Ma malakat aymanukum, simplicitly rendered "concubines" by the opponents of Islam, are people from both genders, men or women, who were neither freed as a favor nor ransomed, but singled out from the rest of the captives and taken under a guardian's wing in his household because obviously not all captives were taken in.
They also become sexually lawful outside wedlock to the guardian that has taken charge of them. It is to be noted here, although they can be treated as concubines, this however does not mean that they systematically were.
The prophet had in his household several such women living side by side with his wives, to aid and assist for the daily and nightly tasks of receiving at anytime people seeking all kinds of advises and help. The right hand posessions are people from both genders as already pointed
24:33"And (as for) those (Walladheen) who ask (Yabtaghoona) for a writing from among those whom your right hands possess give them the writing (Fa Kaatibuuhum)"
Ma Malakat aymanikum must cover both males and females because if they were only females it should be "wallaati" or "wallaa'i" instead of Walladheen, "yabtaghuna" (without the waw) instead of Yabtaghoona, "Fa Kaatibuuhuna" instead of Fa Kaatibuuhum.
This further proves that the expression, right hand posession does not automatically denote concubine relationship, and anyone claiming the opposite should be able to prove that it was accepted for male or female guardians to have sexual relations with their MALE right hand posession.
Verses such as 24:33,58 speak of those MMA and how they should mingle with the rest of the household. 16:71 is a warning to those guardians who fail to live up to their moral and material responsibilities towards those categories under their care, stating that such failure amounts to a denial of God's blessings and of His unceasing care for all His creatures.
MMA (ma malakat aymanikum) are individuals that fall under a Muslim man's authority. A Muslim woman does not find herself in a situation where she would become responsible with maintaining war captives. Although there are rare cases of Muslim women allowed by the prophet to take up arms on the battlefield, war prisoners never fell in their possession. This is because, as a rule, Muslim women have no financial burden within a household. And Islam obviously advocates a patriarchal model of society. The only way for a Muslim woman to have a male/female MMA is if the male guardian puts one under her disposal. That MMA remains under the Muslim man's guardianship in the process. In that case, for practical purposes the mistress is allowed to unveil in her servant's presence. But then ethical rules of conduct are observed, making the servant so long as he remains in his status, among the categories of mahram males (non-marriageable). Such rules are observed even within secular societies in the workspace where opposite genders interact.
Further reading answering Sam Shamoun "Quranic Permissibility of Women having Sex with their Slaves"
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