuan and Moiraine had one--not to mention Galina and Tarna, or Elaida and Meidani. Galina at the very least only sleeps with women. And we've had mention of other such relationships besides.

[Ganth]

I had an idea about the pillow friends but I wasn't positive.

 

Do we have any hints about any gay male characters?

[Luckers]

The only stated reference was when Moiraine refers to Sierin dismissing all male clerks from the Tower for inappropiate actions towards novices including 'some men who weren't interested in women at all' during New Spring.

 

No specific male character has ever been refered to with the implication that he might be into men--which i think is a bit of an oversight by RJ concider his references to women in the same position, but whatever. And it is true that the story has covered more women-only enviroments than men-only enviroments, so that would have an effect on the presentation.

[Babalu]

Even though he's portrayed as a big flirt with the ladies, I always got the impression that Aram was at least a little attracted to Perrin.

 

  Quote

Aran'gar stated that in her female body her tastes hadn't changed, they'd just expanded. So, therein they still include women, but now have come to include men. And she has done more that just flirt with men, Chesa makes that clear.

 

And she is not the first homosexual character in play--as indeed has been stated. Lesbian relationships are quite common in the tower--to date we know that Siuan and Moiraine had one--not to mention Galina and Tarna, or Elaida and Meidani. Galina at the very least only sleeps with women. And we've had mention of other such relationships besides.

 

I know this is incredibly nitpicky, but I'm pretty sure that Tarna turned Galina down.

[Sabio]

Always figured Egwene and Elayne were pillow friends.

[Luckers]

  Quote

I know this is incredibly nitpicky, but I'm pretty sure that Tarna turned Galina down.

 

Tarna ended their relationship when she became Aes Sedai, but they did have a relationship.

[Babalu]

Galina beat the block out of her, but I don't recall any references to other kind of relationship. I would have thought that a relationship between as Aes Sedai and an Accepted would be frowned upon to say the least.

[Cockta]

Dang, just think what a great porn movie it would have been if Egwene and Elayne were just getting comfortable, they are still novices in the Tower, and Nynaeve is an accepted in the Tower. The two of them are getting comfortable, and suddenly Nynaeve comes in the novice-room, because she has something to say, but sees Egwene and Elayne a little undressed, and hugging and kissing. They are all shocked, but Nynaeve decides t ojoin the party. Hoho!!! Now that would seriously be a good porn movie!!!

[Luckers]

Mmm, you may be correct. Tarna states "Pillow friends were common amongst novices and Accepted, but girlhood things should be left behind with girlhood. Not all sisters saw it so, certainly. Galina had been quite surprised when Tarna had refused her advances after gaining the shawl."

 

Originally i read this as meaning that Tarna had engaged in such girlhood things, and with Galina prior to the shawl, but i realise now that its not specifically stated. That paragraph could be read that Galina did not make advances until after Tarna gained the shawl.

 

Nevertheless the wording seems... imlicit... to me.

[Babalu]

True, it could read either way, but I can't imagine that an Aes Sedai engaging in a relationship with an Accepted or Novice would be acceptable.

[Luckers]

True, but it is stated several times that Galina payed especial concideration to novices she thought would choose Red. Her involvement with such novices is remarked on several times.

 

It may have been inappropriate for her to be taking sexual advantage of Accepted or novices--but keep in mind that Galina is a darkfriend.

[Jagen Sedai]

Hmm we need to see a guy with pillow friends, yum :)

[Luckers]

Do you mean a guy with other guys... coz yeah, that would be fun. Or did you mean a guy with a bunch of girls, coz Rand's situation possibly counts. Not to mention the Aiel thing.

 

Or did you mean Rand involved in an actual pillow fight--coz that could be pretty funny in itself.

[Ganth]

Occasionally in the series Rand would point an attractive man, getting my hopes up - however, men are allowed to do that so it means nothing.

 

Aram potentially could have had the hots for Perrin and Perrin was too consumed with Faile to notice.

 

How about we pretend Asmodean had some male pillow friends? He did like music  ::)

[Jagen Sedai]

Yea, I mean a guy with other guys. Maybe an Asha'amn or something, would be nice, haha... oo I can picture it now. Rand fanbois. HAHAHA

[Cockta]

Ahem, no.

 

Im sorry for being a guy, but I just don't like thinking of guys playing with guys. Anyways, I can't remember Rand thinking that other men are sexy.

 

Also, I really thought that this world was free of gay and lesbian people. I thought that all the way until I read that pillow friends wasn't only what the name suggested, but something more, and I read that on this forum, so you can imagine how "blind" I was!

[The true source]

I agree with cockta on this.

i think if Rand turned out like that it would change some tings. =p

[RAND AL THOR]

The pillow friends deal wasn't very obvious in the series, until we came to a particular scene with some sea folk people talking and that more or less made it very clear.

 

I was so confused about this that I posted a separate topic on this, where the final conclusion was the the term 'pillow friends' in the WoT refers to homosexual relations among members of the female gender.