Gender and Sexuality

A couple thoughts about gender and sexuality:

• Finally got around to reeding my Seed magazine, and found an interesting article about homosexuality in the animal world. Well worth a read, and then go read Pharyingula for some criticism (and for some positive things).
  
  I liked this quote of Phryingula:
  

  Many heterosexual couples elect not to have children, and many homosexuals elect to have them. This shouldn't be a surprise; all it takes to start a baby is a few pokes and a spurt, and it really doesn't take much effort to overcome an inclination for such a brief event. We are sex-obsessed animals, so redirecting an ejaculation to a particular orifice isn't that astonishing.

  
  
  As any good article will do, it got me thinking. What about doing some cellular automata model and seeing what happens? Probably been done before, I'm guessing. But Pharyngula also says:
  

  I think Roughgarden makes a good case that this has considerable utility in social groups, and she's done some modeling that shows that this is, theoretically, a valid path to stable communities.

  
  I wonder what type of modeling was done.
  
  
• I saw a bumper sticker today: REAL WOMEN DRIVE TRUCKS. In how many ways is this offensive? It's bad enough that so many men feel defined by their vehicles. Now women? I suppose when women emulate all things bad that are male, perhaps we should celebrate some horrible form of equality. But more than that, women are now going to beat on other women for what they drive? Of course, the cosmetics industry is as big as it is precisely because women can be so harsh, but I still find it offensive. Perhaps not as offensive as seeing so-called "nuts for trucks."