Sex Amongst the Maiar (and the Other Beings in Arda)

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

One would assume that Tom and Goldberry--not that I'm calling them Maiar--had a fulfilling marriage. Yet we don't see any little Toms or Berrys.

You might never know how many River-granddaughters are wandering about...

Seriously, though, I would like to bring up this nice little bit from The Sil:

But when they desire to clothe themselves the Valar take upon them forms some as of male and some as of female; for that difference of temper they had even from their beginning, and it is but bodied forth in the choice of each, not made by the choice, even as with us male and female may be shown by the raiment but is not made thereby. (Ainulindale)

So, while that says nothing of sex, the Valar clearly have genders (if you care to differentiate between the two, I think sex refers more towards your reproductive organs and gender more towards your disposition on the matter). If, however, I stick to those definitions, they beg a question: do the Valar necessarily have sexual organs? They are able to take on different shapes, and are able to move about without any shape at all. Now how do you biologically define that?! Melian bore a child, and IIRC in the earlier versions Manwe and Varda had a son Fionwe, so they're capable of having children if they wish to. I guess it depends on what form they take. But I would say that the connection between the Valar spouses is mostly mental.

I personally believe that taking a shape similar to a human does not necessarily give you human anatomy (f.ex., the Valar don't necessarily have two kidneys and a liver, and thus also don't necessarily have reproductiove organs). I guess that if they choose to be similar to the Children in that way, they may become so, like Melian did, but I prefer to think that they do not even bother themselves with such thoughts.

I wonder now if it's possible to have a hermaphrodite or androgynous ainu. (Seems from Agan's thread about Sauron's hair colour that the question of homosexuality is already decided on by Tumblr. )

(As a side note, you should have seen my facial expressions as I was typing all this! A family member who came into the room asked me if I'm ok. )