sugarvalves [1963573] —
Original article
With its ratio of four men for every one woman Torn is notoriously the most male-dominated settlement on the planet, and whilst we may all have our suspicions about the root cause of this particular phenomenon, nobody seems quite sure exactly what to do about it.
Whereas China's high male population can be attributed to its one-child policy and societal preference for male heirs, the reason for Torn's distinct lack of females is less easy to identify. There are records of a chemical spill sometime in the early 20th Century which contaminated the city's water supply with an agent known as AK1, a substance thought to cause an over-abundance of the SRY gene. This gene is responsible for generating the male sex within developing humans, yet this still doesn't explain the low levels of female migration from which Torn has suffered continuously since its inception.
Some believe Torn's historical reputation as a "City of Men" has hindered efforts to encourage more girls and ladies to settle here, and since records began women have never numbered more than 20% of the total population. Such anomalies are even celebrated in some quarters with the annual Sausage Festival, where a male resident of Torn is crowned Lady of the Day, before being dressed in a frock, paraded around the city and peppered with bratwurst thrown by on-looking spectators.
Regardless of its cause, a solution to the problem must be found if the city wishes to progress towards a more civilised society. Studies have shown that cities with a less imbalanced ratio of females to males enjoy far lower crime rates than those with a high disparity, mostly due to the perceived unlikelihood of most men ever finding a partner. Whether a low crime rate is something Torn's citizens would welcome remains to be seen, but at present there are several options on the table which could at least boost female numbers in the short term.
One councillor has proposed incentivising women to relocate by offering them a generous resettlement package, but as this unnamed official has been caught soliciting for sex on a number of occasions, this option has understandably been shelved for the time being. Other ideas put forward include purchasing ladies in bulk from despotic foreign nations, tricking women into believing female numbers are high by encouraging men to cross-dress during the summer tourist season, or intervening in the reproductive process - a rejected suggestion from the disgraced local scientist Amanda Ravenscroft.
One group of people who do not wish to see more females on Torn's streets are the owners of the city's bazaars. With many of Torn's men seeking comfort in the arms of narcotics, alcohol and inflatable love dolls in the absence of female company, the price of these items could drop sharply should the population of ladies increase. As of yet there are no concrete plans to implement any of the ideas mentioned above, but the city's authorities have stressed they are open to suggestions from the public.
Whereas China's high male population can be attributed to its one-child policy and societal preference for male heirs, the reason for Torn's distinct lack of females is less easy to identify. There are records of a chemical spill sometime in the early 20th Century which contaminated the city's water supply with an agent known as AK1, a substance thought to cause an over-abundance of the SRY gene. This gene is responsible for generating the male sex within developing humans, yet this still doesn't explain the low levels of female migration from which Torn has suffered continuously since its inception.
Some believe Torn's historical reputation as a "City of Men" has hindered efforts to encourage more girls and ladies to settle here, and since records began women have never numbered more than 20% of the total population. Such anomalies are even celebrated in some quarters with the annual Sausage Festival, where a male resident of Torn is crowned Lady of the Day, before being dressed in a frock, paraded around the city and peppered with bratwurst thrown by on-looking spectators.
Regardless of its cause, a solution to the problem must be found if the city wishes to progress towards a more civilised society. Studies have shown that cities with a less imbalanced ratio of females to males enjoy far lower crime rates than those with a high disparity, mostly due to the perceived unlikelihood of most men ever finding a partner. Whether a low crime rate is something Torn's citizens would welcome remains to be seen, but at present there are several options on the table which could at least boost female numbers in the short term.
One councillor has proposed incentivising women to relocate by offering them a generous resettlement package, but as this unnamed official has been caught soliciting for sex on a number of occasions, this option has understandably been shelved for the time being. Other ideas put forward include purchasing ladies in bulk from despotic foreign nations, tricking women into believing female numbers are high by encouraging men to cross-dress during the summer tourist season, or intervening in the reproductive process - a rejected suggestion from the disgraced local scientist Amanda Ravenscroft.
One group of people who do not wish to see more females on Torn's streets are the owners of the city's bazaars. With many of Torn's men seeking comfort in the arms of narcotics, alcohol and inflatable love dolls in the absence of female company, the price of these items could drop sharply should the population of ladies increase. As of yet there are no concrete plans to implement any of the ideas mentioned above, but the city's authorities have stressed they are open to suggestions from the public.
Original article
Comments
Post a Comment