Nick Metcalfe, MSN UK News, 14/12/2010 12:31
Nick Metcalfe picks a dozen notable phrases and expressions, both ubiquitous and unusual, that entered the dictionary during the last 12 months.
SOURCE:http://news.uk.msn.com/uk/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=155532144
1. Vuvuzela
Ah yes, the vuvuzela. Otherwise known throughout Britain as "those damn horns". Actually I was in South Africa for this year's World Cup finals, and they weren't so bad at the games. They clearly distracted millions of television viewers though. And when they were blown next to your ear at a bar, or outside your hotel window at 4am, it wasn't quite as much fun. There was even talk of banning them during the tournament, but Fifa decided - probably rightly - that this would have been a rather rude way to treat their hosts.
2. Toxic debt
Can there be a more scary term? Toxic debt is another of those phrases that became part of the lexicon as the global recession began to bite. In essence, it refers to debt that has a lower chance of being repaid with interest, and is toxic to the person or institution that will receive any payments. Thankfully it's more likely to be a huge company, like the Royal Bank of Scotland, that suffers with your toxic debt, and not me or you.
3. Wardrobe malfunction
Is this really a 2010 thing? My friends are sure to agree that my wardrobe hasn't been functioning properly since 1987. A wardrobe malfunction doesn't strictly mean poor taste in fashion though. Rather it describes a person accidentally exposing an intimate part of their body as a result of an article of clothing slipping out of position. I don't know what the Sun or Daily Mail website would do without it.
4. Microblogging
Now this is very 2010. And you suspect it will also be very 2011, 2012, 2013 and so on. Microblogging is the term used to describe the posting of very short entries on a blog and any other social media tool. Twitter, in other words. Why bother with a phone conversation or letter when you can describe your movements and emotions in 140 characters?
5. Catastrophising
Which one of us could honestly put our hands up and admit we haven't been guilty of this from time to time? Let's face it, we can all think a situation is considerably worse than it actually is at times. Some of us are just born worriers and will reserve the right to be a drama queen on occasion.
6. Bromance
I can safely say that I have never used this word in a conversation. I never really want to either, in much the same way that I never want to use the word metrosexual. Putting it simply, bromance refers to a close but non-sexual relationship between two (or more) men. All men should have them, I would have thought.
7. Staycation
Well, it makes sense. We're all counting the shillings a little more carefully these days. And there really are some wonderful places to explore right here in Britain. Having said that, when I was trying to shelter from gale force winds and sideways rain in Devon one day in August, I did see the attraction of a week's guaranteed sun in Spain or Greece.
8. Paywall
None of us internet users like a paywall, do we? It allows access only to those who have paid to subscribe to a website. Rupert Murdoch insists it's the way forward for newspapers, with readers now having to fork out for both The Times and News of the World online. Time will tell whether he's right.
9. Soft skills
Now we should all have these, or if we don't we should want to have them. Soft skills refer to our personal attributes, which enable us to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people. It's all about improving our EQ (that's Emotional Intelligence Quotient, of course - what do you mean you didn't know that?)
10. Cheeseball
I'm tempted to chant that old football fans' mantra "You what, you what, you what, you what, you what?" Well, I'm reliably informed that they're saying this on the streets. It refers to somebody lacking in taste, style, or originality. It is usually used to describe a young male who pretends to be funny and who often uses slapstick humour. Thinking about it, we've probably all been cheeseballs at one time or another.
11. Chillax
I'm always a little annoyed when I hear this - more than I should be really. It's the double whammy that irritates. I don't especially like being told to relax, and I particularly don't like being told to "chill". Both together? Just you try it.
12. Defriend
The ultimate in disgrace. Something that brings with it shame, anger and recriminations. Well, not really. It simply means having your name removed from a list of friends on a social networking site. It makes sense really - I mean, how many of your Facebook friends do you really ever communicate with? Surely it's just a way of cleaning up our online lives? In saying that, I've never done it. I'm too nice.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
'Rape in war is deliberate military strategy'
Source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/43/20100625/890/twl-rape-in-war-is-deliberate-military-s_1.html
Fri, Jun 25 02:23 PM
Washington, June 25 (IANS) Since the Second World War, the use of rape as a weapon of war has assumed strategic importance and is now a deliberate military strategy, argue researchers.
A study in the Democratic Republic of the Congo found that 16,000 rapes occurred in 2008 alone and in South Kivu province, health centres estimate that 40 women were raped in the region daily.
