Talk:The Heart/Quotes/@comment-49.144.212.154-20130617093109/@comment-6301921-20130627045444

There is AN empress

Why can't women be Overseers?

Why have we not seen any women in the City Watch or in the army?

Most of the women are either servants, courtesans, or governesses.

The common woman couldn't even remotely protect herself from the City Watch.

Sure, there are exceptions (Jessamine, Black Sally, Lizzy Stride, Lady Boyle), but the info we get about the Empire as a whole suggests that it is mostly male dominated.

Brigmore witches are not a part of every day society and give no indication of the socio-political structure of the empire.

Yes, they are xenophobic. It's bad for their rep if they're involved with a foreigner. But it is never suggested that anyone would get killed over sleeping with a foreigner. It is suggested that they would be killed for being caught sleeping with someone of the same sex.