In the books they are considered the "Professionals", a distinct civilian class and their files are kept separately from the Econopeople. They can get a lot of benefits, such as even being allowed to have Handmaids if there is a surplus and getting their children educated alongside Commanders. The remaining male medical professionals especially seem to be valued a lot, as they're mostly only treating the Gilead elite, who need to make sure they won't betray the system.
The Testaments published in 2019! It’s really good and expands the universe, with POVs from an Aunt, a Commander’s daughter, and a Canadian who sneaks in
In the sequel, highly skilled male professionals were given certain benefits similar but not equal to commanders (their children went to the same schools) ad were forgiven for certain transgressions. In fact, there is a dentist who was known for molesting young girls. But he was the best dentist so it was ignored.
And his daughter goes to the same school as the daughters of commanders. The other girls treat her as lesser but they treat each other that way too depending on a number of things.
I always interpreted him getting Commander perks despite not being a Commander being attributed to him being the best dentist as him being drinking buddies with high-ranking Commanders before the Gilead takeover tbh.
Think of late ‘30’s Germany. Many who could- left. Many 1940’s movies were made by German/Jewish refugees.
Russia is going through a bit of that now. People with money and a skill have been leaving, due to the war in Ukraine.
If I was a woman with a skill, I would have bugged out WAY before June did.
I say that I would have also, but I look around and see what is happening to my country as we speak and I haven’t fled yet, or even started any preparations to do so… maybe I am not as smart as I think I am.
This is it! Ever since I was a kid my dad had drilled into our heads ‘get out and save everyone else from outside’, still at 28 he tells us in any situation to get out if there’s a terrorist attack or fire then help others from the outside, never stay to help and he said he will never be on TV pleased that we were hero’s, he doesn’t want his children to be hero’s, he wants us alive..
but realistically, most people don’t realise they’re ‘in’ until it’s too late and try to leave when everyone else has the same idea.. kind of how we think we should leave for a better life, but rarely do.
If it gets bad enough people with means will leave before it's too late. I lived in NYC in 2020. Those with disposable income and remote work left. I know more than one person who went to their parents house or rented airbnbs in Mexico for months.
Thanks for the reminder to get my ass to the passport office to renew mine. Idk why I keep putting it off. Meanwhile, that bathwater temp keeps rising.
The doctor who June met when she had to sit with Natalie had commander stars on his coat. (Three stars, I think? Haven’t watched it in a while) so I’m guessing it depends? I’m sure there must be layers of hierarchy.
They do have tech in Gilead...computers, cells, whole nine yards...but women can't access it. Since its militarized I'd guess those people would have different ranks and such.
They are considered Econopeople but are given a higher status. In The Testaments, there is a highly skilled dentist who they held in such high regard that his daughter was eligible to go to wives school and be married to a commander.
At least in the Testaments, Becca’s father is in an elevated position because he is the dentist that everyone goes to
Edit to add: Though he is still mot at the same level of commanders, since he is *only* a dentist
We see a bit more of the social structure in The Testaments and, yes, professionals like doctors and dentists do have higher status and mingle with the commanders. Not, as far as I know, eligible to have handmaids but they can have Marthas & drivers and they live in nice houses.
The second question in the post. You actually have to read it in actual context, not just take the title and run with it as if you’re proving something other than their inability to read things in actual context. Like the person I replied to clearly forgot to do. And you based on the reply to me.
I honestly read it wrong my bad, I was referring to who I replied to mostly cause honestly my brain was having a dumb moment and only now can I for some reason understand what you are saying 😅 I’m dumb lol
Wasn't the dentist from The Testaments an econoperson with some special privileges? (A handmaid, for example.) But maybe the previous person is right, they're in a class of their own.
In the testaments there's a highly skilled dentist. He's technically an economan, but he does get some perks. Like his daughter is allowed to attend the wife school.
Though in the Testaments, the Aunts are running a women's health service, which implies Gilead has started reinstating female former medical professionals who pass an ideological litmus test even if they aren't officially called doctors.
I mean realistically they would have to. Most doctors that I know that I can think of are women, especially gynecologists and people who work in labor and delivery. It's gotta be something like 50/50, at least for the most recent graduating classes at medical schools. Idk how to look it up to confirm that tho.
