Friday, December 25, 2009

And things you never want to hear

I was conceived many years ago last night, or next Thursday: either Christmas or New Year's Eve of the year in question.
Why do I know this?
Lots of people know when their conception occurred, because a parent went away for business, were on leave from service, lots of reasons, some less pleasant than others.
Why do I know? I know because my parents felt the need to have an argument as to the exact date in my presence when I was ten years old, I believe it was Christmas Eve.

I then choose to believe that my parents only have sex on bank holidays.
"But Kinsey, you're sex positive, don't you want your parents (who are still together) to have a happy, fulfilling sex life?"
In theory, yes. Of course I do. I want my parents to have the marriage that they want to have, whatever that means, provided of course all things are safe and consensual. In reality, they're my parents. I don't want to think or know about them having sex. I think that's natural. Finding the idea of your parents getting down disgusting is a built-in safeguard against incest. Parent sex = gross = not having sex with your parents. I think the same basic principle applies to all close relatives.
There was a study in which men wore the same shirt for several days, with no fragrance or deodorant of any kind and those shirts were then smelled by different women. The scents that women rated the most appealing were those of the men with whom they shared the fewest genetic characteristics. Hybrid vigor, folks. Being the most attracted to the people the least like themselves decreases the likelihood of many genetic disorders- genes that make things go wrong have a harder time finding each other. An awesome argument for diversity and integration.

No comments: