How do kandra get their gender?

[alexyquest]

This is something that has been eating at me forever. Kandra definitely seem to have gender, and as far as I'm aware we've only seen kandra with binary gender, but that gender seems totally unrelated to sex. After all, when MeLaan used a man's bones, she still used she/her pronouns, which seems to imply to me that kandra definitely see gender as a social construct as opposed to a physical reality. Which is great! Kandra say trans rights! But how do they get that gender? Is is assigned at birth, but via method unrelated to reproductive organs? Do they discover it over time? Are there nonbinary kandra? 

Has the nature of kandra gender been addressed anywhere but I missed it? 

Thanks! 

[+Invocation]

Kandra genders are based primarily on scent, and each kandra apparently has some form of innate sense as to which scent-gender-sex they are attracted to. But also, apparently most kandra explore all sides of human gender and can individually select which gender they present as via scent to other kandra as well, including mixes and a completely null scent. (WOBs in the spoilers so people don't think I'm pulling this out of my ear)

Spoiler

wiresegal

Are most kandra comfortable in any body configuration, or is MeLaan being comfortable in any gendered body an outlier? (i.e. do female kandra usually prefer female bodies, etc). And if this is common among kandra, is it because their long lives lead to introspection and self-examination, or is it just part of the species psychology?

Also, it's mentioned that kandra can "smell" whether another kandra is male or female, biologically. Does a transgender kandra have a different "scent?" What about nonbinary? And if they don't smell different, can they change what they "smell" like? (without using any magic beyond their shapeshifting)

Brandon Sanderson

You find a lot more kandra like MeLaan in the later generations. Generations who were allowed to develop a stronger, independent kandra culture separate from always being integrated with human culture. However, I'd say that almost every kandra, by nature of their physiology, spends a good time exploring both genders. I wouldn't call MeLaan an outlier.

Kandra learn very extreme control over their bodies, and can choose which scent to express and which gender (even to other kandra) to present. This includes a neutral scent, or some mix or something new, if they so decide. Remember that a kandra who wants to hide who they are, even from other kandra, is fully capable of doing so. Under current in-world technology, even blood tests would not be able to distinguish a kandra from the form they have decided to take.

Skyward Pre-Release AMA (Oct. 29, 2018)

Questioner (paraphrased)

How do Kandra decide gender? Is it just intellectual? Or are there subtle physical differences?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

Kandra have a specific gender that is associated with scent- you can tell if a kandra is a boy or girl depending on how they smell. There is more to it than that. They also know who they are attracted to.

Alloy of Law release party (Nov. 7, 2011)

 

[alexyquest]

On 5/1/2022 at 9:45 PM, Invocation said:

Kandra genders are based primarily on scent, and each kandra apparently has some form of innate sense as to which scent-gender-sex they are attracted to. But also, apparently most kandra explore all sides of human gender and can individually select which gender they present as via scent to other kandra as well, including mixes and a completely null scent. (WOBs in the spoilers so people don't think I'm pulling this out of my ear)

  Hide contents

wiresegal

Are most kandra comfortable in any body configuration, or is MeLaan being comfortable in any gendered body an outlier? (i.e. do female kandra usually prefer female bodies, etc). And if this is common among kandra, is it because their long lives lead to introspection and self-examination, or is it just part of the species psychology?

Also, it's mentioned that kandra can "smell" whether another kandra is male or female, biologically. Does a transgender kandra have a different "scent?" What about nonbinary? And if they don't smell different, can they change what they "smell" like? (without using any magic beyond their shapeshifting)

Brandon Sanderson

You find a lot more kandra like MeLaan in the later generations. Generations who were allowed to develop a stronger, independent kandra culture separate from always being integrated with human culture. However, I'd say that almost every kandra, by nature of their physiology, spends a good time exploring both genders. I wouldn't call MeLaan an outlier.

