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Sexuality in the Original Series echoes many of the sentiments of classic science fiction of the early to late twentieth-century, particularly the late 1970s, when the series first aired.
Such relationships were purely heterosexual in nature, with an emphasis of certain males (i.e. Starbuck, SireUri, and Count Iblis) seeking the partnership of various females, but typically independent (and unbeknownst) to the other females.
Polygamy and Monogamy
Both polygamy and monogamy are known to the Colonials. Polygamy itself is a mating practice that dates as far back as the Lords of Kobol with each lord having multiple wives in a time before the exodus from Kobol. Such wives were typically "very young" according to the Book of the Word(TOS: "The Living Legend, Part I"). It remains unstated whether or not bisexual sex acts were involved in these polygamous relationships.
Yet despite this, monogamy appears to be the default mating practice of the Colonies, as many Colonials were Sealed to only one mate, among them:
Although monogamy apparently reigns on the Colonies, many Colonial males such as Starbuck, Chameleon, and Sire Uri tend to regale themselves with multiple female companions.
In addition, it is indicated that women also regaled themselves with multiple male companions. In "War of the Gods, Part II," Iblis comments to Starbuck that Sheba should not limit herself to one man, when Starbuck notes that Sheba seemed to dump Iblis in favor of Apollo during a Fleet celebration.
Also, sexual relationships seem to be fairly fancy-free, as SiressBlassie takes a sexual interest in Chameleon, who arranges for his affairs after it was "proven" that Chameleon was not Starbuck's father (TOS: "The Man with Nine Lives").
Socialators
Socialators are a form of sexual companion serving the Colonies. Their vocation is sanctified by "the elders," whose gender was never directly specified either way. People practicing this vocation are viewed with disdain by religious groups like the Otori Sect and, judging by Cassiopeia's quick defense of the vocation to Starbuck, others (TOS: "Saga of a Star World").
Religious implications
The most religious of the Twelve Colonies, the Gemonese, treat contact between the sexes very differently than members from other Colonies. The aforementioned Otori Sect's high priests permit contact between the genders during the Worship of the Sun Storm, which occurs every seven yahren(TOS: "Saga of a Star World").
Sexuality in the Re-imagined Series and its prequel, Caprica, mirrors sexuality in the real world, in terms of the presence of hetero-, homo- and bi-sexual relationships.
According to comments from Michael Taylor, the Colonials do not make an emphasis "of the distinction between hetero- and homosexual preferences. I tend to think that in this respect, at least, they’re a bit more enlightened than we are."[1]
Gender Identity and Distinctions
No gender-based restrictions on occupation, either military or civilian, have been seen to exist in the Twelve Colonies, and Ronald Moore has indicated that there are none. However, males and females adhere to different standards in terms of clothing, makeup, ornamentation and hairstyling. One example has been seen of a transvestite, a man called Cerberus who wears "female" garb, jewelry and makeup; he is referred to as a "freak" by Joseph Adama(CAP: "Ghosts in the Machine").
In marriages between only one man and only one woman, there are examples of both partners retaining their surnames (ex. Anastasia Dualla and Lee Adama) and of the woman taking the surname of her husband (ex. Sharon "Athena" Agathon and Karl Agathon). However, the common surname of the Willow group marriage derives from one of its female members, Desiree Willow. The standard practice for two-person homosexual marriages is unclear, as the only one shown so far is that between Samuel Adama and Larry, the latter of whom is only referred to by his first name. It is unknown whether the surname a person used before marriage is referred to as a "maiden name" by the Colonials.
A concept of "manliness" exists, as evidenced by William Adama's sayings "a man isn't a man until he wears the wings of a Viper pilot" and "a man takes responsibility for his actions". If an equivalent idea of "womanliness" as a strong attribute exists, it has not been referenced (TRS: "Miniseries", "Water").
In the Colonial military, the honorific "sir" is used for both female and male superiors; in civilian usage, "ma'am" is used for women and "sir" for men. This is highlighted when Captain Lee Adama addresses President Laura Roslin as "sir" and her aide Billy Keikeya addresses her as "ma'am" at the same meeting (TRS: "Bastille Day").
Kara Thrace, on one occasion, said that "men are so painfully stupid sometimes," in reference to Karl Agathon believing that Sharon was pregnant with his child (TRS: "Scattered").