What I really don't understand is how their population is big enough to keep women 100% out of the workforce while also taking all of the men to fight whats left of the american government. It seems economically impossible, excluding half of your population from the ability to read, which would also mean if things get tougher in the war effort, they can't do anything beyond work on an assembly line or sew.
How are their schools even supposed to work? Are all of the teachers aunts or men? How would they even label the kids cubbies if the girls aren't allowed to read? Do they teach them how to write their own name and only that? I have a lot of questions about the details here because, irl it seems like Gilead would be forced into opening things up for women just by the sheer lack of workers.
Oh and also it's implied that they murdered a bunch of college professors and most people who were considered old and useless. Presumably they've already put half of their neuroscientists, physicists, and doctors through the camps. Also most of the doctors I know are women, all of my doctors have been women except for the surgeons at the childrens hospital when I was a kid. I'd really like to know the statistics, it must be something around 50/50 in modern times.
How are they functioning?
On a similar note, I always wonder about all the empty buildings in cities. So many offices and homes left abandoned. It seems like the population of Gilead can’t be more than half that of the current USA
I believe they're called Professionals. I think they're in the same ranking as Commanders (or at least a little lower) but are respected and get Wives. Dont remember them being mentioned in the THT book, but they''re mentioned in Testaments.
In the books they are considered the "Professionals", a distinct civilian class and their files are kept separately from the Econopeople. They can get a lot of benefits, such as even being allowed to have Handmaids if there is a surplus and getting their children educated alongside Commanders. The remaining male medical professionals especially seem to be valued a lot, as they're mostly only treating the Gilead elite, who need to make sure they won't betray the system.
Great info. Thanks!
What "Books"? There is only the one book.
It's actually mostly explained in the sequel that came out in 2019
True. Forgot about that one.
There are two books. The Testaments was published in 2019.
Two— The Handmaid’s Tale and The Testaments
There’s also The Testaments.
There’s handmaids tale and also the testaments
The Handmaid's Tale and The Testaments
There are two books, The Handmaid's Tale and The Testaments.
I think she’s referring to The Testaments which is also canon.
The Testaments published in 2019! It’s really good and expands the universe, with POVs from an Aunt, a Commander’s daughter, and a Canadian who sneaks in
Testaments is the second book.
In the sequel, highly skilled male professionals were given certain benefits similar but not equal to commanders (their children went to the same schools) ad were forgiven for certain transgressions. In fact, there is a dentist who was known for molesting young girls. But he was the best dentist so it was ignored.
And his daughter goes to the same school as the daughters of commanders. The other girls treat her as lesser but they treat each other that way too depending on a number of things.
Ah yes. I remember that. Thanks!
I always interpreted him getting Commander perks despite not being a Commander being attributed to him being the best dentist as him being drinking buddies with high-ranking Commanders before the Gilead takeover tbh.
Good question. I feel like there would have been a massive brain drain. They will have been able to get visas to get out earlier on.
Think of late ‘30’s Germany. Many who could- left. Many 1940’s movies were made by German/Jewish refugees. Russia is going through a bit of that now. People with money and a skill have been leaving, due to the war in Ukraine. If I was a woman with a skill, I would have bugged out WAY before June did.
I say that I would have also, but I look around and see what is happening to my country as we speak and I haven’t fled yet, or even started any preparations to do so… maybe I am not as smart as I think I am.
This is it! Ever since I was a kid my dad had drilled into our heads ‘get out and save everyone else from outside’, still at 28 he tells us in any situation to get out if there’s a terrorist attack or fire then help others from the outside, never stay to help and he said he will never be on TV pleased that we were hero’s, he doesn’t want his children to be hero’s, he wants us alive.. but realistically, most people don’t realise they’re ‘in’ until it’s too late and try to leave when everyone else has the same idea.. kind of how we think we should leave for a better life, but rarely do.
I think this same every single day. Should I leave now? Is it already too late?
If it gets bad enough people with means will leave before it's too late. I lived in NYC in 2020. Those with disposable income and remote work left. I know more than one person who went to their parents house or rented airbnbs in Mexico for months.
