Sex is irrelevant in anthropology

[BinturongsSmellOfPopcorn]

US and Canadian anthropology associations don't want to talk about sex, and think discussion of differing views undermines scientific integrity.

Cancellation letter https://twitter.com/bindelj/status/1706714601344450712?

Response from cancelled panel: https://twitter.com/bindelj/status/1706714877593895107?

I'd say "bloody hell" but I'm not even surprised any more.

Women are irrelevant as the subjects of anthropological studies is power relations between men and women.

Margaret Mead must be turning in her grave.

Someone needs to send them a copy of Invisible Women. Sex disaggregation matters in more ways than we realise.

Can't hear Margaret Mead spinning over the sounds of frantic whirring coming from Elsa Clews Parsons' grave. Seems they don't even know the history of their own organisation.

Robust data analysis? Can't be having that, @RichardArmitagesWife - it would undermine their scientific integrity.

Was buck Angel on that last night panel. Buck was cancelled from a panel this week too I think.

The impact of the burning of the Library of Alexandria is fraught with hyperbole: "[The fire] set humanity back 1,000 years."

We don't need a fire. Domain experts are destroying centuries of knowledge in domains that have led to progress and advancement for humanity with no thought as to the consequences.

What really upsets me is how little I can think of to say about this. I mean, anthropology FFS.! But all I have left is weary sarcasm. It's so relentless and predictable and stupid.

Sorry. I meant on ‘that’ panel. I was jogging typing with poor eyesight and stiff thumbs. 😔 At least it is very slow jog on a treddy so no harm to anyone else… 🏃

This is beyond disgusting. The Twitters for the American Anthropological Association and Canadian Anthropology (CASCA) are rightfully blowing up.
The response letter is here https://elizabethweiss74.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/open_letter_aaa_casca_meeting_cancellation.pdf

"Cause harm to members of the Alphabetti Spaghetti group" indeed. Eye roll So they've decided to remove scientific rigour, in the name of maintaining, erm - scientific rigour.

I’ve already typed out one grumpy post today about the hijacking of the word safe. These days it is almost expected amongst the typical population that would frequent a ComiCon. But this is from a body of people studying a well established science. The people making this decision should be handing back all their qualifications in disgrace.

It’s an ANTI-EVOLUTIONARY stance. They need to come out and say they are ANTI-evolution.

'-Yo, I don't think we should talk about this.
-Come on, why not?
-People might misunderstand what we trying to say'

It's bizarre. I mean sex denial makes no sense anyway but in anthropology and archaeology, if you deny sex then you must also deny gender identity surely? Because the only way to tell someone's "gender identity" is in relation to sex and sex-based norms. Surely it's then harmful to the alphabetti as it's denying their existence too.

But also what is so mad about all this is the extremes poeple will go to just for this one, non-evidence-based, internally inconsistent cause - just to make sure no one who identifies as trans could suffer the merest smidgen of offence, ever. But it's fine to offend women - who are just as protected as trans people are against discrimination and harassment. Why can't these people see how illogical they are?

A very small number of individuals has somehow persuaded two national academic management committees that using words like male and female, or man and woman, will "imperil the safety of the LGBTQI community".

Invoke the word "safety" and you should always explain and exemplify the danger.

I also really don't understand the blanket banning of talking about men and women etc. Because trans people often use those words. "TWAW" is at the nub of the whole debate. TW want to be considered women. So why would they want no one to be allowed to mention women? It kind of shows that the underlying assumption is that women does actually mean adult human female and that's why it's offensive. If you are being genuinely trans-inclusionary, there is nothing anti-trans about the worlds woman and man as they include TW and TM.