# What If Everyone Could Swap Bodies **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 7, 2015, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everyone-could-swap-bodies/712062 "2015-02-07T18:42:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everyone-could-swap-bodies/712062/21 "2015-02-09T15:47:49Z")
Gotta be a black guy. Knowing how “my people” (whites) hide their racism today I’d like to see the result from the other side - with the other persons eyes but my knowledge. I would like to see, as well, if the overt forms claimed by the African-American community (Driving While Black for example) are as common as claimed. ---
**Author:** ![Blue\_Blistering\_Barnacle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_blistering_barnacle/32/3386_2.png) [@Blue\_Blistering\_Barnacle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blue_Blistering_Barnacle)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everyone-could-swap-bodies/712062/22 "2015-02-09T17:50:07Z")
Bodyswapping is part of the story in one of the Jack Chalker “Four Lords of the Diamond” series. > **[Cerberus: A Wolf in the Fold](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerberus:_A_Wolf_in_the_Fold)** > > Cerberus: A Wolf in the Fold is a science fiction novel by American writer Jack L. Chalker. First published as a paperback in 1982, it is the second book in the Four Lords of the Diamond series. It continues the saga started in Lilith: A Snake in the Grass, and is followed by Charon: A Dragon at the Gate and Medusa: A Tiger by the Tail'. > The Confederacy is a collection of human-populated worlds in which all members are biologically and socially engineered to be perfect and docile citizens in ... Note: While there are some interesting ideas explored in the series, I don’t really recommend it, as it is rather mediocre writing in my opinion. At any rate, on this world, the bodyswapping occurred when two people slept near enough to each other. This could be involuntary, and the process was (of course) abused by those in power. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everyone-could-swap-bodies/712062/23 "2015-02-09T18:42:47Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > For all of you wanting to swap with an attractive woman, would it be voluntary on her part, how much would you be willing to pay (and thus would it be prostitution?), and what happens if a child is conceived? “Honey, I just paid a hundred thousand dollars for a one-hour swap into Jessica Alba’s body. It’s a lot of money but it’s worth it.” “Why on Earth would you want to spend an hour living in Jessica Alba’s body?” “I don’t. I bought the swap for you to use.” ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everyone-could-swap-bodies/712062/24 "2015-02-09T18:46:52Z")
It comes up in David Gerrold’s _[Chtorr](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_Against_the_Chtorr)_ series as well. ---
**Author:** ![Grestarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grestarian/32/3227_2.png) [@Grestarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grestarian)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everyone-could-swap-bodies/712062/25 "2015-02-10T00:46:13Z")
I don’t remember the series, but I believe a SciFi author wrote of a non-human race which would spontaneously swap anatomies from its male to its female counterpart. The series dealt with the politics involved in making sure gender discrimination was minimized – a prudent policy since one could wake up in the opposite form and wouldn’t want to be on the losing side. If the swapping was possible, I would like a law to be passed that all politicians would have to have had a minimum of 2 years experience in each racial appearance body and gender form before they could even run for ward clerk positions. –G! ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everyone-could-swap-bodies/712062/26 "2015-02-10T04:30:08Z")
I’d want to swap with my partner, so we can experience each other as ourselves, and vice-versa. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everyone-could-swap-bodies/712062/27 "2015-02-10T13:21:17Z")
Two things I’d like to experience: - having a super-fit, strong body, because even at my best, I was neither. - being in a wheelchair, so I could really understand accessibility issues. I wouldn’t be interested in swapping with a man or any celeb you could name. I suppose it would be interesting to see things thru the eyes of another race. And actually, I do sometimes wonder what it’s like to be famous, recognized, and trying to do normal-life things, but I don’t know if I’d want to swap just for that. ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everyone-could-swap-bodies/712062/28 "2015-02-10T18:26:37Z")
This would be terrible. The rich would become effectively immortal as they either paid to switch into young healthy bodies or had them grown in anticipation of using them. It would be like the movie where people were grown for parts (never saw that by the way). I imagine few people would actually do it on their own unless there was some guarantee of getting your old body back. Many people say they would like to try on younger, fitter bodies, but what young, fit person would switch with someone old and with health issues unless they had some sort of assurance that it would not be permanent? > [@Loch\_Raven](#): > > All men should be required to be women for at least six months. Let them spend five days each month with rotting blood and clots dripping from their genitals, and abdominal cramps, and they’d _know_ why we’re bitchy at “that time of the month.” If we’re lucky, they’d come to understand what it’s like to be treated as a second-order being and/or an object, and stop doing it. Familiarity breeds contempt. Who knows, after living several months with a ton of hormones affecting mood that they are not normally use to, they might have even less respect. Hard to say. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everyone-could-swap-bodies/712062/29 "2015-02-10T18:32:15Z")
