I've got a theory
I've been thinking about Time Lord sexuality. As you do.
I am forced to admit, reluctantly, that the Doctor seems rather sexually indifferent. Even in the ostensibly sexed-up new series, the only person he clearly has some kind of erotic/romantic interest in is Reinette. And before the new series, my understanding of telly-canon is that he's presented as an asexual figure. (Note: Besides the new series, I've only actually seen the Second Doctor, a couple of stray Fourth Doctor eps, and the Eighth Doctor TV-movie. So please correct me if I'm wrong.) Supplementary canon, as far as I know, is basically the same--in The Turing Test, Eight tells Graham Greene that he's just not interested in sex. "It's a missing piece in my life," he says.
But saying that the Doctor is sexless is, I think, too simple. He may have been romantically in love with Rose (I guess that's the official line from RTD, though I'm not sure I actually see it onscreen). In "Human Nature/Family of Blood," the amnesiac!Doctor was certainly in love with Joan Redfern, to the point of wanting marriage and children. If he had no sexual capacity, that wouldn't have happened. And in addition, various Doctors have had various levels of subtext with companions and others--Two with Jamie, Eight with Karl and sometimes Fitz, Four (so I'm told) with Romana, not to mention whatever the hell it is between the Doctor and the Master.
From my perspective as a fanfic writer and boyslasher, I'd like to be able to write fic where the Doctor gets some. Or wants to get some, or falls in love, or feels desire for someone he doesn't love, etc. And I'd like to do this while keeping him in character.
Hence, I have a theory. Although "theory" is a more dignified title than these musings really deserve.
I think the Time Lords have probably bio-engineered themselves like crazy. In my world, that's why they don't seem to require much sleep. And sexuality is an obvious target for intervention--who needs that kind of distraction when you're got much more intellectually important work to do, right? (Plus, isn't it novel-canon that Time Lords are grown on looms?)
The Time Lords, in my theory, have erased their own sex drive. They no longer need sex or crave it. The imperative is gone. But they haven't erased the capacity for sexual pleasure--there's a difference between freedom and amputation, after all. So a Time Lord (male or female) can have sex, enjoy sex, experience orgasm--all as purely voluntary physical and aesthetic pleasures without any connection to a drive. Sex is like dancing or looking at paintings. I don't know how many of them do have sex (my guess is not many) but they can.
Along with short-circuiting the sex drive, something's probably been done with the arousal process to make it more difficult. There's no point just eliminating the drive if arousal still happens easily. So it probably takes a certain amount of time and stimulation before arousal even begins. There are no quickies with a Time Lord.
Beyond that, I imagine there are lots of individual differences. Some Time Lords--maybe the majority--would decide that, while sex may feel good, it's all just too icky and biological and primitive. Others might think it's too much bother. Still others would really enjoy it, becoming sexual connoisseurs. I'm sure there are cultural norms and expectations involved, but I don't know Gallifrey-related canon well enough to even start speculating.
I envision the Doctor as both drawn to sex--he enjoys experiences of all kinds, and he's got a fondness for human beings, who are deeply sexual creatures--and a bit repulsed/frightened by it. He likes to keep his distance, after all. When he does have sex, it's usually at the other person's instigation. While it's happening, he really enjoys it, but later, he often feels confused and worried that he's given too much of himself away or created impossible expectations. Then, after a few weeks or months, he remembers that it felt good and the cuddling was lovely, and he lets the other person instigate again.
I don't know if I'd always want to write this version of the Doctor (I'm sort-of-working on a fic right now that isn't compatible with this idea of the Doctor's sexuality), but I do think it's more plausible than stud!Doctor or completely-asexual!Doctor.
Apologies if I'm wrong about any aspect of canon. Speculating is a dangerous business for a newbie!
*****
I am forced to admit, reluctantly, that the Doctor seems rather sexually indifferent. Even in the ostensibly sexed-up new series, the only person he clearly has some kind of erotic/romantic interest in is Reinette. And before the new series, my understanding of telly-canon is that he's presented as an asexual figure. (Note: Besides the new series, I've only actually seen the Second Doctor, a couple of stray Fourth Doctor eps, and the Eighth Doctor TV-movie. So please correct me if I'm wrong.) Supplementary canon, as far as I know, is basically the same--in The Turing Test, Eight tells Graham Greene that he's just not interested in sex. "It's a missing piece in my life," he says.
But saying that the Doctor is sexless is, I think, too simple. He may have been romantically in love with Rose (I guess that's the official line from RTD, though I'm not sure I actually see it onscreen). In "Human Nature/Family of Blood," the amnesiac!Doctor was certainly in love with Joan Redfern, to the point of wanting marriage and children. If he had no sexual capacity, that wouldn't have happened. And in addition, various Doctors have had various levels of subtext with companions and others--Two with Jamie, Eight with Karl and sometimes Fitz, Four (so I'm told) with Romana, not to mention whatever the hell it is between the Doctor and the Master.
From my perspective as a fanfic writer and boyslasher, I'd like to be able to write fic where the Doctor gets some. Or wants to get some, or falls in love, or feels desire for someone he doesn't love, etc. And I'd like to do this while keeping him in character.
Hence, I have a theory. Although "theory" is a more dignified title than these musings really deserve.
I think the Time Lords have probably bio-engineered themselves like crazy. In my world, that's why they don't seem to require much sleep. And sexuality is an obvious target for intervention--who needs that kind of distraction when you're got much more intellectually important work to do, right? (Plus, isn't it novel-canon that Time Lords are grown on looms?)
The Time Lords, in my theory, have erased their own sex drive. They no longer need sex or crave it. The imperative is gone. But they haven't erased the capacity for sexual pleasure--there's a difference between freedom and amputation, after all. So a Time Lord (male or female) can have sex, enjoy sex, experience orgasm--all as purely voluntary physical and aesthetic pleasures without any connection to a drive. Sex is like dancing or looking at paintings. I don't know how many of them do have sex (my guess is not many) but they can.
Along with short-circuiting the sex drive, something's probably been done with the arousal process to make it more difficult. There's no point just eliminating the drive if arousal still happens easily. So it probably takes a certain amount of time and stimulation before arousal even begins. There are no quickies with a Time Lord.
Beyond that, I imagine there are lots of individual differences. Some Time Lords--maybe the majority--would decide that, while sex may feel good, it's all just too icky and biological and primitive. Others might think it's too much bother. Still others would really enjoy it, becoming sexual connoisseurs. I'm sure there are cultural norms and expectations involved, but I don't know Gallifrey-related canon well enough to even start speculating.
I envision the Doctor as both drawn to sex--he enjoys experiences of all kinds, and he's got a fondness for human beings, who are deeply sexual creatures--and a bit repulsed/frightened by it. He likes to keep his distance, after all. When he does have sex, it's usually at the other person's instigation. While it's happening, he really enjoys it, but later, he often feels confused and worried that he's given too much of himself away or created impossible expectations. Then, after a few weeks or months, he remembers that it felt good and the cuddling was lovely, and he lets the other person instigate again.
I don't know if I'd always want to write this version of the Doctor (I'm sort-of-working on a fic right now that isn't compatible with this idea of the Doctor's sexuality), but I do think it's more plausible than stud!Doctor or completely-asexual!Doctor.
Apologies if I'm wrong about any aspect of canon. Speculating is a dangerous business for a newbie!
*****