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Sex Difference Studies Suspect

Kudos to Scientific American and Lise Eliot – who published & wrote an article on sex brain difference studies, particularly the ones involving emotional sensitivity & the SG size in brains.

However, in both studies, Wood and colleagues added another test that reminds us to be cautious when interpreting any finding about sex differences in the brain. Instead of simply dividing their subjects by biological sex, they also gave each subject a test of psychological “gender:” a questionnaire that assesses each person’s degree of masculinity vs. femininity—regardless of their biological sex—based on their interests, abilities and personality type. And in both adults and children, this measure of “gender” also correlated with SG size, albeit in just as complicated a way as the correlation between “sex” and SG size. (Larger SG correlated with more feminine personality in adults but less feminine personality in children.)

In other words, there does seem to be a relationship between SG size and social perception, but it is not a simple male-female difference. Rather, the SG appears to reflect a person’s “femininity” better than one’s biological sex: women who are relatively less feminine show a correspondingly smaller SG compared to women who are more feminine, and ditto for men.

This article is some of the best writing on science & sex difference I’ve read – especially for lay folks who don’t want to tackle the work of someone like Fausto-Sterling.

It happens so rarely, but it’s so lovely when it does.

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Caster Semenya Makeover

You magazine, of the UK, gave Caster Semenya a make-over, so now she looks like this:

& I guess I’m happy for her, but the whole thing makes me terrifically sad. We just can’t seem to accept people as they are.

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The President & Children

Honestly, is it anything but racism that American parents don’t want their kids to listen to the president? Sorry, but I find it wholly idiotic. Here’s the full text of the speech, if you won’t be able to listen tomorrow. He says nutty, controversial things like this:

But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world – and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. Unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.

And that’s what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education. I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself.

Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide.

This country is starting to get way too insane for me, with people objecting to the President telling kids to study hard.

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Wearing Pants in Sudan

Women couldn’t wear pants in lots of places in the US until at least the 1970s, but in the Sudan, they’re still fighting tradition:

Sudan is partially ruled by Islamic law, which emphasizes modest dress for women. Mrs. Hussein, 34, has pleaded not guilty and is daring the Sudanese authorities to punish her.

“I am Muslim; I understand Muslim law,” Mrs. Hussein said in an interview. “But I ask: what passage in the Koran says women can’t wear pants? This is not nice.”

Mrs. Hussein even printed up invitation cards for her initial court date in July and sent out e-mail messages asking people to witness her whipping, if it came to that. She said she wanted the world to see how Sudan treated women.

The issue there is tradition, even if it’s being explained as a religious issue; here I’m sure it was pretty much the same kinds of arguments, all of them sexist bullshit.

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Go See District 9

I just came back from seeing District 9 with some friends, including Betty, & wow: fantastic movie. It’s like Kafka via Chomsky with a little Giger thrown in. Do go. You’ll be in competent hands. I had moments where I thought I would need to leave the theatre – it gets very intense emotionally – but just as easily there’d be comic relief or some other distraction from the growing dread you feel watching.

& It delivers in so many ways: emotionally, politically, & lots of things blow up in cool ways. What more could you want? Go see it while it’s still in theatres; it’s totally worth the big screen.

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Dottie Laing – Already Missed

Allison Laing’s wife Dottie Laing died tonight after a long struggle with illness.
She left this note:

Celebrate my life!
Please do not be sad.
Remember me in fondness.
I have enjoyed my life, and treasure my family and friends.
I am proud of my loved ones, and feel content knowing that a part of me lives on in each of them.
I will always be there each time you smile thinking of the good times we have shared.
It’s been a great life!
– Dottie

She worked for and in the transgender community for many of the 50 years she & Allison were married. She was the kind of woman who smiled at the new wives at Fantasia Fair, and whose smile held a world of wisdom. We’ll miss her very much, & no doubt she will be missed at this year’s Fantasia Fair tremendously.

Do keep both Allison & Dottie in your thoughts & prayers. If you have any memories of Dottie you’d like to share here, please feel free to use the comments section below to do so.

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Getting It

Interesting coverage of a trans person who is suing their employer for building a gender-neutral bathroom for them:

Interesting because the guy seems hip to trans identities in general, & is only critical of the person’s decision to sue. Strikes me as similar to how I felt about Kim Nixon’s case.

(via TransAdvocate)

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Moved In & Getting to Work

We’re basically moved into our groovy new apartment in Appleton; it’s in the house next door to the house I lived in last year, & I’ve already nearly walked up those steps instead of the new ones a few times.

We have a lovely big porch to the front & side of the place, a big picture window, high ceilings, a big bathroom. It’s a lovely apartment, and because we both came this time, it already feels like home. When I’ve lived by myself here, for three months or six months, I tended toward monasterial. Or bachelor. Or both.

Tomorrow I attend a small symposium about pedagogy; Saturday I meet with a student about her senior project.

It’s nice to be back at work, & to feel the cold floorboards of the porch under my feet in just socks; better still to look up at a nearly full moon and a sky full of stars.