Free Women are viewed by most Goreans as priceless, to be honored and protected provided they behave in a manner appropriate to their lofty station. Free men do not normally breed with slaves as only a Free Woman can give a man his family. If a slave gets pregnant, he would either enslave the child, give it away, or free the slave long enough to bear the child. In some cases, if he has become sentimental as some men seem to do when a woman presents him with child, she may remain free.
Free Women's rights vary by city, position, and wealth. A wealthy woman of high-caste will have more rights and freedoms than one of lesser status. Women are often seen managing shops in the city. Since it is potentially dangerous for women to travel unescorted, men often do all the leg work while women run the store fronts. A Free Woman is never totally safe as it is not uncommon for young tarnsmen to rope women off the high bridges of the cities, capture, and enslave them. Of course, with the Robes of Concealment hiding the features of a Free Woman as they do, slave girls make much better prey, if only because the tarnsmen can see the value of what he is capturing. This is one reason why the veils and Robes of Concealment are so much a part of the Free Woman's life. A Free Woman would rather be totally stripped of the rest of her clothing than to lose her veil. A woman without a veil is naked, while those without clothing are merely undressed.
Gorean Free Women are those who dwell within the insulae and shops, or behind walls and guards in the secret pleasure gardens and relaxation pools of the city, performing their labors, managing their households, taking their pleasures and seeing to the birth, maintenance and correct training of the children of Gor. It is a difficult and perilous undertaking for a Gorean Free Woman to maintain her status... in fact, a Gorean Free Woman is expected to choose the option of free and honorable death rather than accept the fate of living in slavery. In practice, however, this rarely occurs. Few women, even Gorean women of high caste and social position, will willingly choose to suffer a grisly death rather than brave the degradations of bondage.
Many Gorean Free Women would rarely visit, much less frequent, a public paga tavern, as such places are, in essence, a Gorean cross between a strip-joint and a brothel. The men who visit such places do so because they have come to have sex with the slaves for the price of a cup of paga, or because they wish to take their ease and comfort in such a den of disrepute. The key trait a Gorean warrior expects to find in the Free Women of his city is "virtuous." To the Gorean mind, any woman who possesses the raw lust and submissive desire openly displayed by collared slavegirls deserves to be one, and if a Free Woman's actions seem to suggest that she either secretly or openly wishes to be enslaved, sooner or later she will be called forth to disprove such accusations. Nevertheless, the honor in which a true Free Woman is held is so great that normally several such offenses must be committed before she is stripped and collared. In such a case, a Free Woman will first be warned to abstain from slave-like behavior... if she continues to behave so, then to the mind of the Gorean male, and according to the rules of Gorean society, she is actively seeking enslavement. Similarly a Free Woman who willingly places herself into a perilous situation in which enslavement might be the outcome is assumed by most Gorean males to be "courting the collar." In such instances it is generally accepted practice to bestow upon the Free Woman the very thing which she so seems to want, a brand and collar of her very own.

Perhaps the worse offense which can be performed against a Free Woman is that of public facestripping, i.e. when the veils of a Free Woman are removed from her by force. This is the equivalent of stripping her naked, though even the loss of her robes of concealment is not as great an insult as the loss of her veils. It is regarded as the right, duty and priviledge of Gorean Free Women of the high cities to remain veiled... even when captured by the Warriors of an enemy city, the Free Woman will commonly be allowed to retain her veils at least until her final fate has been decided.

Many Gorean Free Women possess kajiri, or male slaves. These serve many purposes... often they are servants and retainers, they may be utilized as pack bearers or manual laborers. Often a Free Woman will be borne through the streets of her city in a curtained palanquin carried upon the backs of such male slaves. In addition, the wealthier and more free-thinking Gorean Free Woman will also have within her household one or more "silk slaves," male slaves chosen for their handsomeness and sexual vigor, who have been trained to serve a Mistress sexually. This is quite acceptable, unless there is a law on the city scrolls which prohibits such sexual congress by free females. At the present time there is such a law in the city codes of Ar, though most wealthy women in the city act in secret and circumvent it fairly easily.