I would absolutely love to know what it feels like to run, and enjoy running. I am willing to swap bodies with anyone who can easily do a 5k and enjoy it, just long enough for me to do so. Then I’ll go back to being dumpy old me. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everyone-could-swap-bodies/712062/30 "2015-02-10T21:30:03Z")
From a non-selfish point of view, I’d gladly swap bodies with one of my children or grandchildren when they are sick in order to spare them the discomfort. Also I’d know how to blow my nose instead of sniffle. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2015, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everyone-could-swap-bodies/712062/31 "2015-02-10T21:48:31Z")
> [@BubbaDog](#): > > A new health industry would pop up. Fitness coaches would go out of business or become fitness body-sitters. Imagine turning your body over to somebody who will work it out and diet it for a month while you enjoy their physically fit body. That’s what I always think of. People would pay a fortune to have someone else exercise & diet for them. People with addictions might also be able to hire someone to wean their body off of whatever it is. ---
**Author:** ![Lewis47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e274bd/32.png) [@Lewis47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lewis47)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2015, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everyone-could-swap-bodies/712062/32 "2015-02-12T03:48:47Z")
> [@Lewis47](#): > > What if everyone could swap bodies? Imagine the possibilities > and experiences you could have. If you’re a guy, you could see > what it feels like to be an attractive woman and vice versa. > Who would you swap bodies with and why? I’m a white male and think it would be awesome to swap bodies with an attractive African American Female. ---
**Author:** ![WesleyT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ee7513/32.png) [@WesleyT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WesleyT)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everyone-could-swap-bodies/712062/33 "2017-05-11T00:53:57Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I’d be up for a swap into a female body, for all sorts of reasons of curiosity. > > What happens if you swap bodies with someone and they are accidentally killed (in your body)? > > What happens if they decide they don’t want to swap back (but you do)? I think that would be the hottest thing if only she had the right to change back and she told you no she liked the freedom and you were left cooking and cleaning up for her 6 kids and husband. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everyone-could-swap-bodies/712062/34 "2017-05-11T03:21:28Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > We would all be Kiera Knightly with carpel tunnel syndrome. Except those of us who are Natalie Portman with carpel tunnel syndrome. I don’t remember posting this originally, (see time stamp) but goddammit, that’s funny! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everyone-could-swap-bodies/712062/35 "2017-05-11T09:30:17Z")
> [@WesleyT](#): > > I think that would be the hottest thing if only she had the right to change back and she told you no she liked the freedom and you were left cooking and cleaning up for her 6 kids and husband. Wait a minute… I didn’t realise the premise of this thread was that the body swap had to take place in the 1950s ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everyone-could-swap-bodies/712062/36 "2017-05-11T12:55:53Z")
I would have loved to force a swap with the Navy GYN who refused to treat me for PCOS when I was complaining about dumping golf ball sized clots and oozing an ounce an hour of menstrual fluids for weeks on end because ‘for PCOS that is normal’ … and refused to believe how debilitating the cramping could be. I would force a swap with the doctor who decided my migraines ‘just weren’t that bad’ so he could spend a week in a dark room vomiting from the pain, and I would love to swap with the jackass who told me that he would love to be able to use the handicapped parking space, especially today [dispensary was out of tramadol and so I ran out yesterday morning. I can finally get the scrip filled this afternoon but I am in serious pain right now and my usual tricks aren’t working - indocin and voltaren gell just isn’t cutting the overall pain levels.] Of course, I would love to trade into a female body, 5’7" and roughly 125-145 pounds for 6 hours. I want to go out for a romantic dinner and dancing with mrAru. I haven’t been able to dance for close to 7 years now. No sex, just dancing … _sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everyone-could-swap-bodies/712062/37 "2017-05-11T13:14:38Z")
Could I swap with a (much-younger) Hef? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everyone-could-swap-bodies/712062/38 "2017-05-11T13:19:38Z")
I’d have my wife swap her body back to the one she had 20 years ago. If that’s no allowed I’d have her swap bodies with the one Raquel Welch had in 1966. If that’s not allowed I’d have her swap bodies with Charlotte McKinney. I don’t know who I’d want to swap my body with, I guess someone who could get my wife and Charlotte McKinney into a threesome. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everyone-could-swap-bodies/712062.md?page=1)