Kandra learn very extreme control over their bodies, and can choose which scent to express and which gender (even to other kandra) to present. This includes a neutral scent, or some mix or something new, if they so decide. Remember that a kandra who wants to hide who they are, even from other kandra, is fully capable of doing so. Under current in-world technology, even blood tests would not be able to distinguish a kandra from the form they have decided to take.

Skyward Pre-Release AMA (Oct. 29, 2018)

Questioner (paraphrased)

How do Kandra decide gender? Is it just intellectual? Or are there subtle physical differences?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

Kandra have a specific gender that is associated with scent- you can tell if a kandra is a boy or girl depending on how they smell. There is more to it than that. They also know who they are attracted to.

Alloy of Law release party (Nov. 7, 2011)

 

Thanks for this! I wonder if there are nonbinary kandra, or if any Cosmere characters have been confirmed to be nonbinary. 

[+Invocation]

2 hours ago, alexyquest said:

Thanks for this! I wonder if there are nonbinary kandra, or if any Cosmere characters have been confirmed to be nonbinary. 

I was curious too. So have a WOB about singers:

Quote

RenegadeShroom

Have any groups of singers ever had any nonbinary genders? That is to say, a fifth gender recognized by their culture, rather than malen and femalen, which seem to function as more of an extension of the gender binary than anything our culture would recognize as nonbinary.

Brandon Sanderson

Yes.

Skype Q&A (Oct. 8, 2018)

Other than that, I can't find any confirmations, but I'd be willing to bet someone or multiple someones in Era 3 or 4 will be confirmed.
Until then, I guess we hang our hats on the trans confirmations.

[+Oltux72 he/him]

On 1.5.2022 at 9:05 PM, alexyquest said:

This is something that has been eating at me forever. Kandra definitely seem to have gender, and as far as I'm aware we've only seen kandra with binary gender, but that gender seems totally unrelated to sex.

Biologically Kandra are Mistwraith. As far as we know they never voluntarily use the body that would show their sex. In fact technically we do not know whether Mistwraith have sex, biologically speaking. The Kandra scent may just be a Kandra thing, not seen in Mistwraith. How Mistwraith breed is unknown. For all we know they may be hermaphrodites.

On 1.5.2022 at 9:05 PM, alexyquest said:

After all, when MeLaan used a man's bones, she still used she/her pronouns, which seems to imply to me that kandra definitely see gender as a social construct as

That is ill supported. We have no idea what pronouns the modern North Scadrian language has. Nor do we know what the Kandra speak at home. It may very well be Terris.

These are human ideas. Kandra aren't human. They are not even mammals. Their ancestors were, they are very good at emulating them, but they no longer are.

 

[Sjsharks93]

On 5/24/2022 at 10:13 PM, alexyquest said:

Thanks for this! I wonder if there are nonbinary kandra, or if any Cosmere characters have been confirmed to be nonbinary. 

The Sibling is the only character I can think of off the top of my head

[Treamayne]

On 5/25/2022 at 3:39 AM, Invocation said:

I was curious too. So have a WOB about singers:

Other than that, I can't find any confirmations, but I'd be willing to bet someone or multiple someones in Era 3 or 4 will be confirmed.
Until then, I guess we hang our hats on the trans confirmations.

Ral-na, in Dawnshard Ch 3

Spoiler

the King of Relu-na Greatshell Island in Reshi that Rysn met was trans - assigned female at birth but known as King and used male pronouns. Upon forming the Nahel Bond with an unnamed Ashspren, he has begun to transition as Stormlight "heals" his body to match his male spiritual identity.

 

[+Invocation]

10 hours ago, Treamayne said:

Ral-na, in Dawnshard Ch 3

  Reveal hidden contents

the King of Relu-na Greatshell Island in Reshi that Rysn met was trans - assigned female at birth but known as King and used male pronouns. Upon forming the Nahel Bond with an unnamed Ashspren, he has begun to transition as Stormlight "heals" his body to match his male spiritual identity.

 

I know, that's what I meant.