The story is located in the fictional land of Egalia, where the gender roles are topsy-turvy by completely switching the stereotypical gender roles. The protagonist of the novel is a young boy named Petronius. He is active in the fight against the current feminine norms in the society, wanting to reach an equal society and fulfill his dream of becoming a seawoman. Even though Petronius sometimes fantasizes about a quiet and peaceful life with a strong woman to take care of him, he continues his tough fight for a better future for men. In the novel a number of examples of the current matriarchy are offered, as poor Petronius is forced to use a “PH” ("penisholder," a humorous invented masculine equivalent to a women's bra for the penis; the German term for "bra" is BH for "Brusthalter," "breast holder"), experiences a violent sexual attack, and is introduced to birth control pills for men.