Marine Biological Patriarchy

The Seymour Center at the Long Marine Lab has a new sculpture of an elephant seal "family" on display. This one is as reality-based as as the Sea Lion "family" behind Thimann Labs.

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Here, in front of the "Discovery Center" (what most people would call a "public aquarium") we find a representation of marine mammals reflecting again the patriarchal ideal. It's as if they have some law that prevents them from presenting "parents" and "children" in any other but the patriarchal pattern, even though it was the scientists at this very university who first published accounts of the mating rites of this species. Around here, I think the word "harem" brings to mind a windy beach and pugilistic bull elephant seals surrounded by two dozen girlfriends far more often than anything from Arabian Nights.

Other than that, I have to admit the scupture is pretty cool.