Heterosexuality
Relationships depicted in the series tend to be overwhelmingly heterosexual in nature. Among these relationships are:
Relationships resulting in marriage:
Saul Tigh and Ellen Tigh (2,000 years in the series' past[2], and again in series' present.)
Samuel Anders and Tory Foster(TRS: "Crossroads, Part II") [Anders was presumed to be a widower, though his wife, Kara Thrace, was later discovered seemingly alive]
Sharon Valerii seduces Karl Agathon under the guise of Sharon Agathon, while the latter watches helplessly, bound and gagged in a commode closet (TRS: "Someone to Watch Over Me").
Saul Tigh with Ellen Tigh upon her return to the Fleet, while he (having been presumed widowed) is cohabitating with Caprica-Six, who has become pregnant by him. Ellen recognizes that he has added to his sexual repertoire during her absence.
Homosexuality in the series was formally introduced in "Razor," with the revelation that Helena Cain and Gina Inviere were engaged in a lesbian relationship.
The revelation of the Cain-Inviere relationship does not seem to surprise Pegasus personnel. Kendra Shaw is slightly shocked, but more due to the surprise that Cain is dependent on anyone. Jurgen Belzen and Jack Fisk do not seem to be at all fazed or uncomfortable with this relationship during the formal dinner after the Fall of the Scorpion Fleet Shipyards (Razor). Therefore, this is in keeping with writer Michael Taylor's comments that "the point about Cain’s and Gina’s relationship is that the fact that they had a same-sex relationship was no big deal".[1]
Sam Adama casually mentions to his nephew Willie Adama that he used to try to flirt with men in a district the two are visiting (CAP: "Rebirth"). Sam's marriage to Larry, taken with his status as an enforcer for the Ha'la'tha, suggests homosexuality is not seen as in conflict with traditional masculine roles and attitudes.
Judging by comments made by producer/writer Jane Espenson and on Serge's Twitter account, homophobia does not exist and never has existed in the Twelve Colonies, and heterosexual and homosexual relationships are not thought of in different lights. Therefore, the word "gay" does not exist and homosexual marriage has been legal for as long as marriage has existed[3][4].
Bisexuality
Caprica-Six, Three and Baltar sleeping (TRS: "Hero").
Bisexuality has not been seen until "Hero," with the culmination of a ménage à trois between Caprica-Six, Number Three, and Gaius Baltar. It is uncertain how this is viewed in Colonial society, but since it is apparent that the Cylons model their behavior after their human creators, it is more than likely that sexual acts involving multiple partners is derived from Colonials.
Also, Gina Inviere can be considered bisexual due to her involvement with both Helena Cain and Gaius Baltar (at different times), though her relationship with Baltar is marred by the psychological effects of Inviere having been gang-raped on Pegasus.
In an interview, Ronald D. Moore stated that the bisexuality of Caprica-Six and Inviere may or may not be typical of all the Six copies, or all the twelve Cylon models: "We sort of always talked about the Cylons being basically bisexual in all formats. They didn’t really have gender roles within the twelve models kind of thing, but we never really played that idea out so I don’t know if we ever really established that as part of the mythos, but that was something we sort of talked about. We pretty much established that some of the Sixes, there was the Six that was in a relationship with Admiral Cain so we know that that’s part of some of the Sixes, whether that means that applies to all the Six models, we just never got into that depth, that kind of detailed stories of them." [5]
Moore also said that "We’re in the process now of starting to think about what Caprica the series will be and what the storylines are and it is something that we’re talking about in our sort of nascent writers’ room where we have some people together and we’re just talking about what it could be and we are talking about it as an active thing, like okay, how can we work in gay, lesbian and bisexual storylines into this and that – it’s just not there yet, but it is part of the discussion."[5]
Although there are periodic mentions of prejudice between the quasi-castes of different colonies, no dialogue has indicated any taboo among Colonials regarding relationships between humans of different [real-world] ethnic or racial groups, nor even an acknowledgement of real-world ethnicity; each of the twelve colonies appears to be composed of a mixture of real-world human ethnicities.
