23,000 Sexes and Counting

[ysabetwordsmith]

Apparently there is a type of fungus that has 23,000 sexes and is still adding more.  Yes, they are biologically distinct sexes in that the configuration of specific components determines which individuals are or are not able to reproduce.  I am just all asquee over this.  I look at reactionaries having a wiggins over the fact that humans have more than 2 biological sexes and want to rub their noses in this.

I rather imagine that Erishkegal devised these things.  It's just her style.  Galaturri and kurgarri as far as the eye can see.

Comments

[thnidu]

«I rather imagine that Erishkegal devised these things. It's just her style. Galaturri and kurgarri as far as the eye can see.»


Erishkegal?
Galaturri?
kurgarri?

Okay ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

In Sumerian mythology, Erishkegal is the goddess of the underworld, sister of the far more popular Inanna. She has a lot of titles; I call her the Goddess of Thankless Tasks. She does a lot of important stuff that people rarely think about ... rather like fungi.

"The Descent of Inanna" mentions two created beings, the galatur and the kurgarra. They're made at the same time in the same way, but they have different terms, so they aren't the same type of creature. They're often described as "two sexless beings" but it doesn't translate exactly into English. A lot of Pagans feel that it should actually be one neuter being and one hermaphrodite. Another popular interpretation is a transman and a transwoman, because the temple of Inanna was a refuge for people of alternative sex/gender, and Erishkegal became enormously fond of those messengers so apparently that's something the sisters have in common.

So we have a fungus, growing in dirt, which does important things mostly out of sight and without thanks, that has thousands of sexes. It seems like a match. :D

Re: Okay ...

[thnidu]

Thanks for that new-to-me knowledge.

[apatheia_jane]

Could not find article, redirected to the popsci feed, not showing up on search for fungi sex either. Do you remember the title?

Fixed!

[ysabetwordsmith]

Try again.