In the UK, 50-70 percent of female asylum applicants were raped, witnessed rape, or have a credible fear of rape.
The effects of rape and sexual violence during war also extend beyond individual victims and are economically, physically, psychologically and culturally devastating for families and communities, say study authors Coleen Kivlahan, volunteer forensic physician for HealthRight International, and Nate Ewigman from the University of Florida.
For example, in recent conflicts, rape has been used as a reward for victory in battle, a boost to troop morale, as punishment and humiliation for both men and women, to incite revenge in opposing troops, to eliminate or 'cleanse' religious or political groups and to destabilise entire communities by creating terror.
Geographical, cultural, religious, political, legal, and behavioural conditions affect the likelihood of the systematic use of rape, explain the authors.
For instance, geographically remote locations allow perpetrators to rape with impunity, while the likelihood that women will be raped, shamed and isolated is increased in cultures with strong traditions regarding virginity, marital fidelity and genital cleanliness.
Religions with strong beliefs about appropriate female clothing and behaviour also increase the risk that women will be falsely accused of adultery and raped as humiliation and punishment, they add.
The international community has mounted a considerable response to the use of rape as a weapon of war, but the authors argue that rape during armed conflict is not simply about military personnel, police or terrorists, said a HealthRight International release.
For example, before 2004, rape assailants in the Democratic Republic of the Congo were primarily affiliated with the military; however, after 2004, civilian rapes increased 17-fold while rapes by armed combatants decreased by 77 percent. 'This pattern suggests a disturbing acceptance of rape among civilians,' they conclude.
'Rape is the result of the lack of dedicated societal attention to the safety, respect, and prosperity of women in peace time as well as in war.'
These findings were published in bmj.com
http://in.news.yahoo.com/43/20100625/890/twl-rape-in-war-is-deliberate-military-s_1.html
Fri, Jun 25 02:23 PM
Washington, June 25 (IANS) Since the Second World War, the use of rape as a weapon of war has assumed strategic importance and is now a deliberate military strategy, argue researchers.
A study in the Democratic Republic of the Congo found that 16,000 rapes occurred in 2008 alone and in South Kivu province, health centres estimate that 40 women were raped in the region daily.
In the UK, 50-70 percent of female asylum applicants were raped, witnessed rape, or have a credible fear of rape.
The effects of rape and sexual violence during war also extend beyond individual victims and are economically, physically, psychologically and culturally devastating for families and communities, say study authors Coleen Kivlahan, volunteer forensic physician for HealthRight International, and Nate Ewigman from the University of Florida.
For example, in recent conflicts, rape has been used as a reward for victory in battle, a boost to troop morale, as punishment and humiliation for both men and women, to incite revenge in opposing troops, to eliminate or 'cleanse' religious or political groups and to destabilise entire communities by creating terror.
Geographical, cultural, religious, political, legal, and behavioural conditions affect the likelihood of the systematic use of rape, explain the authors.
For instance, geographically remote locations allow perpetrators to rape with impunity, while the likelihood that women will be raped, shamed and isolated is increased in cultures with strong traditions regarding virginity, marital fidelity and genital cleanliness.
Religions with strong beliefs about appropriate female clothing and behaviour also increase the risk that women will be falsely accused of adultery and raped as humiliation and punishment, they add.
The international community has mounted a considerable response to the use of rape as a weapon of war, but the authors argue that rape during armed conflict is not simply about military personnel, police or terrorists, said a HealthRight International release.
For example, before 2004, rape assailants in the Democratic Republic of the Congo were primarily affiliated with the military; however, after 2004, civilian rapes increased 17-fold while rapes by armed combatants decreased by 77 percent. 'This pattern suggests a disturbing acceptance of rape among civilians,' they conclude.
'Rape is the result of the lack of dedicated societal attention to the safety, respect, and prosperity of women in peace time as well as in war.'
These findings were published in bmj.com
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Explore the world through the lens of your digital SLR
For all you photography enthusiasts who always wished for a professional equipment to unleash your visual skills but unable to afford one, here's the good news - the prices of digital SLR (Single Lens Reflex) cameras have dropped considerably - Olympus-E-450, Nikon D60 and Canon-EOS 1000D.
So what is a digital SLR?
A digital (Single Lens Reflex) is a type of camera whose lens, shutter and mirror are positioned in such a way that the image finds its way to the viewfinder and then onto the focusing screen. The advantage that DSLRs have over other 'Point & Shoot' cameras is its compatibility with a very wide range of focal lenses, thereby an increase in flexibility & quality.
