Karyn turned to Jonnie and said, "People really eat these? If you could eat a brownie and suddenly change your orientation, would you do it? It's something nobody ever thinks about, because it shouldn't be able to happen."
"Or maybe you're thinking about it too much," said Jonnie. "Plenty of people did eat these. A lot more than I'd have expected. It's probably harmless, if you don't want pictures of you kissing Sarah McMillan on Youtube."
"Jonnie," said Karyn, "this is serious stuff. People get a lot of hassle when they feel their mind doesn't match their body, and they go through a lot of trouble trying to get even a little close to what they feel is right, and here we're using it as party tricks."
"I know," said Jonnie. "I thought that too. We're using serious things as party tricks. But then I realized we're always doing that anyway. Don't you think that every time I wish for some money, I'm trivializing the suffering of all the poor people who don't have any? Especially since I'm not going around the world making wishes to help the poor. It's no different to use wishes to cure diseases, or change sex or sexuality, or anything else."
"So take a brownie."
"No, my whole life is already one of these brownies, and besides, I have the pills. Hmm, let's see. Jon?" She picked up a girl brownie and looked around the room for Jon, who was still standing next to them listening. She handed the brownie to Jon, who took a bite of it.
Karyn and Jonnie waited.
"I think it's working," said Jon.
"What kind of think-like-a-girl was it?" asked Jonnie.
"Self-image. It's weird. I really feel I ought to be like you. I feel a little like I've transformed into a guy even though I haven't."
Karyn waited. Jonnie said "I think that's all he has to say."
"Not very dramatic," said Karyn.
"No," said Jonnie. First of all, different people have different levels of attachment to their gender, and react differently if their gender doesn't match. Second, transsexuals are like this for years; I think everyone could deal with it for just an hour. Third, we've used gender-changing magic before, so we're used to this stuff!"
"What do I do about straight girls trying to kiss me?"
"Tell them to kiss each other. There's more than one, right?"
Karyn looked around and the Asian and the other brunette were already kissing. She walked over to them and said the word, "Youtube". She also saw Sarah again, who was still avoiding the plates. Karyn looked at the think-like-a-guy brownies, wondering if she'd get the "heterosexual male orientation" type, but in the end thought that if she was really curious, she could borrow one of Jonnie's pills. She knew that she never would, though.
The party otherwise went on as expected. The brownies continued to work, giving a short-haired girl who Karyn knew to be an actual lesbian some luck with the brunette. But as things were dying down, Jon and Jonnie took Karyn aside.
"We need your advice," said Jon. "Do you have any suggestions for how to fix this?"
"Umm..." said Karyn. "You can interpret the wishes. Just wish that you have a bottle of pills because the pills appeared out of nowhere and you didn't buy them from a magic shop."
"I'm worried about that," said Jonnie. "That means we'd have to wish away the magic shop. Or at least wish away its inventory. I've never run a magic shop, but I would guess that they really don't like you messing with them like that. And they can probably curse anyone who tries."
"I see," said Karyn.
"Right now," said Jon, "the best thing we could come up with is...."