In addition to the many inter-racial and inter-ethnic relationships not resulting in marriage (well, confirmed marriage), a full one half of the post-apocalypse marriages depicted are between spouses of different real-world races: African Anastasia Dualla and Caucasian Leland Adama, and East Asian Sharon "Athena" Agathon (née Eight) and Caucasian Karl Agathon (c.f.Kara Thrace and Samuel Anders, and Callandra Tyrol (née Henderson) and Galen Tyrol [all four appear predominantly Caucasian]). Moreover, interbreeding between what would be real-world Caucasians and East Asians is presumably so commonplace that Dr. Cottle had a still-born Eurasian infant readily available, to secretly switch with Hera Agathon on President Roslin's order.
Inter-species
Humans and humanoid Cylons can and frequently do engage in consensual sexual intercourse. Relationships between humans and Cylons are viewed negatively by those who see Cylons as nonpersons, a viewpoint which becomes less and less common.
Cylon Simon and human Giana O'Neill were married before the apocalypse, with Giana unaware of her husband's Cylon nature but Simon well aware. Three of the four post-apocalypse marriages depicted are between humans and Cylons: Cylon Sharon "Athena" Agathon and human Karl Agathon, human Kara Thrace and Cylon Samuel Anders, and human Callandra Tyrol (née Henderson) and Cylon Galen Tyrol. Of the three, the Agathons were the only marriage entered into while both (or either) spouse was consciously aware that one was a Cylon. The only post-apocalypse marriage shown between humans is that of Anastasia Dualla and Leland Adama. The only pre-apocalypse marriage depicted as surviving both the Cylons and Adm. Cain is that between Final Five Cylons Ellen Tigh and Saul Tigh.
Multiple real-world coitus positions have been depicted, including female superior (a.k.a. "cowgirl")[6] and the so-called missionary position[7].
Heterosexual fellatio among Colonials is implied by Laura Roslin's statement to Tory Foster, "I don't really care if you have to spend the night on your knees praying, or just on your knees. I want a name." (TRS: "Guess What's Coming to Dinner?")
Other notes
The religious controversy surrounding Rya Kibby's abortion suggest that the Colonial faith (or the Gemenese interpretation thereof) contains doctrine pertaining to sexuality, possibly in a similar fashion to many real world religions (TRS: "The Captain's Hand").
The presence of child prostitution under Phelan's black market indicates the presence of pedophilia within Colonial society. The practice of child prostitution is viewed with loathing and disdain by Colonials such as Lee Adama, who ultimately kills Phelan after discovering this practice aboard Prometheus(TRS: "Black Market").
Prostitution is legal in Colonial society, with consenting adult women such as Shevon offering their services to adult men such as Lee Adama (TRS: "Black Market"). This fact is a nod to the socialator practices touched upon in the Original Series. However, prostitution is not considered respectable, as Tom Zarek and Major Adama's conversation shows. Prostitution of young men for female clients has also been established (CAP: "Retribution").
In addition, the Colonials have pornographic material like Nymph magazine (TRS: "Scar"), although it is uncertain whether or not pornography is viewed in the same controversial light as it is in America and some other cultures.
Strip clubs exist where strippers of both sexes perform simultaneously (TRS: "Daybreak, Part II").
The spines of some humanoid Cylons have been seen to emit a red glow during copulation.[8] It is unclear whether or not this is visible to the human eye and could be used to detect Cylons. Nevertheless the real-world metaphorical use of the term "glowing" is used by Colonials to describe women sexually satisfied and/or in love.[9]
Marriage and engagement are practiced by the humans of the Twelve Colonies, and were practiced by the Cylons of the Thirteenth Tribe on Earth. In the Colonies, marriage vows are considered sacred oaths. Women generally take their husbands' surnames, but not always. Men do not change their name, except in the group marriage example noted below. There is no evidence of any similar practice to marriage among the modern Cylons, though two of them married humans.
Marriages between more than two people have been shown to be legal on Caprica, though unusual. Upon learning that Clarice Willow is part of a group marriage, Lacy Rand is surprised but accepting and mentions knowing classmates who are children of group marriages. The Willow family surname comes from Desiree Willow(CAP: "Rebirth").
↑Caprica-Six is shown glowing atop Baltar in the Miniseries, Sharon Agathon is shown glowing atop Helo in "Six Degrees of Separation" and writer commentary for "The Face of the Enemy" confirms that "Sweet Eight" similarly glowed while having sex with Felix Gaeta on New Caprica.