While it's often suggested that you first excel at a conventional camera and then familiarize with the basics of an SLR before purchasing one. However in today's generation has found a better alternative - explore & learn.
Here are DSLR basics you need to know while exploring-
Shutter speed is the exposure time of the camera lens. The duration of light captured by the image sensor depends on the shutter. For instance, to capture rain droplets you would need a higher shutter speed, around 1/500. On the other hand, action images like the F1 race cars in motion a lower shutter speed, say 1/2 a second would be apt.
Aperture is the amount of light allowed to the camera lens. Wider the aperture (low aperture value), more light goes through. A high aperture of f/2.8 will use natural light; while lower aperture images are brighter. Aperture also affects the depth of the field, for example a picture where once a section of the image is in focus while rest is blurred.
ISO sets the sensitivity of the sensors to absorb light. By setting the ISO you can improve the quality of images shot at dimly lit places or during the nights.
Additionally, do try seeing your target form different perspectives, shooting pictures from different angles. And during photo-production you can also experiment with the contrast, temperature & exposure and play with different file formats (JPEG, RAW).
So time you explored the world through lenses of your DSLR & yes, you can always share them with us through Flickr
Vinay Dora
april 21, 2010
source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/242/20100421/1359/ttc-explore-the-world-through-the-lens-o.html
So what is a digital SLR?
A digital (Single Lens Reflex) is a type of camera whose lens, shutter and mirror are positioned in such a way that the image finds its way to the viewfinder and then onto the focusing screen. The advantage that DSLRs have over other 'Point & Shoot' cameras is its compatibility with a very wide range of focal lenses, thereby an increase in flexibility & quality.
While it's often suggested that you first excel at a conventional camera and then familiarize with the basics of an SLR before purchasing one. However in today's generation has found a better alternative - explore & learn.
Here are DSLR basics you need to know while exploring-
Shutter speed is the exposure time of the camera lens. The duration of light captured by the image sensor depends on the shutter. For instance, to capture rain droplets you would need a higher shutter speed, around 1/500. On the other hand, action images like the F1 race cars in motion a lower shutter speed, say 1/2 a second would be apt.
Aperture is the amount of light allowed to the camera lens. Wider the aperture (low aperture value), more light goes through. A high aperture of f/2.8 will use natural light; while lower aperture images are brighter. Aperture also affects the depth of the field, for example a picture where once a section of the image is in focus while rest is blurred.
ISO sets the sensitivity of the sensors to absorb light. By setting the ISO you can improve the quality of images shot at dimly lit places or during the nights.
Additionally, do try seeing your target form different perspectives, shooting pictures from different angles. And during photo-production you can also experiment with the contrast, temperature & exposure and play with different file formats (JPEG, RAW).
So time you explored the world through lenses of your DSLR & yes, you can always share them with us through Flickr
Vinay Dora
april 21, 2010
source:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/242/20100421/1359/ttc-explore-the-world-through-the-lens-o.html
Friday, February 5, 2010
How women's hemlines tell economy's strength
Melbourne, Jan 7 :
While most wait for data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, others use less conventional ways to measure the strength of an economy - like a woman's hemline.
There is what is known as the Skirt Length Index, which is a theory that when the market is good, women's skirts tend to get shorter, and when things are not so good they are worn longer.
"The idea behind this theory is that shorter skirts tend to appear in times when general consumer confidence and excitement is high, meaning the markets are bullish," the Courier Mail quoted an explanation from Investopedia.com.
"In contrast, the theory says long skirts are worn more in times of fear and general gloom, indicating things are bearish," it stated.
Another way to measure is through cosmetics, with the Leading Lipstick Indicator theory saying that in times of economic unease or recession, consumers tend to go for cheaper "feel-good" options, such as lipstick or mascara.
According to Investopedia, Leonard Lauder (chairman of Estee Lauder) had coined the term when he consistently found that during tough economic times, his lipstick sales went up.
"Believe it or not, the indicator has been quite a reliable signal of consumer attitudes over the years. For example, in the months following the September 11 terrorist attacks, lipstick sales doubled," he said.
--ANI
Source: http://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-25916.html
While most wait for data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, others use less conventional ways to measure the strength of an economy - like a woman's hemline.
There is what is known as the Skirt Length Index, which is a theory that when the market is good, women's skirts tend to get shorter, and when things are not so good they are worn longer.
"The idea behind this theory is that shorter skirts tend to appear in times when general consumer confidence and excitement is high, meaning the markets are bullish," the Courier Mail quoted an explanation from Investopedia.com.
