(no subject)

The cover story of the latest edition of the Journal of Consciousness Studies is the eye-catching "Phantom Penises in Transsexuals: Evidence of an Innate Gender-Specific Body Image in the Brain" (abstract here). Now, the phenomenon of "phantom limbs" in amputees is well-known; 60% of men who have had their penises removed experience this, but only 30% of male-to-female transsexuals experience it after their operation. Which is interesting enough, but 60% of female-to-male transsexuals also report experiencing a vivid "phantom penis", including phantom erections - in may cases, since childhood. This leads the researchers to speculate there's a "hard-wired" image of the body, including its physical sex, in the brain. Extremely interesting stuff.

ETA much later: a 2010 followup disputes their calculations.

(no subject)

Just a quick warning to my atheist pals. What Representative Monique Davis said to radio talk show host Rob Sherman was hysterical and profoundly un-American. But before you turn Sherman into a hero, read his response. An atheist is not the only -ist he is. (And now I wonder exactly what he said that pissed her off so much...)