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Contrary to popular belief, Dwarf-women do indeed exist, although Dis was the only named Dwarf-woman mentioned by Tolkien. Gimli stated that only approximately one-third of their population consisted of women. Because of this, they are usually kept concealed inside their mountain halls to be protected from other races. They seldom travel in the outside world and when they do they dress as men, with similar voice and appearance as male dwarves, even when they are rarely seen they are usually mistaken for a male. Many Men believe the myth that Dwarves actually grow out of stone. The lack of Dwarf-women is also the reason for the slow increase in population of the race. Less than one-third of Dwarf-men take a wife, and those that do are bound to her for life. The other males prefer to spend their time with their crafts instead of women and even some women do not end up marrying: some desire none, some want one they cannot have, and will have no other one (the degree of choice granted to Dwarf-women about who or even if they should marry is perhaps indicative of a relatively large amount of social freedom granted to women in Dwarf society).