"In contrast, the theory says long skirts are worn more in times of fear and general gloom, indicating things are bearish," it stated.
Another way to measure is through cosmetics, with the Leading Lipstick Indicator theory saying that in times of economic unease or recession, consumers tend to go for cheaper "feel-good" options, such as lipstick or mascara.
According to Investopedia, Leonard Lauder (chairman of Estee Lauder) had coined the term when he consistently found that during tough economic times, his lipstick sales went up.
"Believe it or not, the indicator has been quite a reliable signal of consumer attitudes over the years. For example, in the months following the September 11 terrorist attacks, lipstick sales doubled," he said.
--ANI
Source: http://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-25916.html
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Jyoti Basu 1914-2010
Former West Bengal Chief Minister and senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Jyoti Basu, who has suffered multi-organ failure, died on Sunday afternoon at the AMRI Hospital. He was 95. Here's a quick look at his illustrious career.
Born in Calcutta (now Kolkata), July 8, 1914.
Graduated from Presidency College with honours in English. He did his Bar at Law from London where he got introduced to Marxism and politics.
Returned to India in 1940. Joined Communist Party of India (CPI).
In 1944 he was a functionary of Bengal railway workers' union.
In 1946 he was elected to the Bengal legislative assembly, defeating Humayun Kabir of Congress.
He won from Baranagar assembly constituency in 1952, 1957, 1962, 1967, 1969 and 1971. He lost the seat in the 1972 snap polls.
In 1964, he helped set up the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).
In 1967, he became deputy chief minister in a coalition government in Bengal.
Became chief minister of West Bengal June 21, 1977 and headed the Left Front government till Nov 6, 2000.
He was the leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly from 1957 to 1967.
In 1964, he helped set up the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)
Became chief minister of West Bengal June 21, 1977 and headed the Left Front government till Nov 6, 2000.
Narrowly missed a chance to become India's prime minister in 1996 after his party's veto. He later called the party decision a 'historic blunder'
He was also a member of the Central Committee and Special Invitee to the Polit Bureau of the CPI(M)
In 2004, he played a key role to stitch an alliance between the Left parties and the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
(Text courtesy: IANS)
Source: http://www.in.news.yahoo.com/photos/slideshow/jyoti-basu-timeline.html
Born in Calcutta (now Kolkata), July 8, 1914.
Graduated from Presidency College with honours in English. He did his Bar at Law from London where he got introduced to Marxism and politics.
Returned to India in 1940. Joined Communist Party of India (CPI).
In 1944 he was a functionary of Bengal railway workers' union.
In 1946 he was elected to the Bengal legislative assembly, defeating Humayun Kabir of Congress.
He won from Baranagar assembly constituency in 1952, 1957, 1962, 1967, 1969 and 1971. He lost the seat in the 1972 snap polls.
In 1964, he helped set up the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).
In 1967, he became deputy chief minister in a coalition government in Bengal.
Became chief minister of West Bengal June 21, 1977 and headed the Left Front government till Nov 6, 2000.
He was the leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly from 1957 to 1967.
In 1964, he helped set up the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)
Became chief minister of West Bengal June 21, 1977 and headed the Left Front government till Nov 6, 2000.
Narrowly missed a chance to become India's prime minister in 1996 after his party's veto. He later called the party decision a 'historic blunder'
He was also a member of the Central Committee and Special Invitee to the Polit Bureau of the CPI(M)
In 2004, he played a key role to stitch an alliance between the Left parties and the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
(Text courtesy: IANS)
Source: http://www.in.news.yahoo.com/photos/slideshow/jyoti-basu-timeline.html
CJI wants ban on websites displaying porn
Sun, Jan 31 04:28 PM
Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan suggested that the government should impose a ban on websites that exclusively display pornography and hate speeches.
"For local jurisdiction there are problems on account of the structure of the flow of information over the internet.
End users can fake identities using proxy servers to misguide the investigating agencies. The government can place ban on websites that exclusively circulates pornography and hate speeches," he said here.
"However, it would not be right to place a blanket ban on all categories of websites. It is also important to distinguish between intermediaries such as network service providers, website operators and individual users for the purpose of placing liabilities," Balakrishnan said.
He made the suggestion while inaugurating the "Cyber Law Enforcement Programme and National Consultation Meeting" organised by the Supreme Court in association with the Cyber Appellate Tribunal, Ministry of Communication Information Technology, Department of Information Technology and the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).