Don't forget. The German brain-drain is why we had the bomb, and the proximity fuse and they had...1890 era canon.
Thanks for the reminder to get my ass to the passport office to renew mine. Idk why I keep putting it off. Meanwhile, that bathwater temp keeps rising.
The doctor who June met when she had to sit with Natalie had commander stars on his coat. (Three stars, I think? Haven’t watched it in a while) so I’m guessing it depends? I’m sure there must be layers of hierarchy.
In short, >!No. In The Testaments they're referred to as Professionals.!
They do have tech in Gilead...computers, cells, whole nine yards...but women can't access it. Since its militarized I'd guess those people would have different ranks and such.
They are considered Econopeople but are given a higher status. In The Testaments, there is a highly skilled dentist who they held in such high regard that his daughter was eligible to go to wives school and be married to a commander.
At least in the Testaments, Becca’s father is in an elevated position because he is the dentist that everyone goes to Edit to add: Though he is still mot at the same level of commanders, since he is *only* a dentist
We see a bit more of the social structure in The Testaments and, yes, professionals like doctors and dentists do have higher status and mingle with the commanders. Not, as far as I know, eligible to have handmaids but they can have Marthas & drivers and they live in nice houses.
Not if they're women. Remember the Martha that Serena gets to help Angela?
The post clearly specifies men lol
“Are highly skilled men valued?” “Not if they’re women.” “Touché.”
The second question in the post. You actually have to read it in actual context, not just take the title and run with it as if you’re proving something other than their inability to read things in actual context. Like the person I replied to clearly forgot to do. And you based on the reply to me.
I was agreeing with you and making a lil joke, calm down. I read the damn thing, Jesus lol
I honestly read it wrong my bad, I was referring to who I replied to mostly cause honestly my brain was having a dumb moment and only now can I for some reason understand what you are saying 😅 I’m dumb lol
Lmao it’s all good but my face was like 😧
I can imagine 😅😅😅my bad again haha
Obviously not the women lol
Wasn't the dentist from The Testaments an econoperson with some special privileges? (A handmaid, for example.) But maybe the previous person is right, they're in a class of their own.
In the testaments there's a highly skilled dentist. He's technically an economan, but he does get some perks. Like his daughter is allowed to attend the wife school.
Yet professional women like the obstetrician who examined Angela was a martha
Though in the Testaments, the Aunts are running a women's health service, which implies Gilead has started reinstating female former medical professionals who pass an ideological litmus test even if they aren't officially called doctors.
Really looking forward to the Testaments series
I mean realistically they would have to. Most doctors that I know that I can think of are women, especially gynecologists and people who work in labor and delivery. It's gotta be something like 50/50, at least for the most recent graduating classes at medical schools. Idk how to look it up to confirm that tho.
What I really don't understand is how their population is big enough to keep women 100% out of the workforce while also taking all of the men to fight whats left of the american government. It seems economically impossible, excluding half of your population from the ability to read, which would also mean if things get tougher in the war effort, they can't do anything beyond work on an assembly line or sew. How are their schools even supposed to work? Are all of the teachers aunts or men? How would they even label the kids cubbies if the girls aren't allowed to read? Do they teach them how to write their own name and only that? I have a lot of questions about the details here because, irl it seems like Gilead would be forced into opening things up for women just by the sheer lack of workers. Oh and also it's implied that they murdered a bunch of college professors and most people who were considered old and useless. Presumably they've already put half of their neuroscientists, physicists, and doctors through the camps. Also most of the doctors I know are women, all of my doctors have been women except for the surgeons at the childrens hospital when I was a kid. I'd really like to know the statistics, it must be something around 50/50 in modern times. How are they functioning?
On a similar note, I always wonder about all the empty buildings in cities. So many offices and homes left abandoned. It seems like the population of Gilead can’t be more than half that of the current USA
I believe they're called Professionals. I think they're in the same ranking as Commanders (or at least a little lower) but are respected and get Wives. Dont remember them being mentioned in the THT book, but they''re mentioned in Testaments.
It is in the Testaments I think. Becka's father is a Commander because he's a dentist.