Gorean subculture

Gorean subculture is a fandom based on the philosophy espoused in John Norman's long-running sword and planet novel series Chronicles of Counter-Earth.

Gorean subculture developed independent of Norman's involvement, particularly starting as a fan network after the publishing houses ceased printing new editions of the novels, allegedly due to the controversy and pressure from feminist circles, and Gor books went out of print in the late 1980s. It does not have a uniform following but encompasses different groups of varying views and practices.

Although Norman's philosophy is basically concerned with the "order of nature" in a universal context of power and subordination, the Gorean subculture particularly focusses on the master-and-slave dynamic in sexual relationships and associated forms of female submission as portrayed in the novels. Therefore, although they are estimated to compose less than 5% of the total female population on Gor, training and keeping a female slave (often known as a kajira) is central to Gorean subculture. Formal slave training, slave positions and commands, as well as slave attire and beautification are practices central in Gorean subculture.

Literalists, otherwise known as lifestylers, incorporate elements from the Gorean culture and gender roles in their daily lives and some adherents of this approach were prosecuted for leading coercive sex cults. As opposed to literalists, the role players, divided into real-life sexual roleplayers (engaged or not engaged in BDSM practices) and online role-playing gamers (present particularly in Second Life) are not necessarily committed to Gorean philosophy and ideals.

Starting from the 1990s, Gorean subculture has become attractive to a number of male teenagers through role playing in chat rooms. The teenage role-playing Goreans who concealed many of their personal aspects such as age or lack of experience thanks to anonymity managed to appeal to a considerable number of married and middle-aged women as kajirae in role-playing contexts. Such notoriety caused by this profile and related practices in the virtual Gorean community succeeded in creating disdain among both feminists and the BDSM community. Nevertheless, scholars have discussed the way that Gorean subculture groups on mediums such as Second Life and Internet Relay Chat have influenced the development of online role-playing and even the Mmorpg genre.

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