New Scientist: Fish that change sex – and back again

At  New Scientist, "Zoologger" has a post up on the transsexual abilities of the hawkfish (species Cirrhitichthys falco), which is found off Kuchino-Erabu Island in southern Japan. As the post notes, transitioning in fish occurs in many species - but this one reverses the process. (Even this ability is not unique though - see Joan Roughgarden, " Evolution's Rainbow  ").

Transgender fish perform reverse sex flip

When it comes to selecting mates, hawkfish keep their options open. The flamboyantly coloured reef dwellers start life as females but can transform into males after maturing. Many marine animals do this, but these fickle fish have a rare trick up their fins: they can change back when the situation suits.

Tatsuru Kadota and colleagues from Hiroshima University in Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan, have observed reverse sex changes in wild hawkfish for the first time in the subtropical reefs around Kuchino-Erabu Island in southern Japan.

Hawkfish live in harems, with one dominant male mating with several females. Kadota's team studied 29 hawkfish and found that when it comes to sex change, the size of the harem matters.

If a male hawkfish took on many females, one of the two largest females would change sex and take over half of the harem, mating as a male. Conversely, if that new male hawkfish lost a few females to other harems and was challenged by a larger male, it reverted to mating as a female, instead of wasting precious energy fighting a losing battle. "The ability to undergo bidirectional sex change maximises an individual's reproductive value," Kadota says.

- read the full article at  Zoologger /New Scientist,06 January 2012 .

Footnote:

A reader, Mario, has shared a link to a fascinating story about a domestic hen that transitioned to a cockerel, after an injury. I've known about transitioning in fish species for years, but this is the first time I've come across an instance in birds.

Thanks, Mario.

Books:

Bagemihl, Bruce: Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity

Roughgarden, Joan: Evolution's Rainbow: Diversity, Gender, and Sexuality in Nature and People,

Related articles

• Transsgendered Fish: He's Not Making This Up!
• Exclusive Homosexuality Unnatural?
• Natural Law, Natural Sex, Natural Families
• Africa's Female Kings and Husbands
• Gay (Wild)life

 

Editorials | Republican Sen. Steve Litzow helps lead with gay-marriage support | Seattle Times Newspaper

Last year, the big news on gay marriage was in New York, where Governor Andrew Cuomo took the lead, and secured passage with the co-operation of three Republican senators. In 2012, that could have an echo in Washington, where Governor Christine Gregoire has given her backing to legislation - and a Republican senator has already announced his support, which could prove crucial, in what could be a close vote in the Senate. Like an increasing number of conservatives, Sen Steve Litzow is supporting marriage equality as a conservative cause, in the name of individual freedom and personal responsibility:

 Republican Sen. Steve Litzow helps lead with gay-marriage support  

 "SOMETIMES it takes just one individual to stand on principle and let others follow. State Sen. Steve Litzow announced he will be the first Republican in the Senate to support gay marriage.

Outstanding. Litzow is a profile in courage, a freshman lawmaker willing to act on conviction.

Litzow of Mercer Island told The Times editorial board he plans to support this historic legislation. His announcement follows last week's decision by Gov. Chris Gregoire to introduce and push a law that affords gay and lesbian couples the same rights and benefits of marriage enjoyed by other couples.

If the legislation is approved — and it should be — Washington would become the seventh state in the country to act on this compelling civil-rights issue.

"I am a traditional Republican," explained Litzow. "When you think about gay marriage, it's the right thing to do and it's very consistent with the tenets of being a Republican — such as individual freedom and personal responsibility."

 -Seattle Times Newspaper

New Scientist: Fish that change sex - and back again

At  New Scientist, "Zoologger" has a post up on the transsexual abilities of the hawkfish (species Cirrhitichthys falco), which is found off Kuchino-Erabu Island in southern Japan. As the post notes, transitioning in fish occurs in many species - but this one reverses the process. (Even this ability is not unique though - see Joan Roughgarden, " Evolution's Rainbow"). 

Transgender fish perform reverse sex flip

When it comes to selecting mates, hawkfish keep their options open. The flamboyantly coloured reef dwellers start life as females but can transform into males after maturing. Many marine animals do this, but these fickle fish have a rare trick up their fins: they can change back when the situation suits.

Tatsuru Kadota and colleagues from Hiroshima University in Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan, have observed reverse sex changes in wild hawkfish for the first time in the subtropical reefs around Kuchino-Erabu Island in southern Japan.

Hawkfish live in harems, with one dominant male mating with several females. Kadota's team studied 29 hawkfish and found that when it comes to sex change, the size of the harem matters.

If a male hawkfish took on many females, one of the two largest females would change sex and take over half of the harem, mating as a male. Conversely, if that new male hawkfish lost a few females to other harems and was challenged by a larger male, it reverted to mating as a female, instead of wasting precious energy fighting a losing battle. "The ability to undergo bidirectional sex change maximises an individual's reproductive value," Kadota says.

- read the full article at Zoologger /New Scientist,06 January 2012 .

Books:

Bagemihl, Bruce: Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity

Roughgarden, Joan: Evolution's Rainbow: Diversity, Gender, and Sexuality in Nature and People,

Related articles

• Transsgendered Fish: He's Not Making This Up!
• Exclusive Homosexuality Unnatural?
• Natural Law, Natural Sex, Natural Families
• Africa's Female Kings and Husbands
• Gay (Wild)life

Jan 07: Jann Wenner, Publisher

b. January 7, 1946

"I had a dream. And a vision. And a lot of passion. I was a rock and roll fan and there was no publication for me."

Jann Wenner changed rock and contemporary music coverage when he launched Rolling Stone magazine.  His eye for talent, knack for business and passion for music has kept the magazine on the cutting edge for more than 40 years.

Born in New York City, Wenner was raised in Marin County, California. He began writing about rock in The Daily Californian at the University of California, Berkeley.Frustrated that the genre was not being taken seriously in the media, Wenner left college to start his own magazine.

In November 1967, Rolling Stone was launched with Wenner as cofounder and publisher. He described it as part magazine and part newspaper, with coverage of music, politics and culture.

Wenner conducted interviews with music icons and prominent politicians, including Bob Dylan, Pete Townshend, Mick Jagger, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Barack Obama, and John Lennon after the breakup of the Beatles.

Wenner emphasized on the visual content of Rolling Stone, with celebrities photographed by Annie Leibovitz, Mark Seliger and Richard Avedon. Wenner’s publications include Us Weekly and Men’s Journal. 

In 2007, the company grossed more than $33 million.

Wenner played himself in the film "Perfect" (1985) and a sports agent in "Jerry Maguire" (1996).  He served as executive producer of MTV’s reality show "I’m From Rolling Stone."

In 1967, Wenner married a woman and had three sons. The couple separated in 1995.  Wenner and his partner, fashion designer Matt Nye, have one son together.

In 1983, Wenner cofounded the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.  He received its Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994. In 1997, he was inducted into the American Society of Magazine Editors Hall of Fame, making him the youngest honoree.

Bibliography

“Jann S. Wenner.”  Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. 2004

Kaczorowski, Craig. “Wenner, Jann.” GLBTQ: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture. March 4, 2006

Lee, Stephiane M. “The Origins of Rolling Stone: Music Magazine Grew From Bay Area Roots.” The Daily Californian. August 20, 2007

Articles
“Times Topics: Jann Wenner.” The New York Times.

Books
Gonzo: The Life of Hunter S. Thompson (2007)

The Male Paintings of Marsden Hartley

Christ held by half-naked men

Finnish Sauna

Cannuck Yankee Lumberjack

In 1969, writing in the New York Times, Hilton Kramer praised Hartley's portraits as "the boldest paintings of male figures in the history of American art."

Christ Held by Half-Naked Men (1940-41), Marsden Hartley

Jim Hormel

b. January 1, 1931

"I learned in the civil rights era that nobody gives you anything - you have to fight for it. The same is true of our effort today to bring equality to all Americans."

Jim Hormel is a philanthropist and community leader who was the first openly gay United States Ambassador. 

In 1992 when Jim Hormel sought to become a United States Ambassador, he had no idea it would take seven years and a bruising political battle to achieve his goal. Ironically, he had enough votes from both Democrats and Republicans to win confirmation, but three anti-gay Senators repeatedly blocked his nomination from coming to a vote. At the same time, special interests launched a slanderous public campaign against him. The Senate never voted, but President Clinton made Hormel U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg in a 1999 recess appointment.

Following Hormel's appointment, the State Department made major revisions to its regulations, including measures that for the first time allowed gay Foreign Service officers to bring their partners on overseas assignments.

Jim Hormel was born in Austin, Minnesota on January 1, 1933. He graduated from Swarthmore College and now serves on its Board of Managers. He earned a JD degree from the University of Chicago Law School and later served as its Assistant Dean and Dean of Students.

Hormel served as a U.S. delegate to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in 1995 and to the United Nations General Assembly in 1996. He has also been active in Democratic politics and has served several times as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. Hormel sits on the boards of several national and Bay Area (California) political and cultural institutions. He is chairman of Equidex, Inc., a family-run investment firm.

Hormel's philanthropy and activism center on promoting human rights and equality. In 1995, he established the James C. Hormel Gay and Lesbian Center at the new San Francisco Main Public Library, which houses one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of GLBTQ literature.

Bibliography:

• Rich, Frank, "Journal: All in the Family," The New York Times, April 18, 1998.
  
• Robins, Cynthia, "Gentleman Jim," The San Francisco Examiner, June 16, 1996.
  
• State Department Web Site