Judges, DGPs of various states, besides cyber technology experts participated at the meeting held at the NASC Complex.
Agencies
source:http://in.news.yahoo.com/241/20100131/1264/tbs-cji-wants-ban-on-websites-displaying.html
Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan suggested that the government should impose a ban on websites that exclusively display pornography and hate speeches.
"For local jurisdiction there are problems on account of the structure of the flow of information over the internet.
End users can fake identities using proxy servers to misguide the investigating agencies. The government can place ban on websites that exclusively circulates pornography and hate speeches," he said here.
"However, it would not be right to place a blanket ban on all categories of websites. It is also important to distinguish between intermediaries such as network service providers, website operators and individual users for the purpose of placing liabilities," Balakrishnan said.
He made the suggestion while inaugurating the "Cyber Law Enforcement Programme and National Consultation Meeting" organised by the Supreme Court in association with the Cyber Appellate Tribunal, Ministry of Communication Information Technology, Department of Information Technology and the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).
Judges, DGPs of various states, besides cyber technology experts participated at the meeting held at the NASC Complex.
Agencies
source:http://in.news.yahoo.com/241/20100131/1264/tbs-cji-wants-ban-on-websites-displaying.html
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Are there asexuals among us? On the possibility of a "fourth" sexual orientation.
Source:
http://http//www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=are-there-asexuals-among-us-on-the-2009-10-29
Gay people are often asked by the curious: When did you first realize you were gay?” In my case, I remember undressing my Superman doll--and being terribly disappointed at the result--as well as being motivated to befriend the more attractive boys in third grade. But hormonally speaking, it wasn’t until I was about fourteen that I first looked in the mirror and thought to myself, ah, that’s what I am all right, it all makes perfect sense now.
It wasn’t much of a mystery. After all, lust isn’t exactly a subtle thing. Back then I derived as much pleasure from making out with my “girlfriend” as I might have from scraping the plaque from my dog’s teeth. In contrast, barely touching legs with a boy I had a crush on sparked an electric, ineffable ecstasy. In the locker room after high school gym class, I forced myself to picture naked girls in my head (particularly my girlfriend) as a sort of cognitive cold shower, a pre-emptive strike against an otherwise embarrassing physical response. I could go on but you get the idea: whether or not we like, hide or accept what we are, our true identities--gay, straight, bisexual--consciously dawn on each of us at some point in adolescence. We all have a natural “orientation” towards sexual contact with others, and for the most part we’re just hopeless pawns, impotent onlookers, to our body’s desires.
At least, that’s what most people tend to think. But actually, some scientists believe that there may be a fourth sexual orientation in our species, one characterized by the absence of desire and no sexual interest in males or females, only a complete and lifelong lacuna of sexual attraction toward any human being (or non-human being). Such people are regarded as asexuals. Unlike bisexuals, who are attracted to both males and females, asexuals are equally indifferent to and uninterested in having sex with either gender. So imagine being a teenager waiting for your sexual identity to express itself, waiting patiently for some intoxicating bolus of lasciviousness to render you as dumbly carnal as your peers, and it just doesn’t happen. These individuals aren’t simply celibate, which is a lifestyle choice. Rather, sex to them is just so ... boring.
In one recent interview study published in a 2007 issue of the Archives of Sexual Behavior, a group of self-described asexuals was asked how they came to be aware they were different. One woman responded:
I would say I’ve never had a dream or a fantasy, a sexual fantasy, for example, about being with another woman. So I can pretty much say that I have no lesbian sort of tendencies whatsoever. You would think that by my age I would have some fantasy or dream or something, wouldn’t you? ... But I’ve never had a dream or a sexual fantasy about having sex with a man, either. That I can ever, ever remember.
In another interview study, this one by University of Michigan researcher Kristin Scherrer, an 18-year-old woman put it this way:
I just don’t feel sexual attraction to people. I love the human form and can regard individuals as works of art and find people aesthetically pleasing, but I don’t ever want to come into sexual contact with even the most beautiful of people.
According to Brock University psychologist Anthony Bogaert, there may be more genuine asexuals out there than we realize. In 2004 Bogaert analyzed survey data from more than 18,000 British residents and found that the number of people (185, or about 1 percent) in this population who described themselves as “never having a sexual attraction to anymore” was just slightly lower than those who identified as being attracted to the same sex (3 percent). Since this discovery, a handful of academic researchers have been trying to determine whether asexuality is a true biological phenomenon or, alternatively, a slippery social label that for various reasons some people may prefer to adopt and embrace.
