September 23, 2011--Birds Do It, Bees Do It

I was drawn to two stories from the front page of Wednesday's New York Times.

The first was about Marine recruiters who visited Tulsa, Oklahoma's largest gay community center on the first day after the repeal of don't ask, don't tell.

Tulsa? I thought--isn't this the worst possible place for the Marines to be recruiting? Why not start in Greenwich Village?

Apparently the recruiter had similar thoughts. He reported that he parked his van in a place that would allow for a quick getaway if things turned south. He said, "I have an exit strategy." (I wished we had had one for him in Iraq and Afghanistan.) "I know where my choke points are. I strategically parked my car right at the curbside. I have an out."

Fortunately, he didn't need to beat a hasty retreat. There were no protests or insults--not from members of the gay community nor local homophobes. Maybe in some places the Culture War is at last abating.

A few lesbians approached Master Sgt. Anthony Henry. They asked about what it might be like to be an openly gay Marine. He told them, Your sexuality "is your business, and you don't have to share it. But you're also free to be at the mall with your girlfriend."

When asked what he liked about the Marines, Sergeant Henry said, "It's like a little family. We get mad at each other, we joke with each other, but we don't let anybody make fun of us."

The implication was clear, and as a result it looks as if he may get to sign up a few good women.

Right below the Times story about the 21st century Marines is another, also about diversity.

For many decades scientists have noted that hundreds of species are known to engage in same-sex sex. Many insects do; as do bottle-nose dolphins; penguins; and our close relatives, bonobo apes. Now we are finding that the squid species Octopoteuthis deletron (particularly the males) not only carry out their hanky-panky in the inky depths of the Pacific Ocean but they are almost as interested in other males as they are attracted to females. This is the first time creatures have been found to be as equally amorous with same-sex partners as they are with the opposite sex. (Article linked below.)

In the animal kingdom (and this very much includes us), up to now it has been found that only a minority of any particular species engages in same-sex sex. Among humans, about 10 percent report they are homosexual. Thus the new, special place in nature for octopoteuthes.

So when you hear Michele Bachmann or Rick Perry rant about how homosexuality is a life-style choice (you knew all along where I was going with this), and not a biological imperative--and of course how it can be cured by prayer--suggest they take their mission a half mile down into the Pacific where a whole lot of happy squid are waiting to teach them a thing or two.