ReadingAnimals

Somehow I managed to leave this post in Draft mode for a long time. Sorry less timely. My opinion still stands, though, so I’m going to click “Publish!”

In case you are curious what an old, white, European guy has to say about gender and politics in the US, you may find an essay by primatologist Frans deWaal interesting. Sadly, one does need to be a subscriber to read the full text.

Here’s what I took away from the item in question :

You see, he knows all about alpha females (and hence “natural” female leadership) through decades of watching primates imprisoned in zoos and laboratories. He’d like to tell readers how he is relevant to their everyday lives, and, of course, give Hillary a little advice on campaigning . See, she could get this woman for president thing right if she would model herself after wise chimpanzee and rhesus monkey women. Don’t get me wrong. I believe these fellow primate women are wise. It’s deWaal who seems sorely out of touch. Clearly, he missed the “Bitch is the New Black” SNL skit and the flurry of commentary, feminist and otherwise, that followed.

After all manner of anecdotes, the final word of advice if that to be a successful alpha female, Hillary needs to solidify herself with other women - not to act feminine, because the crying just resulted in criticism. Great characterization of feminine! (WTF?) Isn’t the fact that the female vote has been a big deal for a few decades wouldn’t seem obvious to everyone? What about the 30+% of voters in one recent poll who admitted that they weren’t “ready” to vote for a woman president? Perhaps it’s no wonder that female chimpanzees spend up to 60% of their time ranging alone with their children rather than hang out with men, eh?

The lack of parity between the scientific understanding of chimpanzees (and other animals - but chimpanzees mostly in deWaal’s case) and an ethical position that not only tolerates but depends on (demands?) their continued imprisonment troubles me deeply. If you are so inclined, you can take a look at the seemingly schizophrenic perspecitve in “Primates and Philosophers. But, please just check it out from the library rather than line his pockets, eh? (That’s why I’m not providing a link to the book…)