If at any time, or for any reason, a Free Woman decides that it is in her best interests either to become a slave or to openly submit herself to a male for his protection and use, this is accomplished by the performance of a formal gesture of submission by which she invokes the ancient Gorean "rite of submission." Many Free Women would rather die than perform such a subserviant act. It is important that a Free Woman understand that when this rite is invoked, there is no going back. Typically there are only two possible outcomes when a Free Woman submits so; either she is enslaved and becomes the personal chattel of the male, his to do with as he sees fit, or she is found lacking in desirability by the male in question and is driven from him in disgrace. In the case of a Warrior, the consequences are even more dire, since a Warrior is not permitted by his codes to abandon the female while she is still alive. Therefore, most Warriors have no qualms whatsoever against putting the submitting female to death on the spot. Indeed, to a Warrior's mind, it is better by far to take the supplicant's life than to abandon her to be randomly enslaved by the first person who comes along. Believe it or not, in such a situation a Warrior is acting to preserve the honor of the former Free Woman and her caste and family.
The way the rite is invoked is this: the Free Woman typically facestrips herself, publicly announces that she willingly submits to the individual she has chosen, and then assumes "the Position of Female Submission," wherein the Free Woman kneels at her captor's feet and leans her body back, sitting upon her heels, with her arms extended upward, crossed at the wrists, and her head beneath them lowered in supplication.
If the male accepts her, she becomes his slave and forfeits all titles, rank and property immediately. If he does not, she accepts the consequences of her actions, even if it means her death.
It should be obvious that a Free Woman does not invoke the Rite of Submission hastily or without much consideration, as the very act can cost her her life.

The Robes of Concealment worn by Free Women in the high cities are elaborate affairs, and are subject to the dictates of the current fashion in her city. They can be highly personal modes of garb, cut and fashioned in countless ways and in numerous styles, according to the whims and desires of the wearer and the restrictions imposed by local sumptuary laws. Nevertheless, they universally have these things in common:
They consist of several layers of thick, opaque cloth. Normally opaque hose are worn beneath them, and gloves, to insure that no part of the wearer's body is visible. The typical garments worn by a Free Woman of the high cities includes a shaped and fitted brocade gown with an ankle-length hem and a high collar which reaches to just below the chin. Atop that is worn a loose fitting robe to further conceal the lines and shape of her body. A quilted or brocade headpiece, similar to the arab kafiyeh, is worn pinned or buttoned in place to cover her head, and drapes to the shoulders. The various veils are then attached over the wearer's face through the use of pins and ties, completing the ensemble. A Free Woman may wear slippers or even close-fitting boots beneath her robes, and it is also the custom for women of extremely high rank to wear ornate platform shoes which increase her height by as much as ten inches.
Such adornments as those are normally worn only within doors, however, since they are exceedingly difficult to walk in over uneven surfaces. A wealthy Free Woman typically wears much jewelry, consisting of brooches, medallions and chains of office and rank, rings and armlets. Many Free Women are very careful about wearing wristlets and bangles of precious metal, however, or even close fitting necklaces and especially ornamental "chokers." Such jewelry is thought by many to be an ornamental derivative of the collar and slave-bracelets of a kajira, therefore it is almost never worn by the suitably cautious Free Woman, and under no circumstances will a Free Woman wear any sort of jewelry or even a tied scarf about her left ankle, since the left ankle is universally acknowledged by Goreans as the "slave ankle," and any sort of adornment there by a Free Woman is unthinkable.
Her avoidance of such jewelry is part of her ongoing effort to distance herself from women who have fallen to bondage.

