

In the first episode of _Rose of Versailles_ , we see the patriach of the
Jarjayes family designate his newborn daughter as his _son_ and name her
Oscar, because he is in desperate need of an heir to his office and his
offspring only consist of daughters. Thus, it looks like a woman would not be
normally regarded as an appropriate candidate for military duties. This makes
sense combined with the gender roles alluded to in the first two episodes:

  * Girodelle initially refuses to duel Oscar on account of gender
  * Later he makes mention of "womanly whims" when she disappears in the second episode
  * The Jarjayes housekeeper laments that Oscar isn't treated like a daughter and hopes when she refuses to become an officer that she is doing so because she wants to be a woman.

However, both in this episode and the one that follows, it is shown that
Oscar's gender is more or less an open secret: at least three people outside
of the Jarjayes household know of it.

  * Girodelle (see above)
  * The woman who tells Marie Antoinette about Oscar while she is going to Versailles
  * The man whom Jarjayes talks to who proposes the duel between Girodelle and Oscar, although he tells Jarjayes that it's fine that Oscar is a woman

**Given that a number of outsiders are aware of Oscar's gender, is there any
in-universe reason why Oscar is still permitted to take on masculine roles, if
being female was supposed to be an impediment in the first place?** Or is
everything fine and dandy provided that Oscar does not appear overtly feminine
and so long as _the average person_ isn't aware of it? After all, Marie
Antoinette, Fersen, and Rosalie are unaware of Oscar's gender until they are
told of it.


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2015-07-03T01:22:42.017
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2015-08-17T03:30:13.473
2015-08-17T03:30:13.473
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question
the-rose-of-versailles
If some of the higher-ups know about Oscar's gender, why is she still permitted to be in the Royal Guard?