[Artemisia] Gender Bending Barons

[Bartholomew Hightower]

I can think of several scenarios in the SCA regarding same-sex 
Baron/Baroness pairs on baronial thrones that would hardly raise an 
eyebrow, especially if their personae were of the opposite sex.  As to 
each person's particular genitalial packaging and sexual orientation, I 
would very much consider that to be nobody's business but their own. 

Now, if you were stumping for *Pope*, that would be a different.  
According to _legend_ Pope Joan held sway over the western church from 
855AD to 858AD disguised as a man until she fell during a procession 
before a crowd of people and popped out a baby.  She was stoned on the 
spot.   Thereafter (it is said) for many years, one of the prerequisites 
for becoming a pope was to plop down on a -- I am not making this up -- 
*groping chair* so that some lucky cardinal could take the important 
task of verification into his own hands, as it were.

You can read more about this interesting appendage of church history at

http://www.britannica.com/heritage/article?content_id=1381

and see a woodcut and a supposed photo of the chair itself at

http://www.rodneyanonymous.com/archives/00000176.htm

<chuckles>

-bart