Thank you for that correction! So I guess I’m Cis and straight. A little story - I used to work at Safeway in an area where there were many Queer folk. One was a large older person who looked male but dressed as a woman. After several months, they told me they would always come to my checkout if they could - I treated him/her like a person. It was one of the best compliments I have had!
And I do apologize if I’m not using the correct terminology.
12 Likes
Welcome to the Forum!
2 Likes
What matters most is that you treat people with dignity, and you seem to be doing that very well!
As for pronouns, you can either guess but be willing to be corrected, or ask in advance. Kind of like iNat IDs I guess! You can make an educated guess to ID, but if you’re wrong, easy, just withdraw and now that you know more, you can make a correct ID.
10 Likes
It got added to the Pride post like an hour after it was put up, I think… For some reason to shows as the icon in the dashboard but not the post itself?
In any case I would guess that @abhasm had something to do with it :)
7 Likes
Just before the pandemic came along and ruined so many plans I joined the local mycological society. Even without the forays and with the meetings being virtual (which I haven’t attended yet anyway) I got enough from other channels of communication to get the impression it’s a queer club that happens to be interested in fungi. 
This really gives me heart. Many, many years ago when I first came out I couldn’t have imagined such a thing. And at the time the default term was gay community and the cis white men (of which I am one) were dominating the conversations. Now it’s so FUN to see all the flavors of queer and BIPOC communities finally starting to really be heard and seen in the sciences, and business, and public life and everywhere else they haven’t for so long. There’s a lot of progress to be made but when I look back on the changes just in my lifetime I’m really hopeful.
14 Likes
I spend way too much money on Kuhl pants, but all those pockets! And they look great.
3 Likes
nerdy is the real sexy tbh
11 Likes
I applaud iNat for welcoming Pride month and all the naturalists that belong to the LGBTQIA+ community. It is critical that we recognize our different experiences and celebrate that everyone can participate to iNat.
-Anouchka (she/her)
10 Likes
Welcome to the Forum!!
Could you give an example of how iNaturalist years discriminate against you, how is your chosen sexual activity expressed in your content here, I don’t understand how that’s even possible nevermind how it’s beneficial.
“So I guess […]” seems like others imposing their notions of identity on you, which is entirely inconsistent with the supposed notions of self-identification surely?
iNat users have not discriminated against me for my sexual identity.
Others in the science world have, my high school has, and there is documented bias against minorities in the scientific world even in America.
I want a recommendation from my chemistry teacher? Too bad, I’m a sinner so it would really be awkward for her to do so, even though I was an A student.
I want to form a club of people like me, lgbt folk in science, in college, which can help with networking? No, we can’t get funding or support and we are not allowed to put up fliers. Too political!!
I want to intern somewhere, or volunteer at the herbarium, great! But am I safe to talk with my coworkers about my personal life? Joe is talking about his wife, cool. But if I talk about my girlfriend, will I be judged? Probably. I’d love to ask that professor for help with the key, but oops, he is religious, maybe I’d best keep to myself because people like him have casually mentioned how happy they were about the gay actor who drowned and that may have traumatized me and made me a little afraid of talking to Orthodox people…
Etc.
33 Likes
Could you give some references for peer-reviewed research that backs that up; surely if there are 1000s of species with gender identities then 1) there are thousands of species with complex self awareness, 2) feminism has been wrong in suggesting gender is a social construct?
Maybe you could list a few of the genders of a couple of species, highlight the differences between those and those species sexes, say how the genders are discerned; that would illuminate any discussion on the biology of gender (never heard anything suggesting it can be determined by physical testing, say; perhaps it’s a dualistic belief?).
I said gender “expression” specifically because we are not sure whether other species are conscious of gender. Probably yes, but without a way to talk with them we can only guess. A better term may have been secondary sex characteristics expression? Or cultural expression of behaviour generally associated with one sex or the other in a species but which is sometimes performed by a member of a different sex?
In any case, gender in humans certainly exists.
8 Likes
Is this really the place to discuss that? The topic of sexuality in animals is a very interesting one that has been studied, but I’m not sure a thread celebrating our LGBTQIA+ members is the right place for it.
15 Likes
Yes and also no. Gender may be primarily a social construct, but that does not mean it isn’t real, or does not matter. The same way the concept of “science” or “the economy” is a social construct… it is still real, affects peoples’ lives, etc. I don’t really get your point here.
10 Likes
No one is imposing anything on me. I am simply acknowledging my gender/sexual preference, and trying to be respectful to others. As I stated above, a persons sexual/gender preference is irrelevant to me.
12 Likes
Such a nice alt! I’m now using this logo to replace the green one in my bookmark handler. :)
2 Likes
Although @pbhj 's reference request would be well beyond the scope of this thread, I would enjoy a whole separate thread with interesting iNat-appropriate material about floral and faunal gender diversity. Whether it’s full of refs or just entertaining anecdotes, if someone makes one let me know, thanks!
11 Likes
I can relate to your point about the difficulty of coming out as a nerd in some LGBTQ+ circles. It’s something that I’m kind of bashful about when first talking to guys but I’m finding that some find it impressive being able to point things out when going on a hike together. It’s also been helpful in creating conversation and experiences. :)
11 Likes