"In the barbaric world of Gor, the Robes of Concealment are deemed necessary to protect the women from the binding fibres of roving tarnsmen. Few warriors will risk their lives to capture a woman who may be as ugly as a tharlarion. Better to steal slaves, where the guilt is less and the charms of the captive are more readily ascertainable in advance. "

---Tarnsman of Gor

A Free Woman will, depending upon the customs of her household and city, wear up to five separate veils simultaneously, each with a different purpose of concealment. These veils range in function from thin, gauzy ones worn close to the skin, all the way up to the heavily brocaded street veils worn by Free Women upon the streets and in the public gathering places of her city. The five basic veils worn by Free Women are, in the order they are donned: the last veil, the veil of the citizeness, the pride veil, the house veil, and the street veil.
The Last Veil the innermost of the five veils worn by free women; it is worn under the veil of the citizeness, and is often very sheer. Also known as the "privacy veil" or "modesty veil," it is worn in all places except within the private chambers of the Free Woman.
The Veil of the Citizeness the second of the veils worn by free women; worn under the pride veil and over the last veil; it is worn by a free woman when she leaves her chambers for any reason. The right to wear this veil at all times is guaranteed to all Free Women upon attaining their majority and pledging citizenship. To strip this veil from a citizen of your own Home Stone is considered a violation of basic Gorean law.
The Pride Veil the third veil worn by free women; worn under the house veil and over the veil of the citizeness, it is worn when a Free Woman is in her house. Unlike the last veil and veil of the citizeness, this veil is completely opaque, and provides true concealment of her features.
The House Veil the next-to-last veil worn by free women, especially when in the company of men not of her own family; worn over the pride veil, and under the street veil upon leaving the house; when guests are within the walls of her house or when the Free Woman is in the company of anyone who is not of her household, she wears this veil at all times.
The Street Veil the outermost veil worn by free women; worn over the house veil when leaving the house; typically a heavy, fitted face-covering of thick brocaded or quilted cloth, equipped with numerous pins and fastening devices.

There are no restrictions upon the weaponry owned and used by Free Women, apart from the general prohibition of technological items sanctioned by the Priest Kings. Nevertheless, the Free Women of the larger and more civilized cities of Gor seldom carry weaponry which cannot easily be concealed. The two primary weapons in use by such women are the dagger and the poisoned needle, both of which can be secreted among the many folds of her robes and drawn forth for use at a moment's notice. In fact, most Gorean Free Women spend many hours practicing such movements, knowing that a moment's hesitation may one day make the difference for them between a life of ease and honor or a life of imbonditude. Bladed hair combs and the long, razor sharp pins which hold her many veils in place are often used by the Free Woman in such an instance. In general, the typical Gorean Free Woman doesn't carry a weapon large enough to be perceived beneath her robes... she knows that there is little chance she will prevail in open combat against a trained Warrior. Her weapons are of stealth and surprise, combined with the desperate desire to remain free at all costs.
A few suggestions and notes on expected behavior:
Remember your status! A Free Woman is proud, but she does not challenge or insult. To do so is to invite a face-stripping. Most channels are typically full of Warriors, and one of the things that Warriors do is collar and enslave Free Women. To draw attention to yourself by making yourself a nuisance to such men is foolhardy to say the least. Be attractive, witty, graceful, and behave with honor, and you will be treated with the respect due to one your station.
Many Warriors of Gor will protect you from overzealous Masters in search of a slave, as long as you do not actively provoke such unwanted attention.
Act like a slave, and you will wind up as one. Behave like the lady you are, and enjoy the respect and honor of Gorean males. Your choice.
A Gorean Free Woman does not draw a weapon against another freeperson unless she is under attack. Beware! According to his codes, to draw a weapon against a member of the Warrior Caste is to place yourself within his capture rites. This includes drawing weapons and placing them on a table or displaying such objects in a threatening manner to others in the room, without suitable provocation.
A Gorean Free Woman may own and use slaves, both male and female, as she sees fit. However, at the present time there is a city ordinance in Ar which prohibits the sexual use of male slaves by Free Women of that city, on penalty of enslavement. Of course, if you are not of Ar, then you are exempt from this rule. Remember however that those Free Women not of Ar might fall prey to chain luck while visiting the city if they are not careful. Extreme caution is advised.

