Billions Of Bugs Are Having Gay Sex, A National LGBT Museum, Marriage In New Mexico: Today In Gay
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Photo: Wikipedia[/caption]
It's long been long (though not by us) that most bugs have gay sex—something like 85% in some species. But scientists could never figure out why. Now a study published in Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology is putting forth a theory: It's by accident.
While homosexual behavior in mammals and birds has been linked to certain evolutionary benefits—gay "uncles" and "aunts" can rear their siblings' children if they've been killed, and same-sex behavior among young animals is good practice for adult mating—there's no corollary in the insect world.
What's actually going on, says Dr. Inon Scharf of Tel Aviv University, is that these creepy crawlers are too horny to notice what they're sticking their junk into: "Insects and spiders mate quick and dirty," says Scharf. "The cost of taking the time to identify the gender of mates or the cost of hesitation appears to be greater than the cost of making some mistakes."
Damn. So we suppose flowers are out of the question, right?
The New Mexico Supreme Court is hearing arguments today in Griego v. Oliver, a case that could bring marriage equality to the Land of Enchantment. New Mexico doesn't have a ban on same-sex marriage, but five gay couples were turned away when they applied for marriage licenses in Albuquerque. A district court judge ruled in favor of the couples in August, and clerks in several counties have already begun issuing marriage licenses, but the plaintiff's attorney, Daniel Ivey-Soto, said the state currently has two status quos, and a uniform rule is needed.
With ground broken on a museum devoted to African-American history, can an institution on the National Mall focused on the life and legacy of the gay community be far off?
Tim Gold, CEO of the Velvet Foundation, hopes to see the beginning of the National LGBT Museum in just five years. Since 2007, his organization has been working to raise the $50 to $100 million needed for the undertaking.
But will putting LGBT culture in a museum, well, institutionalize it? In an interesting piece on Slate Hugh Ryan, director of the Pop-Up Museum of Queer History, debates the merits: “There’s this tension of ‘how much are we really going to be able to talk about things’ that might offend folks who have power in America," Amy Sueyoshi, co-curator of the GLBT History Museum in San Francisco, tells Ryan. "I want the national museum to not always mount exhibits that will bring in the largest financial audience.”
Gold promises he's on the same page: "“I would rather not see a museum than see a museum that left out the stories that need to be told the most.”
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A conceptual drawing for the national LGBT museum[/caption]
Openly gay Irish Senator David Norris shaved his beard for the first time in 40 years on Tuesday to raise money for the Irish Cancer Society. The 69-year-old, who suffers from liver cancer, also buzzed his scalp as part of Today FM’s Shave or Dye campaign to raise funds for the ICS.
— Cliodhna McDonnell (@Walshmcdonnell) October 22, 2013
Norris is used to tackling big challenges, though: He got the Irish government to overturn its law against homosexuality almost singlehandedly, rehabilitated author James Joyce among the Irish, and even ran for president of Ireland in 2011. (Norris nabbed 6.2% of the vote, coming in fifth out of seven candidates. )
A campaign to warn voters in Virginia about gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli's plan to make oral sex a felony generated amazing posters like this one, which were put up on college campuses. (Sadly, the Democratic Party of Virginia had to take the signs down after people complained.)
