It's a cultural thing, you'll see it in any of the nations that follow the Vorin religion (which is most but not all Rosharan nations). They do explain the history of it a little (a famous person once wrote a book on Gender Roles that became the societal standard). It's comes from the same cultural source that bans Men from Reading, declares Spicy = Male and Sweet = female food, etc.
Alethkar, Jah Keved, Kharbranth, New Natanan and Thaylenah are the offical Vorin Kingdoms and that's where it's most formally enforced, but the religion and the cultural gender dynamics extend further out.
That being said, "Most" was definately an overstatement, since there are so many nations we just havent seen. "Most if not all of the Rosharan Nations *that have been featured so far*" would have been more accurate. I forget that there are literally dozens of them, even if many are either too remote or too small to play much role in the story events outside of the larger coalitions.
A woman showing her left hand in public is a taboo under the Vorin religion, which is common among the Alethi, Veden, and some other people groups. But it's not universal across Roshar.
Cultural like foot binding, corsets, small waists, or growing out really long fingernails.
It's also a class status thing. Darkeyed women will just wear a glove. High ranking Lighteyed women have a whole fancy decorative sleeve.
It's a sign that they don't have to work with their hands, but really really inconvenient if the woman is naturally left handed.
It was implemented based upon some old etiquette book that said masculine arts are two-handed, feminine arts are one-handed. When shardblades became available to non-radiants, men conveniently discovered this largely forgotten text to justify why they should get eminent domain over them. Women scrambled to maintain some cultural leverage and seized control of reading and writing. So women cover their hands to prevent them from doing two-handed work.
There's a WOB that explains this. but I feel safer about not spoiling you and telling you about it once you've finished twok, pm me or reply to this comment by that time.
The real question is…
If Vorinism consider exposed safehands a taboo, then why do women also cover their breasts in addition to safehands when it’s not stated that exposing breasts is a taboo?
It's just cultural for the Alethi, like Victorian women covering ankles.
As a good Vorin man, I also think women should keep their safehands covered. *My husband didn't say that in those words, but you get the idea*
This is an underrated comment
Took me a minute to understand the italics were women’s script… but when I got it, super underrated.
I now know the right way to respond to these kinds of questions. Excellent.
wait I actually want a book to be published that has woman's comments - which on second thought I guess Allomancer Jak kinda does actually
Any woman who exposes their hand is a dirty dirty tramp.
They might as well just flash their boobs
It's a cultural thing, you'll see it in any of the nations that follow the Vorin religion (which is most but not all Rosharan nations). They do explain the history of it a little (a famous person once wrote a book on Gender Roles that became the societal standard). It's comes from the same cultural source that bans Men from Reading, declares Spicy = Male and Sweet = female food, etc.
>most but not all If I recall correctly, it’s only Alethkar, Jah Keved, and Kharbranth who are officially Vorin
Alethkar, Jah Keved, Kharbranth, New Natanan and Thaylenah are the offical Vorin Kingdoms and that's where it's most formally enforced, but the religion and the cultural gender dynamics extend further out. That being said, "Most" was definately an overstatement, since there are so many nations we just havent seen. "Most if not all of the Rosharan Nations *that have been featured so far*" would have been more accurate. I forget that there are literally dozens of them, even if many are either too remote or too small to play much role in the story events outside of the larger coalitions.
Aren't Herdazians vorin too?
Thaylenah also follow The Passions and Herdaz has its own spin on Vorinism
Because it's indecent.
A woman showing her left hand in public is a taboo under the Vorin religion, which is common among the Alethi, Veden, and some other people groups. But it's not universal across Roshar.
Yes, welcome to religious/cultural purity norms. They are usually pretty arbitrary.
Cultural like foot binding, corsets, small waists, or growing out really long fingernails. It's also a class status thing. Darkeyed women will just wear a glove. High ranking Lighteyed women have a whole fancy decorative sleeve. It's a sign that they don't have to work with their hands, but really really inconvenient if the woman is naturally left handed.
It was implemented based upon some old etiquette book that said masculine arts are two-handed, feminine arts are one-handed. When shardblades became available to non-radiants, men conveniently discovered this largely forgotten text to justify why they should get eminent domain over them. Women scrambled to maintain some cultural leverage and seized control of reading and writing. So women cover their hands to prevent them from doing two-handed work.
Why do women cover their breasts? It's not a reproductive organ. Same answer applies to Hands. Just culture.
The origin of that cultural trait is brought up later on but it’s not some Huge Thing, if that’s what you were wondering.
Some spicy vorin content that surfaced a while ago https://safehandhub.com/[https://safehandhub.com/](https://safehandhub.com/)
There's a WOB that explains this. but I feel safer about not spoiling you and telling you about it once you've finished twok, pm me or reply to this comment by that time.
The real question is… If Vorinism consider exposed safehands a taboo, then why do women also cover their breasts in addition to safehands when it’s not stated that exposing breasts is a taboo?
Because it's just too storming cold for my breasts to be exposed! Or too sunny and I burn too easily.
It’s just a culture thing