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In the Homecoming series, What was your inspiration for Basilica, the "City of Women"?
Was it simply an ideology that you explored whilst writing the series or is it based on fact, either historical or contemporary?
OSC REPLIES:
I've never heard of any city or state organized like Basilica; it was entirely of my invention. However, as is so often the case, Basilica's system is an exaggeration of something that I think is very common -- that civilization exists to serve the needs of women, and men are accommodated within it at the expense of some of their dominance traits. Not that men don't benefit from civilization - they do. But the strongest, most predatory men have to be contained for civilization to work at all. Basilica simply exaggerates and emphasizes that aspect of civilization.
As for the temporary marriage customs, that is simply an exaggeration of the way America deals with marriage today.