The Interspecies Statutes

The speciest policies of the Greater Confederated Kingdoms are a set of policies and laws implemented by the *Politikahaus* regarding inter-species breeding between sentient races within the confines of the GCK's realm of political influence. Known as *De Greckstatt-Statutes uff Interspecies-Relations,* or more simply as the Interspecies Statutes, these legal policies help promote what proponents call a safe and healthy environment for all three species to coexist successfully, and critics decry as a first step towards human superiorism.

Put succinctly, the Interspecies Statutes effect the following:

**I. A prohibition on marriage between species**: foreign nationals visiting the GCK are subject to scrutiny on this point. Customs officials are able to issue exemption certificates to already married couples when made with prior arrangements through their embassies, as well as having authorization to turn away couples on account of failure to do so. In many cases however, *greckstatt* customs will decline to accept foreign visitors whose marriage violates this law.

**II. A prohibition on intimacy between species:** intimate relations between mixed sentient species is banned on account of heightened rates of birth defects and the risks of disease transfer between species. Customs officials will turn away mixed species couples if pregnant from immigrating or even visiting the GCK on account of these concerns, and will typically prosecute and/or deport foreign nationals found to be pregnant by way of inter-species relations. Doctors are required by law to notify the state if they suspect bestiality in a relationship, although this policy is difficult to enforce and individuals can find doctors willing to turn a blind eye without terrible difficulty.

### **Scientific Basis**

***"Men are not jackassess to be put out by the conjugation of horse and mule; to degrade the species is to render it weaker than its predecessors without exception. Each to each leads to best of best, for all."***
*--Enri Vessermann, Laurent biologist and first Minister of Health*

The origins of formalized  anti-bestiality laws in the GCK can be found in the work of Enri Vessermann, who from 0AF through 12AF served as the GCK's first Minister of Health. An accredited biologist from University of Bonnhaven, Vessermann was impressed by the biological differences between the sentient species of the globe, as well as the dramatic influences mixed heritage could have on the physical health and development of the newborn. Rising from head of the Bonnhaven Central Hospital to the position of Minister of Health in 0AF, Vessermann quickly codified these policies, and was instrumental in providing evidence of the deleterious effects of interspecies breeding upon both the health of the involved individuals and upon the health of society at large.
Strictly speaking, the health ramifications of certain species interbreeding is undeniably negative: to date, no known viable offspring of an interspecies partnership involving a cold blooded Coatlicue and a warm blooded Pantera or human is known to exist, although suffice to say efforts have been made overseas towards these ends. With Pantera, the possibility of a viable fetus does exist, with as of yet unexplained conditions resulting in genetic doppelgangers of the mother of a partnership being estimated at somewhere between 33%-66% odds of viability by the Ministry of Health; however, a considerable number of Pantera-human crossbreeds result in unviable fetuses, with many being born stillborn or otherwise grossly defective.
Regardless of species, the simple fact exists that intimacy between varied sapients results in increased transmission rates of formerly human-exclusive diseases to other sapient species, and vis-à-vis towards humans as well. Given the general lack of natural immunity to diseases formerly exclusive to a separate species, the Ministry of Health considers the spread of diseases caused by intimacy and close cohabitation to be a cause of considerable concern.

### **Cultural & Political Attitudes**

Culturally, the *greck* population's general disposition on the matter of what less-speciest cultures refer to as "inter-heritage relations" is mildly varied, but typically negative. The primary backbone of these regulations is derived from scientific arguments much more so than cultural ones; considerable curriculum is in fact promoted by the *greckstatt* to help combat cultural-specism or human superiorism, which the government saw a troubling rise in in parallel with the implementation of Vessermann's bestiality statutes. Inversely however, the government does seek to prevent inter-species relationships out of concerns for disease transfer between species and the medical complications which often derive from these relationships, albeit with considerably more emphasis on scientific reasoning.

In urban areas to a high degree and in a lesser sense towards the homelands as a whole, attitudes are considerably more liberal in tone: Pantera and Coatlicue, while still well in the minority in terms of demographics, typically congregate in their own corners of metropolitan areas, with Bonnhaven being the most predominant city in terms of non-human sentient populations. However, even by the *greckstatt's* own formal admissions, attitudes in the royal territories are considered below the philosophical standard Crouuningglory aspires to, with blatant specism manifesting in certain corners of the empire by way of segregated neighborhoods and violent prejudices. This is a point of considerable interest to progressives within the party, who are eager to revamp the statutes to help tune them more accurately to prevent their abuse.

### **Enforcement & Criticism**

Per *De Greckstatt-Statutes uff Interspecies-Relations*, conviction on the charges of inter-species bestiality results in heavy prosecution by the state. Typically a convictions is only possible if 'caught in the act' or if a pregnancy occurs, although to a lesser extent contracting certain diseases is considered suspicious enough to warrant detainment for questioning and/or arrest. If convicted, both perpetrators of inter-species bestiality are subject to compulsory sterilization, with non-human species being subsequently deported back to their nation of origin after completing a three to five year prison sentences.

Critics of the statute note that the law is inherently biased against *de lesser sapients* on account of its inherent presumption that the non-human species are punished more heavily per the conditions of the law, as human foreign nationals are not deported as non-humans are.