A Man

Thou art a male of the human race.

Human males are typically more aggressive, stronger, and more foolish than females.

They also tend to, overall, be the dominant gender. This is because female humans are more concerned with practical matters than such foolishness as worrying who is 'in charge'. They know that in all things which matter from one day to the next they are 'in charge' of basically everything. Who makes the food? Who makes the clothes? Who raises the children? Who feeds the livestock? Who keeps the fires burning? It is women that do all this: all the things which allow true "civilization" to endure. Men-folk may be 'dominant', holding the positions of power and athority, but this is just a diversion from the true athority of the Civilized Races, the lord's of the gods may be male, but it is the gods of hearths and homes who hold their pantheons together.

Yet, for all this most men and women are content with thier divided spheres. Men hunt and butcher the game, women season and cook the meat. Men plow, sow, and reap the fields; women grind the grain and bake the bread. Men harvest the cotton or wool and gin it clean; women dye it, spin it, weave it, and sew it into clothing. Men sail the seas, march to war, and prepare worlds for settlement; thier wives follow behind when the battle is won or the catch brought in and turn the spoils of the victories into more than goods, but LIFE.

However, there art twain areas in which the two must work side by side: the begetting of children and the sailing of the ships of the Star-Navy. All who hath been married know well the begetting of children, but the sailing of the ships of the Star-Navy ist something besides. Ever since it's inception the Star-Navy hath allowed both men and women of all races within its ranks. This is done for many reasons, not the least of which ist that the Civilizations of both Gnomes and Elves on Holy Terra art matriarchal. Having thus twin examples of cultures ruled by women it twas decided upon that the captain of a ship and thier first officer must be of different genders such that one or the other could serve as diplomat to any civilization which should be encountered. That decision made it was nigh the shortest of steps to opening all officers ranks to women, and one shorter still for the enlisted ranks. This provides another benefit: if a ship should crash land on an uninhabited Mishar-Class Planet, they may make a colony there while they await rescue. (Should enough of the crew survive...)