Sexual desire may wax and wane over the life course or--as many people on antidepressants have experienced--become virtually nonexistent due to medications or disease. There are also chromosomal abnormalities, such as Turner’s syndrome, often associated with an absence of sexual desire. Traumatic events in childhood, such as sexual abuse, can also factor into an aversion to sex. But if it exists as a fourth orientation, true asexuality would be due neither to genetic anomaly or environmental assault; although little is known about its etiology (Bogaert believes it may be traced to prenatal alterations of the hypothalamus), by all appearances most asexual people are normal, healthy, hormonally balanced and sexually mature adults who, for still uncertain reasons, have always found sex to be one big, bland yawn. Asexuality would therefore be like other sexual orientations in the sense that it is not “acquired” or “situational,” but rather an essential part of one’s biological makeup. Just like a straight man or a lesbian can’t wake up one day and decide to become attracted to men, neither could a person--in principle, anyway--“become” asexual. Sexual dysfunctions such as Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) can also be ruled out if a “preference” towards a gender does not awaken in response to clinical intervention such as hormonal treatment. As Bogaert notes, even those with object fetishes or paraphilias usually display a gender-based attraction, such as men who have a thing for women’s shoes or necrophiliacs who have sex with dead women’s (but not men’s) bodies.
But the story of asexuality is very complicated. For example, as discussion on the AVEN (Asexuality and Visibility Education Network) website forums demonstrate, there is tremendous variation in the sexual inclinations of those who consider themselves to be asexual. Some masturbate, some don’t. Some are interested in nonsexual, romantic relationships (including cuddling and kissing but no genital contact), while others aren’t. Some consider themselves to be “hetero-asexual” (having a nonsexual aesthetic or romantic preference for those of the opposite sex), while others see themselves as “homo-” or “bi-asexuals.” There’s even a matchmaking website for sexless love called asexualpals.com. Yet many asexuals are also perfectly willing to have sex if it satisfies their sexual partners; it’s not awkward or painful for them but rather, like making toast or emptying the trash, they just don’t personally derive pleasure from the act. As researchers Nicole Prause and Cynthia Graham found in their interviews with self-identified asexuals, “they were not particularly sexually fearful ... they had a lower excitatory drive.” Others insist on being in completely sexless relationships, possibly with other asexuals. Thus, while many asexuals are virgins, others are ironically even more experienced than your traditionally sexual friends. Some want children through artificial means such as in vitro fertilization; others are willing to have them the old-fashioned way or don’t want children at all.
Thus, on the one hand there seems to be a sociological issue of people of a marginalized sexual identity gathering steam and beginning to form an identifiable community. (And in the process attracting significant media attention, including coverage on the Montel Williams Show, The View and an excellent feature story in New Scientist a few years ago.) On the other hand, there remains--to me--the more intriguing biological issue of asexual essentialism; that is to say, is it really possible to develop “normally” without ever experiencing sexual desire, even a niggling little blip on the arousability radar, toward any other human being on the face of the earth? I have little doubt that there are self-identified asexuals who would fail to meet this essentialist criterion, but if even a sliver of the asexual community has truly never experienced arousal, then this would pose fascinating questions for our understanding of human sexuality and evolutionary processes.
I still have a lot of questions. Scientists have just scratched the surface in studying human asexuality. You can count the number of studies on the subject on one hand. Does asexuality, like homosexuality, have heritable components? Certainly it’s plausible. After all, historically, female asexuals would have probably had offspring with their male sexual partners, thus ensuring continuity of the genetic bases of asexuality. Although Bogaert’s original findings suggested that asexuality was somewhat more common among women, more recent research by Prause and Graham found no such gender difference in their college-aged sample of self-reported asexuals. If some asexuals masturbate in the absence of sexual fantasy or porn, then what exactly is it that’s getting them physically aroused? (And how does one achieve orgasm--as some asexuals apparently do--without experiencing pleasure?) Also, if you’re on board theoretically with evolutionary psychology, almost all of human cognition and social behavior somehow boils down to sexual competition. So what would the evolutionary psychologist make of asexuality? If sex is nature’s feel-good ruse to get our genes out there, is there actually a natural category of human beings that is immune to evolution’s greatest gag?
I must say, the only good way to solve the riddle is also a bit unsavory. But unless psychological scientists ever gather a group of willing, self-identified asexuals and, systematically and under controlled conditions, expose them to an array of erotic stimuli while measuring their physical arousal (penile erection or vaginal lubrication), the truth of the matter will lie forever hidden away in the asexual's pants.
