The Dragon Keeper "Controversial?" Hobb and sexuality. *Major Spoilers up to RWC!

[redchild]

From what I've heard and read, about 3% of the human population is homosexual, or at least, not heterosexual. That means 3 of every 100 people, on average. So in actuality, it would be much more unrealistic to imagine a purely heterosexual society. Sexual orientation can also be seen as a spectrum. Chances are, there is no such thing as purely homosexual or purely heterosexual. Not to forget that there are also people who are asexual or transgender. Non-heterosexual relationships have always existed, it's just that the dominant culture of many countries as of now are still quite condescending towards such "deviant" behaviors, so most people put on airs that they are not "abnormal."

So perhaps it's not so much that non-heterosexual relationships have been kept under wraps, but rather mainstream society does not permit such blatant representations. The 1980s AIDS epidemic brought much attention towards homosexuality, but the attention was negative and homosexuality was seen as a pathology. The later 1990s up to now have shown a much more tolerant and objective attitude towards sexual orientations and behaviors, so writers like Hobb seem to have taken this new opportunity to genuinely explore what they only dared to hint or imply at before.

There have been other occurrences of semi-homosexuality in the RotE books, but 'thul forgets when exactly (or possibly mix it up with another unnamed series...)

Well there were rumors of Althea and Amber having a lesbian affair in LST. The Fool is not heterosexual but may be bisexual, possibly the Pale Woman as well. Kennit had a sexual identity crisis due to the abuse he suffered as a child. And I cannot believe that every sailor (hah, crude generalization here) in the harbor towns all desire women. Satrap Cosgo is in love with himself.