Daughter of the Council

Daughter of the Council is the title given to female descendants of members of the Council of Kerlile. The title is used in legislation within Kerlile however it is very rarely used in common conversation.

The correct formal way to refer to the heir of a Kerlian Councillor is as Daughter, however this is rarely used and most go by Ms, especially abroad, but even in Kerlile. The term in conversation is considered old-fashioned.

Women are granted the title if they are one of the first five in the line to any Council family's seat on the Council. Due to this numerical requirement, some individuals may lose or gain the title during their lifetimes. With the title comes certain responsibilities and restrictions under Kerlian law, such as the ban on marriage to a male and educational requirements.

Rights

Daughters of the Council are granted more rights than the average Kerlian citizen. They could freely travel abroad without restriction even before the ending of the emigration ban. They are also immune from prosecution in Kerlile for the vast majority of crimes, at least without the direct authorisation of the Council itself.

Certain laws and regulations do not apply to Daughters of the Council. For example, in a city where the Kerlian government has instituted a curfew, Daughters would be exempt. They are also exempted from conscription laws, however a number choose to waive their exemption and join the military regardless.

Responsibilities

It is expected that Daughters of the Council spend at least 10 years being educated in Maytown, where an educational facility catering specifically to members of Council families is based. It is mandatory for future Councillors to attend this school. This means that a daughter of a Councillor educated outside of Kerlile could be stripped of her title and replaced with another relative who fulfilled the educational requirement.

While it is mandatory for Daughters of the Council who wish to one day assume a seat on the Council to attend this school, it is also common for more distant relatives of Council families to also be in attendance. Students are referred to solely by their first names due to the large quantity of students who share surnames.

Restrictions

Daughters of the Council are forbidden to marry men. Previously, this ban was thought to stretch to all marriage, but a 2018 court case ruled in favour of Jennifer Hale's right to be in a lesbian marriage with Josephine Alvarez. This law is meant to remove any "male influences" from the upbringing of potential new Councillors so as to prevent any influence on the voting of Councillors in the future, as part of the Education and Upbringing of Daughters of the Council Act (1956).

Daughters are also forbidden from raising male children. A Daughter of the Council who gives birth to a son is expected to give him up, either for adoption or to a more distant family member who does not hold the title. This again is expected to remove the influence of brothers from the daughters of the Daughter. This law has been highly controversial since its introduction in 1956.