In this column presented by Scientific American Mind magazine, research psychologist Jesse Bering of Queen's University Belfast ponders some of the more obscure aspects of everyday human behavior. Ever wonder why yawning is contagious, why we point with our index fingers instead of our thumbs or whether being breastfed as an infant influences your sexual preferences as an adult? Get a closer look at the latest data as “Bering in Mind” tackles these and other quirky questions about human nature. Sign up for the RSS feed or friend Dr. Bering on Facebook and never miss an installment again. For articles published prior to September 29, 2009, click here: older Bering in Mind columns.
http://http//www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=are-there-asexuals-among-us-on-the-2009-10-29
Gay people are often asked by the curious: When did you first realize you were gay?” In my case, I remember undressing my Superman doll--and being terribly disappointed at the result--as well as being motivated to befriend the more attractive boys in third grade. But hormonally speaking, it wasn’t until I was about fourteen that I first looked in the mirror and thought to myself, ah, that’s what I am all right, it all makes perfect sense now.
It wasn’t much of a mystery. After all, lust isn’t exactly a subtle thing. Back then I derived as much pleasure from making out with my “girlfriend” as I might have from scraping the plaque from my dog’s teeth. In contrast, barely touching legs with a boy I had a crush on sparked an electric, ineffable ecstasy. In the locker room after high school gym class, I forced myself to picture naked girls in my head (particularly my girlfriend) as a sort of cognitive cold shower, a pre-emptive strike against an otherwise embarrassing physical response. I could go on but you get the idea: whether or not we like, hide or accept what we are, our true identities--gay, straight, bisexual--consciously dawn on each of us at some point in adolescence. We all have a natural “orientation” towards sexual contact with others, and for the most part we’re just hopeless pawns, impotent onlookers, to our body’s desires.
At least, that’s what most people tend to think. But actually, some scientists believe that there may be a fourth sexual orientation in our species, one characterized by the absence of desire and no sexual interest in males or females, only a complete and lifelong lacuna of sexual attraction toward any human being (or non-human being). Such people are regarded as asexuals. Unlike bisexuals, who are attracted to both males and females, asexuals are equally indifferent to and uninterested in having sex with either gender. So imagine being a teenager waiting for your sexual identity to express itself, waiting patiently for some intoxicating bolus of lasciviousness to render you as dumbly carnal as your peers, and it just doesn’t happen. These individuals aren’t simply celibate, which is a lifestyle choice. Rather, sex to them is just so ... boring.
In one recent interview study published in a 2007 issue of the Archives of Sexual Behavior, a group of self-described asexuals was asked how they came to be aware they were different. One woman responded:
I would say I’ve never had a dream or a fantasy, a sexual fantasy, for example, about being with another woman. So I can pretty much say that I have no lesbian sort of tendencies whatsoever. You would think that by my age I would have some fantasy or dream or something, wouldn’t you? ... But I’ve never had a dream or a sexual fantasy about having sex with a man, either. That I can ever, ever remember.
In another interview study, this one by University of Michigan researcher Kristin Scherrer, an 18-year-old woman put it this way:
I just don’t feel sexual attraction to people. I love the human form and can regard individuals as works of art and find people aesthetically pleasing, but I don’t ever want to come into sexual contact with even the most beautiful of people.
According to Brock University psychologist Anthony Bogaert, there may be more genuine asexuals out there than we realize. In 2004 Bogaert analyzed survey data from more than 18,000 British residents and found that the number of people (185, or about 1 percent) in this population who described themselves as “never having a sexual attraction to anymore” was just slightly lower than those who identified as being attracted to the same sex (3 percent). Since this discovery, a handful of academic researchers have been trying to determine whether asexuality is a true biological phenomenon or, alternatively, a slippery social label that for various reasons some people may prefer to adopt and embrace.
