“In Falcrest they taught me that lamen were sacred Oriati hermaphrodites who could, ah, be conjugated by men, and conjugated by women in turn […]” [said Cosgrad].
Tau-indi laughed. […] “You thought I had a penis and vagina?”
Cosgrad scowled stiffly. “I thought there must be a way for a parent to know if their child was a laman.”
“Why would the parents need to know? I’ve heard from griots that some people are born that way, and it is a wonder and a difficulty. But genitals have nothing to do with choosing to be a laman.”
“What are lamen for, then?”
“Now? In these enlightened days? Whatever trim moves us toward.”
Page 180, A Story About Ash 8, Act 2 of The Tyrant Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson
I love how rich the cultures are in this book! It is the coolest! Plus, Tau uses they/them pronouns. While they aren’t a main character, they are the main perspective character aside from Baru when it comes to reflecting on their past with Cosgrad, Farrier and Kinda.
Whether or not it’s entirely a cultural thing or an identity thing, I LOVE this trim-loving fucker. THEY. KICK. ASS!