aerliss
Achatina immaculata
Posts: 281
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Post by aerliss on Oct 16, 2009 11:29:18 GMT
We all know that most of our snails are hermaphrodites (we do, right?). However, being human we can't help but think of them as male or female.
So; which do you see them as?
Me? So far they've all been boys. This is probably down to the fact that most of my most beloved pets have been males. However, I do think it will depend on the snail, so I might get some girls eventually.
[EDIT]
Hahaha! My title typo was great; "Boys and Grisl"
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Dusk
Achatina tincta
In ur viv stealin ur snailets
Posts: 665
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Post by Dusk on Oct 16, 2009 13:57:38 GMT
We all know that most of our snails are hermaphrodites (we do, right?). However, being human we can't help but think of them as male or female. I'm sorry but I must query your premise Two gender forms are not an automatic human assumption, unless you want to exclude dozens of ancient cultures and a fair chunk of the modern world from the human race. Let's not do that, hmm?
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Post by Bumblebee on Oct 16, 2009 14:05:50 GMT
I have to say, that I see all my snails as male for some reason xD It just fits them Just like a ship is considered a 'she' even tho its just a man-made object lol
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kanin
Achatina immaculata
Posts: 263
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Post by kanin on Oct 16, 2009 14:06:28 GMT
I would agre with dusk, and would want to add that it has very much to do with language. When writing in english it's hard to not say either him, her, his or hers but in swedish their genderlessness falls better into the laguage module and even better in finnish. Also just that we apply a gender to them when naming them or by calling them him or her dosent have to mean that we apply the idea of genders or genderbased stereotypes upon them.
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Dusk
Achatina tincta
In ur viv stealin ur snailets
Posts: 665
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Post by Dusk on Oct 16, 2009 14:40:21 GMT
I would agre with dusk, and would want to add that it has very much to do with language. When writing in english it's hard to not say either him, her, his or hers but in swedish their genderlessness falls better into the laguage module and even better in finnish. This is why we English speakers can have so much fun playing the pronoun game We're working on some proper neutral terms but it takes time... Agreed. Mine mostly get referred to by the gender of the character/person they're named after, regardless of who gets up the duff when they mate (We may have hijacked the thread here... oops XD )
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coyote
Archachatina papyracea
Cochleas ego amo
Posts: 2,955
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Post by coyote on Oct 16, 2009 21:31:45 GMT
For me it depends on the snail. I purposely choose names from both genders (and try to find some gender-neutral ones too) for my snails. I named my first snail Zuma because that name could apply to either male or female.
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aerliss
Achatina immaculata
Posts: 281
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Post by aerliss on Oct 17, 2009 0:11:16 GMT
I mostly managed to avoid gender studies during my archaeology and ancient history degree (OMG are American anthropologists obsessed with this subject or what?!)... I'll continue to attempt to avoid it. It's a vast, sticky quagmire of ugliness because, try as we might, modern man (I used 'man' rather than 'humans' ...oh was that my first dropping to a 2i? >_> ) struggles with the issues of gender; the concept of a good, wholesome male/female dynamic is still beyond most people, gender neutrality as a tool of social, psychological and mytho-social exploration is useless, and feminism... just... eugh.
So forgive me for not bothering to write a short essay on the concepts of gender and sexuality in modern and ancient societies (Western, Eastern, cold-climate, dry-climate, hot-climate, wet-climate, native/indigenous/aboriginal, 'undiluted/non-polluted", any which way but loose), how these concepts were handled and how the understanding and defining of gender, gender differences (oh, did I say men and women are different in some way? Was that the sound of my 2i dropping to a 2ii?), sexuality, hermaphroditism asexuality and reproduction, the continuation of the species and language evolution has played a part in the development of ancient and modern societies and the shaping of our cultural conciousness... when I'm creating a fun little poll.
*breathe*
That's not to say you guys can't go right ahead and enjoy your discussion (I sorta stopped reading it in Dusk's second sentence, so forgive me if I've gone off on one half cocked) as the various human understandings of gender do, clearly, influence how we see our snails. I'll just go sit over there, in the water bowl with Odo, sip my tea and ask him how he likes my latest seed mush recipe. ;D
Honestly, it would probably be a fascinating discussion for me if my arch lecturers (ancient hist not so much) had not been so... OBSESSED with forcing us into a world view that was a) not our own and b) so freaking BIASED. They were relentless in pursuing the idea that they, and only they could understand ancient cultures in their way. My ancient hist lecturers, on the other hand, were a lot more open to other world views and other, undergrad, ideas.
Don't get me started on the anthropologists (apologies if you are one... perhaps my lecturers were "special").
*sigh*
Maybe I'll come back next week on my day off and see what you guys discussed ;D
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