Happy International Women's Day

Evidently it's gender week here at Cognitive Apostate.

Did you know today is International Women's Day? I wouldn't either, except I listened to some BBC world report news this morning. (All day on NPR they cover silly things like women's protests in Iran... what about Paris Hilton news? Pfft. They should learn journalism.) So I went looking for an International Women's Day Card. Sure enough, they have them! Unfortunately, they all appear to be women-to-women cards, so none of the women in my life will be getting any. After reading 3 or 4 I'm left with a pretty flakey perspective of this holiday. If there're any feminists out there who might want to comment on this tripe they peddle to women for other women, feel free to chime in. Hey did you know that today is a day for women to organize and make their needs known the world over? In Iran women under 40 aren't allowed to leave the country without male custody, and a pile of them just got beaten and arrested for a peaceful protest. I know, let's celebrate with an e-card about endless chit-chat, shoppin' sprees, and hours of relaxin!

Commercialism aside, if you happen to have 2 X chromosomes (or as I've recently been corrected: lack of a Y chromosome), then Happy International Women's Day!

Also, as a followup to recent posts on the genetics of homosexuality, this letter is pretty entertaining.

If you ask a heterosexual, he or she will generally deny that they had any kind of choice in the matter. They say that they were just born that way or at least knew at the first stirrings of sexual awareness that they were heterosexual. “It just feels natural,” they say and seem genuinely puzzled that anyone would wonder about it....

No one seems to have found any genes for heterosexuality. Nor have studies of human brain found anything that impels males to be attracted to females or vice versa...

Humorous. I understand some folks may be insulted if you propose searching their DNA to find a rationale for their behavior. Me? I still think we should look for a genetic basis for sexuality. Maybe it's the engineer in me just wanting to see how we're all wired. One thing I don't care to understand: What posessed the people who made those awful e-cards?

And since this is a political blog, and we're talking about women and homosexuals, I'd be remiss to not at least mention this.