Oh definitely ignorance rather than malice. As an economist I can tell you that’s prevalent in real life as well as literature. For instance if you go to most streets in your average developed country (perhaps not near Trump supporters) if you ask people if women should be paid the same as men, you’ll get a lot of very confused looks by people who are so far in agreement that they find the question bizarre, as well as an overall positive response.

Ask people however, why women are paid less and most people won’t be able to give you a firm answer (because its a collection of complicated answers, all of which are important and interesting), but go even further and ask why women are paid less in the same company as many and some people (particularly men) will genuinely be surprised that it is happening under their noses.

In terms of a fantasy setting, I needed the world to be unfair, but I also wanted the reader to resent that every step of the way, to feel the genuine struggles of people whom did not deserve to struggle at all and marvel at the stupidity of denying people equal rights and representation.

I have one particular character (Lily) whom is quite obviously the heir apparent the most powerful and influential man in perhaps the most powerful government institution, but not only is she not allowed the position, she is not even allowed to be in the organisation despite being a rare and vital talent to the country in question.

I want my readers (all four of them ^^) to engage with the notion of sexism and discrimination and the reasons behind it, to resent those excuses and to appeal for the cultural change that eventually comes about.