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From: jc@minya.UUCP (John Chambers)
Newsgroups: sci.bio,soc.men,soc.women,sci.misc
Subject: Re: Rape a reproductive advantage?
Message-ID: <457@minya.UUCP>
Date: 23 Jan 88 19:48:54 GMT
References: <517@gtx.com> <5129@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu> <2201@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU> <2222@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU>
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> >If it was just mallards, well, we do act very differently from mallards.

Um, anyone who thinks the "gang rapes" in mallards are comparable with rape
in humans is simply not a good observer of mallards.  I've seen this behavior
on many occasions, and it is always quite obvious that if the female really
wanted to get away from the gang of males, all she would have to do is take
to the air.  She is very clearly not trying very hard; she is just having
a little fun with the boys (as well as sorting out the really virile ones
from the wimps who fall behind :-).

> Humans are the only animals that are always in heat, ...

Why do people keep saying things like this?  It just exposes your ignorance
of animal bahavior.  There are many other species known in which the females
are sexually receptive all or most of the time.  And let's not have any
quibbles about being "in heat"; by the most straighforward definitions,
human females never come into heat.  They are just sexually receptive
for their entire adult lives.

Some years back, I lived with a female cat who one day came back from the
vet without her ovaries.  She thereafter never came into heat, but she was
permanently sexually receptive (much like female humans).  She was quite
popular with the local toms.  It's interesting to contemplate.


-- 
John Chambers <{adelie,ima,maynard,mit-eddie}!minya!{jc,root}> (617/484-6393)