From the flyer: "Come and hear why feminists think (biological) sex still matters ..."
Y'all might want to define exactly what you mean by the term since the "definition" most everyone is apparently using is no better than folk-biology if not those from Kindergarten Cop: "boys have penises and girls have vaginas".
As a point of reference, you might want to consider the definitions published in various reputable biological journals, encyclopedias, and dictionaries -- including the Oxford Dictionary of Biology -- which actually do define "biological sex":
"Female gametes are larger than male gametes. This is not an empirical observation, but a definition: in a system with two markedly different gamete sizes, we define females to be the sex that produces the larger gametes and vice-versa for males (Parker et al. 1972), and the same definition applies to the female and male functions in hermaphrodites."
Definitely an obscure point, and there are several aspects to it which were maybe not well described.
But the starting point is that while Eva starts off well with her "why feminists think (biological) sex still matters", she really hasn't been very forthcoming with exactly what she -- and her feminist cohort -- thinks it takes to qualify as male and female. Beginning to think it's not worth subscribing here.
And the point of my quotes is that how reputable biologists define the sexes is rather different from how I expect she does. Biologists are focused on definitions that are applicable to all species whereas I expect what she has in mind is only narrowly applicable to humans and, maybe, most mammals. Entirely different kettles of fish -- more like kettles of petunias and aardvarks.
In many cases the difference might not have much relevance or impact. But the whole point of the biological definitions is that what biologists learn about the sexes in other species often has a great deal of relevance to social policies relating to men and women. Having different definitions for the sexes in the two cases is likely to seriously detract from the social benefits we might reasonably expect from much of biology.
I’m hoping that someone in Canada will be sympathetic to the plight of Marya Manni an Afghani woman’s rights activist living precariously in Pakistan while trying to escape the long arm of the Taliban to find safe refuge in a third country. Pakistan is constantly threatening to deport all the Afghans back to Pakistan where Marya would be imprisoned or worse. She has brought along with her a younger sister and her 12 year old niece who was married off to an elderly man when she was 10 years old. Fortunately, Marya rescued her niece and fled to Pakistan before the deal made by her niece‘s stepfather was concluded. Marya has discovered a Canadian program called “Sponsor Five,” which means that if five people will help guide Marya, her sister and niece through the first year of their residence in Canada Marya will be able to get residence or a visa to settle in Canada. The tasks for helping Marya could be divided up between the sponsors so that no one Sponsor would have a heavy burden. The Sponsors need only help Marya register for Healthcare, help her niece enroll in school, sign up for financial assistance, look for an apartment and find work. If there are sisters and brothers out there who could find it in their hearts to assist in rescuing Marya please read more of her story below and get in touch with me or Marya thru this website. Betsy Warrior.
Might go over better if it wasn’t limited to feminists and lesbians, although they have a bigger voice. I am neither but totally agree with the premise.
I imagine everyone is welcome, I don’t mean discriminatory attendance, but add a few more (different) voices to the pack and make it a welcoming event for everyone who shares this view.
Doesn't say it's limited, only that ID will be checked. You can go on their X page and ask.
Also men are perfectly free to organize exclusive or inclusive events of their own or ally with groups such as Vancouver Rape Relief which has male volunteers and many events where men are welcome.
I have my ticket, ferry booked (from Salt Spring Island), and hotel booked. Looking forward to this!
oooooh, all the more reason for me to try to make it!
Cherry Smiley! Wow! If I can swing it I will be there.
Yes! I am super excited for her as well!
I would be keen to meet you there as well. Will depend on time off plane tickets etc. I could stay with my cousin tho.
Holding my breath. Fingers crossed.
Would love to attend and hope you can make it to the event. Good luck in Toronto, Eva! You’re going to be awesome.
Thank you so much! :)
From the flyer: "Come and hear why feminists think (biological) sex still matters ..."
Y'all might want to define exactly what you mean by the term since the "definition" most everyone is apparently using is no better than folk-biology if not those from Kindergarten Cop: "boys have penises and girls have vaginas".
As a point of reference, you might want to consider the definitions published in various reputable biological journals, encyclopedias, and dictionaries -- including the Oxford Dictionary of Biology -- which actually do define "biological sex":
"Female gametes are larger than male gametes. This is not an empirical observation, but a definition: in a system with two markedly different gamete sizes, we define females to be the sex that produces the larger gametes and vice-versa for males (Parker et al. 1972), and the same definition applies to the female and male functions in hermaphrodites."
https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_3063-1
https://twitter.com/pwkilleen/status/1039879009407037441
Not sure what you point is?
Definitely an obscure point, and there are several aspects to it which were maybe not well described.
But the starting point is that while Eva starts off well with her "why feminists think (biological) sex still matters", she really hasn't been very forthcoming with exactly what she -- and her feminist cohort -- thinks it takes to qualify as male and female. Beginning to think it's not worth subscribing here.
And the point of my quotes is that how reputable biologists define the sexes is rather different from how I expect she does. Biologists are focused on definitions that are applicable to all species whereas I expect what she has in mind is only narrowly applicable to humans and, maybe, most mammals. Entirely different kettles of fish -- more like kettles of petunias and aardvarks.
In many cases the difference might not have much relevance or impact. But the whole point of the biological definitions is that what biologists learn about the sexes in other species often has a great deal of relevance to social policies relating to men and women. Having different definitions for the sexes in the two cases is likely to seriously detract from the social benefits we might reasonably expect from much of biology.
I’m hoping that someone in Canada will be sympathetic to the plight of Marya Manni an Afghani woman’s rights activist living precariously in Pakistan while trying to escape the long arm of the Taliban to find safe refuge in a third country. Pakistan is constantly threatening to deport all the Afghans back to Pakistan where Marya would be imprisoned or worse. She has brought along with her a younger sister and her 12 year old niece who was married off to an elderly man when she was 10 years old. Fortunately, Marya rescued her niece and fled to Pakistan before the deal made by her niece‘s stepfather was concluded. Marya has discovered a Canadian program called “Sponsor Five,” which means that if five people will help guide Marya, her sister and niece through the first year of their residence in Canada Marya will be able to get residence or a visa to settle in Canada. The tasks for helping Marya could be divided up between the sponsors so that no one Sponsor would have a heavy burden. The Sponsors need only help Marya register for Healthcare, help her niece enroll in school, sign up for financial assistance, look for an apartment and find work. If there are sisters and brothers out there who could find it in their hearts to assist in rescuing Marya please read more of her story below and get in touch with me or Marya thru this website. Betsy Warrior.
https://womensliberationfront.org/wolf-tracks-entries/escaping-the-taliban
Might go over better if it wasn’t limited to feminists and lesbians, although they have a bigger voice. I am neither but totally agree with the premise.
I imagine everyone is welcome, I don’t mean discriminatory attendance, but add a few more (different) voices to the pack and make it a welcoming event for everyone who shares this view.
Doesn't say it's limited, only that ID will be checked. You can go on their X page and ask.
Also men are perfectly free to organize exclusive or inclusive events of their own or ally with groups such as Vancouver Rape Relief which has male volunteers and many events where men are welcome.
Just reserved my ticket! Thanks for publicizing this, Eva!
Yes there a several groups like that, nice to see.