tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242607410560272655.post5713536225515401617..comments2023-11-13T16:43:01.201-08:00Comments on Deborah J. Ross: Gender, Sex, Identity and A Bunch of Other Fascinating IssuesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242607410560272655.post-55016739803361848792011-10-24T17:28:35.037-07:002011-10-24T17:28:35.037-07:00That's wild about the platypus! Would you be i...That's wild about the platypus! Would you be interested in doing a Guest Blog about it?<br /><br />Queer-diversity is definitely one of my important issues, and opens up so many interesting ways to explore what it means to be human.Deborah J. Rosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03062367794652668585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242607410560272655.post-79844206456845080742011-10-24T16:51:25.256-07:002011-10-24T16:51:25.256-07:00As a scientist, and as someone who identifies as q...As a scientist, and as someone who identifies as queer, I find the concepts of identity, sex, and gender fascinating, and throughout both plants and animals there are a multitude of determining factors and ways of expressing role in reproduction. A good intro can be had at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex-determination_system<br /><br />The most diverse mammal is the platypus, containing both ZW behaving and XY behaving chromosome types, five pair in all. http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v432/n7019/abs/nature03021.html<br /><br />Most important to me is the fact that many (most? all?) of the genes responsible for the underlying mechanical development of the anatomy and proteins etc. of the so-called "genital" region, "male" or "female", are *not* located on the x or y chromosome. As hard as it is to fathom, there may be hundreds (or more?) of different expressions of both the body and the behavior across the genome. Not to mention the effect of the multitude of environmental and coincidental factors in development... <br /><br />There should be a ripe opportunity to develop societies and systems which don't involve just a spectrum between male and female "reproductive-based" roles, but also an acknowledgement of genders and identities which don't have anything to do with reproduction or sex.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com