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Written by Fiona Patten
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Monday, 06 July 2009 11:47 |
 I have just had a brilliant diving holiday on the northern edge of the Great Barrier Reef and southern end of the Coral Sea. Of course it was fantastic and totally immersing, literally and figuratively. While I barely thought of work, the sight of sea cucumbers and giant clams kept thoughts of sex to the fore. The Coral Sea is effectively the breeding ground for much of the fish population that we enjoy eating, fishing for and watching while diving and snorkeling.
Most political parties don't include sex in their environmental platforms. In fact, most wildlife and conservation groups don't mention it either. But its one of the main causes of diminishing wildlife species. Habitat loss is not just about having no food to eat. Its also about the fact that there's nowhere left for many animals to breed. And the first aspect of the breeding cycle is having spaces where animals want to have sex.
This fact is never acknowledged by political and environmental groups because many of them think its 'smutty'. In 1991 the World Wildlife Fund threatened legal action over an Australian-based sex magazine called Ecstasy. The WWF claimed that because the explicit magazine had given them a free full-page ad with a photo of two lions mating next to their logo, that somehow the magazine had besmirched the good name of the WWF. Sure, the magazine should have asked for permission to use their logo but the magazine's intentions were purely honourable. The WWF just resented the explicit animal mating photo alongside their name and also having it published in an adult magazine.
I think that protecting some of the space in the Coral Sea where the fish have sex is a worthwhile Sex Party policy? What do you think?
On return to dry land I read that our male sailors are embarrassing themselves by keeping ledgers of their sexual conquests while at sea. I can’t help think that if there was a greater gender balance in the defense forces we would see less of this childish and degrading activity. It is sort of counter-intuitive, but equal numbers of female sailors would create a more mature workplace and one where women would not be seen as the 'outsider' or the 'loner'. With equal numbers of men and women and a few transsexuals as well, a ship would not have these problems. They would be far more likely to turn into larrikan games where both (all) genders were targeted for some light hearted fun.
I would like to hear your thoughts or experiences, Fiona.
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