Gender
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Dec 13, 2017
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This Facebook post from a biology teacher about gender identity and gender expression is quite enlightening: I just commented this on a transphobic post that was all like, "In a sexual species, females have two X chromosomes and males have an X and a Y, I'm not a bigot it's just science." I'm a science teacher so I responded with this.
First of all, in a sexual species, you can have females be XX and males be X (insects), you can have females be ZW and males be ZZ (birds), you can have females be females because they developed in a warm environment and males be males because they developed in a cool environment (reptiles), you can have females be females because they lost a penis sword fighting contest (some flatworms), you can have males be males because they were born female, but changed sexes because the only male in their group died (parrotfish and clownfish), you can have males look and act like females because they are trying to get close enough to actual females to mate with them (cuttlefish, bluegills, others), or you can be one of thousands of sexes (slime mold, some mushrooms.) Oh, did you mean humans? Oh ok then. You can be male because you were born female, but you have 5-alphareductase deficiency and so you grew a penis at age 12. You can be female because you have an X and a Y chromosome but you are insensitive to androgens, and so you have a female body. You can be female because you have an X and a Y chromosome but your Y is missing the SRY gene, and so you have a female body. You can be male because you have two X chromosomes, but one of your X's HAS an SRY gene, and so you have a male body. You can be male because you have two X chromosomes- but also a Y. You can be female because you have only one X chromosome at all. And you can be male because you have two X chromosomes, but your heart and brain are male. And vice - effing - versa. Don't use science to justify your bigotry. The world is way too weird for that shit. I've sent it to a few people who've asserted that gender is simply what's written on your birth certificate. I don't claim to understand all this, but I'm at least open to the idea that it's not as simple as it seems. #science
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Paying for labor
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Dec 1, 2017
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I just paid for some routine maintenance on my car yesterday. More than I had planned, but oh well. I could've probably done some of the work myself (definitely the cabin air filter), but it would've required me to (a) figure out the exact part to buy, (b) actually buy the part, (c) figure out how to replace the part, and (d) take time out of my life to do the work. Most projects I attempt end up taking more time than I anticipate and more aggravation than I desire. Last weekend I replaced a kitchen faucet. It took 4 hours: 3:58 to uninstall the old rusted faucet, and 0:02 to install the new one. That's how things go for me. I guess if I did that type of work on a regular basis, I would get more efficient at it. But still, I find myself paying for labor more often these days, especially when that labor is even slightly skilled. I do my own lawn work because it requires almost no skill. It just requires equipment and time. I do some of my own plumbing, but generally not if soldering is involved. Car work requires equipment, time, and knowledge, which I'm ok with paying someone else for. #business
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