Free companions are the closest thing to a spouse that a Gorean can have. This takes the form of a contract for a period of one year. If not re-avowed on its anniversary, the contract is considered dissolved. Considering the life span of a Gorean is measured in centuries, not years, this is very practical. Free companionships are automatically dissolved if either is enslaved. Their are two main purposes of forming a free companionship. One, biological, is for establishing a family, providing a man with children to continue his line. The other is the forming and cementing of alliances between families, within castes, or between cities and/or states.

The women of the North, in Torvaldsland, do not wear veils as do the women of the southern cities. Two descriptions of girls in Kassau are as follows:
Her hair was hung in a snood of scarlet yarn, bound with filaments of gold wire. She wore, over her shoulder, a cape of white fur of the northern sea sleen. She had a scarlet vest, embroidered in gold, worn over a long-sleeved blouse of white wool, from distant Ar. She wore, too, a long woolen skirt, dyed red, which was belted with black, with a buckle of gold, wrought in Cos. She wore shoes of black, polished leather, which folded about her ankles, laced twice, once across the instep, once about the ankle.
She wore black and silver, a full, ankle-length gown of rich, black velvet, with silver belts, or straps, that crossed over her breasts, and tied about her waist. From it, by strings, hung a silver purse, that seemed weighty. Her blond hair was lifted from the sides and back of her head by a comb of bone and leather, like an inverted isoceles triangle, the comb fastened by a tiny black ribbon about her neck, and another such ribbon about her forehead. Her cloak, of black fur, from the black sea sleen, glossy and deep, swirled to her ankles. It was fastened at the left shoulder by a large circular brooch of silver, probably from Tharna.

The women of the tribes of the Wagon Peoples commonly do not wear veils, their long hair is bound in braids, and they wear long dresses of leather. Though the men of the Wagons have their faces scarred marking stages of their manhood, the women are not scarred but do have fine, small, gold nose rings. The women, who are not permitted to pray, often patronize the haruspexes (males), who foretell the future with a greater or lesser degree of accuracy. The women also make use of various items provided by the haruspexes, such as amulets, talismans, trinkets, philters, potions, spell papers, wonderworking sleen teeth, marvelous powdered kailiauk horns, and colored, magic strings that, depending on the purpose, may be knotted in various ways and worn about the neck.
Note: The above does not imply that there is magic on the planet of Gor. Magic there is as effective as magic on the planet Earth as we know it.
An exception to the normally dour and rather plainly dressed women is as follows:
She was not as the other women of the Wagon Peoples I had seen, the dour, thin women with braided hair, bending over the cooking pots. She wore a brief leather skirt, slit on the right side to allow her the saddle of the kailla; her leather blouse was sleeveless; attached to her shoulders was a crimson cape; and her wild, black hair was bound back by a band of scarlet cloth. Like the other women of the Wagons she wore no veil and, like them, fixed in her nose was the tiny, fine gold ring that proclaimed her people.

Talunas are the famed "Panther Girls" of Gor. They are freepersons by virtue of their cleverness and skill with weapons. Though many are escaped slaves, they maintain their freedom by hiding and dwelling in the great uncharted forests of unexplored Gor. They rarely venture too far from their forest home where the capture nooses of the slavers might ensnare them. Disdaining the laws of Gorean custom, they refuse to clothe themselves in traditional feminine garments, preferring to wear clothing sewn from the skins of the forest creatures, and adorn themselves with various crude ornaments they fabricate from the teeth and claws of such beasts.

They are typically highly intelligent, dangerous, and quite skilled with the spear and bow, which are their weapons of choice. Occasionally wild bands of such girls will capture men who venture too far beyond the borders of civilization. Such captive males are often used for the sexual pleasure of their captors for a brief period, after which their heads are shaved with a two-inch wide stripe from the forehead to the nape of the neck. This is known as the stripe of degradation and reveals them to all as men who have fallen captive to women. Such males are then typically traded into slavery by the Talunas, in exchange for such necessities as arrow-heads and spear tips as well as candy, highly prized by the wild forest girls. It would be a foolish Taluna indeed who would dare venture into a city such as Ar, where the chains of slavery await them.