Sexual desire may wax and wane over the life course or--as many people on antidepressants have experienced--become virtually nonexistent due to medications or disease. There are also chromosomal abnormalities, such as Turner’s syndrome, often associated with an absence of sexual desire. Traumatic events in childhood, such as sexual abuse, can also factor into an aversion to sex. But if it exists as a fourth orientation, true asexuality would be due neither to genetic anomaly or environmental assault; although little is known about its etiology (Bogaert believes it may be traced to prenatal alterations of the hypothalamus), by all appearances most asexual people are normal, healthy, hormonally balanced and sexually mature adults who, for still uncertain reasons, have always found sex to be one big, bland yawn. Asexuality would therefore be like other sexual orientations in the sense that it is not “acquired” or “situational,” but rather an essential part of one’s biological makeup. Just like a straight man or a lesbian can’t wake up one day and decide to become attracted to men, neither could a person--in principle, anyway--“become” asexual. Sexual dysfunctions such as Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) can also be ruled out if a “preference” towards a gender does not awaken in response to clinical intervention such as hormonal treatment. As Bogaert notes, even those with object fetishes or paraphilias usually display a gender-based attraction, such as men who have a thing for women’s shoes or necrophiliacs who have sex with dead women’s (but not men’s) bodies.
But the story of asexuality is very complicated. For example, as discussion on the AVEN (Asexuality and Visibility Education Network) website forums demonstrate, there is tremendous variation in the sexual inclinations of those who consider themselves to be asexual. Some masturbate, some don’t. Some are interested in nonsexual, romantic relationships (including cuddling and kissing but no genital contact), while others aren’t. Some consider themselves to be “hetero-asexual” (having a nonsexual aesthetic or romantic preference for those of the opposite sex), while others see themselves as “homo-” or “bi-asexuals.” There’s even a matchmaking website for sexless love called asexualpals.com. Yet many asexuals are also perfectly willing to have sex if it satisfies their sexual partners; it’s not awkward or painful for them but rather, like making toast or emptying the trash, they just don’t personally derive pleasure from the act. As researchers Nicole Prause and Cynthia Graham found in their interviews with self-identified asexuals, “they were not particularly sexually fearful ... they had a lower excitatory drive.” Others insist on being in completely sexless relationships, possibly with other asexuals. Thus, while many asexuals are virgins, others are ironically even more experienced than your traditionally sexual friends. Some want children through artificial means such as in vitro fertilization; others are willing to have them the old-fashioned way or don’t want children at all.
Thus, on the one hand there seems to be a sociological issue of people of a marginalized sexual identity gathering steam and beginning to form an identifiable community. (And in the process attracting significant media attention, including coverage on the Montel Williams Show, The View and an excellent feature story in New Scientist a few years ago.) On the other hand, there remains--to me--the more intriguing biological issue of asexual essentialism; that is to say, is it really possible to develop “normally” without ever experiencing sexual desire, even a niggling little blip on the arousability radar, toward any other human being on the face of the earth? I have little doubt that there are self-identified asexuals who would fail to meet this essentialist criterion, but if even a sliver of the asexual community has truly never experienced arousal, then this would pose fascinating questions for our understanding of human sexuality and evolutionary processes.
I still have a lot of questions. Scientists have just scratched the surface in studying human asexuality. You can count the number of studies on the subject on one hand. Does asexuality, like homosexuality, have heritable components? Certainly it’s plausible. After all, historically, female asexuals would have probably had offspring with their male sexual partners, thus ensuring continuity of the genetic bases of asexuality. Although Bogaert’s original findings suggested that asexuality was somewhat more common among women, more recent research by Prause and Graham found no such gender difference in their college-aged sample of self-reported asexuals. If some asexuals masturbate in the absence of sexual fantasy or porn, then what exactly is it that’s getting them physically aroused? (And how does one achieve orgasm--as some asexuals apparently do--without experiencing pleasure?) Also, if you’re on board theoretically with evolutionary psychology, almost all of human cognition and social behavior somehow boils down to sexual competition. So what would the evolutionary psychologist make of asexuality? If sex is nature’s feel-good ruse to get our genes out there, is there actually a natural category of human beings that is immune to evolution’s greatest gag?
I must say, the only good way to solve the riddle is also a bit unsavory. But unless psychological scientists ever gather a group of willing, self-identified asexuals and, systematically and under controlled conditions, expose them to an array of erotic stimuli while measuring their physical arousal (penile erection or vaginal lubrication), the truth of the matter will lie forever hidden away in the asexual's pants.
In this column presented by Scientific American Mind magazine, research psychologist Jesse Bering of Queen's University Belfast ponders some of the more obscure aspects of everyday human behavior. Ever wonder why yawning is contagious, why we point with our index fingers instead of our thumbs or whether being breastfed as an infant influences your sexual preferences as an adult? Get a closer look at the latest data as “Bering in Mind” tackles these and other quirky questions about human nature. Sign up for the RSS feed or friend Dr. Bering on Facebook and never miss an installment again. For articles published prior to September 29, 2009, click here: older Bering in Mind columns.
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