I put a call out for mural walls yesterday and I got a lot of VERY good walls for projects of a variety of scales. Unfortunately I have only sold enough shirts this summer to cover 2 of those walls. This means more people need to buy shirts. Thems the breaks. More shirts more art. SquidFacts.Net

Defining sex based on gamete size is a choice. Perhaps it's the most parsimonious of all binary single-criterion sex definitions. But to claim that gamete size is the "ultimate defining criterion of biological sex" (whatever that means) falls into the naturalistic fallacy the authors warn of.

Tim Janicke@timjanicke.bsky.social · 4w ago

In a new #Viewpoint we argue that the binary definition of #BiologicalSex based on gamete size is a scientifically robust framework that is entirely compatible with the diversity of sexual phenotypes and human gender identities. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

also this all feels...weird. you've got a paper written by grad students and you're saying "hey let's do this weird not-really-blind review" of what appears to be a paper at least headed by someone more senior? idk, that gives me a certain amount of squick.

apparently the editors solicited this dreck as a response to a much better paper (full disclosure, i met with the authors for a friendly review) onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

There is No Consensus on Biological Sex

At this critical moment when misinformation about sex is being applied to policy globally, scientific clarification on the definition of biological sex is valuable. Here, we evaluate the primary appr...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Really worth a read, and I very much appreciate the closing thoughts in the article. "Most importantly, regardless of scientific debates, no biological definition of sex should be used to dictate human rights."

Andy Lee, PhD@andylee.bsky.social · 4w ago

In our Viewpoint (onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...) we synthesize the gametic definition (outlined by Janicke et al below) and other definitions of sex (e.g., multivariate definition). We contend that is NO consensus on “biological sex” (maybe a consensus isn’t actually necessary…)

My coauthor Jay Falk's postdoctoral fellowship was terminated by the Trump administration for documenting the hummingbird example in this paper.

Andy Lee, PhD@andylee.bsky.social · 4w ago

In our Viewpoint (onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...) we synthesize the gametic definition (outlined by Janicke et al below) and other definitions of sex (e.g., multivariate definition). We contend that is NO consensus on “biological sex” (maybe a consensus isn’t actually necessary…)

Colin Wright, for those of you lucky enough to be unaware of him, is a failed evolutionary biologist who first rose to fame by his refusal to submit DEIA statements in faculty job applications, and has since mainly used his credentials to burnish anti-trans, anti-queer, and racist pseudoscience

In our Viewpoint (onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...) we synthesize the gametic definition (outlined by Janicke et al below) and other definitions of sex (e.g., multivariate definition). We contend that is NO consensus on “biological sex” (maybe a consensus isn’t actually necessary…)

There is No Consensus on Biological Sex

At this critical moment when misinformation about sex is being applied to policy globally, scientific clarification on the definition of biological sex is valuable. Here, we evaluate the primary appr...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Tim Janicke@timjanicke.bsky.social · 4w ago

In a new #Viewpoint we argue that the binary definition of #BiologicalSex based on gamete size is a scientifically robust framework that is entirely compatible with the diversity of sexual phenotypes and human gender identities. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

🧐 So that "sex is binary but we swear that won't be used to hurt trans people" paper thanks Jerry Coyne, a notorious transphobe. Nothing to see here!

Rine Vieth@rinewithoutacat.bsky.social · 4w ago

So this is an *invited* op-ed that appears to be mostly one guy, and they (he?) gives a shout out to someone known for arguing trans women are inherently predatory.

today seems like a good day to repost our Viewpoint!!

Madeline Eppley@madeline-eppley.bsky.social · 5mo ago

New paper out in ecology letters! with @andylee.bsky.social @allydefduf.bsky.social We synthesized the active debate on how scientists define sex, including limitations and assumptions. We believe this discussion will lead to more accurate science. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

✨🌈💡kicking off pride month by sharing our new article on using queer perspectives to improve practice in #ecology and #evolution. Bobby Dellinger presented a stellar overview of our work last month at the UCLA Thinking Gender 2026 conference, which you can watch here! #PrideInSTEM 🧪

Where Do We Go from Here? Harnessing Queer Perspectives to Advance Practice in Ecology

YouTube video by Center for the Study of Women Streisand Center

youtube.com

I am super excited to meet up with a preschool class for @skypeascientist.bsky.social today!! Not sure what that probabilities are (I am guessing low), but I just found out that out of the thousands of possible pairings, I get to visit my sister's classroom thousands of miles away!!

Surprised to learn scientists can't agree on a definition of sex? Don't be! To be honest, we can't even agree on a definition of species. Many so-called natural categories are hard to define once we look at the evidence. Biology is too complex for simple definitions, which is a feature, not a bug.

Jeremy Yoder says no war@jbyoder.org · 4mo ago

"The fact that there is no current consensus of biological sex is not antithetical to science... However, the field urgently needs an ethical and reproducible approach for discussing sex" There is No Consensus on Biological Sex

"The fact that there is no current consensus of biological sex is not antithetical to science... However, the field urgently needs an ethical and reproducible approach for discussing sex" There is No Consensus on Biological Sex

There is No Consensus on Biological Sex

At this critical moment when misinformation about sex is being applied to policy globally, scientific clarification on the definition of biological sex is valuable. Here, we evaluate the primary…

buff.ly

You don't only have to look up to be in awe of the moon(fish)! www.kpbs.org/news/2015/05...

First In Fish: 'Fully Warm-Blooded' Moonfish Prowls The Deep Seas

"It's hard to stay warm when you're surrounded by cold water but the opah has figured it out," a NOAA Fisheries biologist says.

kpbs.org

new paper from my phd is now out as a pre-print @biorxiv-evobio.bsky.social!! we leverage a novel gt-seq panel to investigate a marine ecology “black box” — population connectivity! read here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

📣 A perspective with @allydefduf.bsky.social @madeline-eppley.bsky.social and others out in @ecol-evol.bsky.social 📣 Drawing from queer lived experiences, we offer new perspectives to confront existing biases in #ecology and #evolution. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...

Where We Go From Here: Harnessing Queer Perspectives to Advance Practice in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Science and society continuously shape one another; this relationship determines what science is funded, which inquiries are pursued, and whose voices are included in the production and dissemination...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

hit a little scientific milestone today: 50 citations!!!!! sometimes I am still in shock that I am living my childhood dream and get to be a ~scientist~

📣 A perspective with @allydefduf.bsky.social @madeline-eppley.bsky.social and others out in @ecol-evol.bsky.social 📣 Drawing from queer lived experiences, we offer new perspectives to confront existing biases in #ecology and #evolution. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...

Where We Go From Here: Harnessing Queer Perspectives to Advance Practice in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Science and society continuously shape one another; this relationship determines what science is funded, which inquiries are pursued, and whose voices are included in the production and dissemination...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

new paper from my phd is now out as a pre-print @biorxiv-evobio.bsky.social!! we leverage a novel gt-seq panel to investigate a marine ecology “black box” — population connectivity! read here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Regional connectivity and viability selection in a range-expanding marine species https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.28.714283v1

On this Trans Day of Visibility, please enjoy & learn something from this fascinating & clarifying read from @madeline-eppley.bsky.social, @andylee.bsky.social, Robert Dellinger & @allydefduf.bsky.social Read👉 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.... (🙏 for this excellent work & actionable recs!)

I defended my PhD 10 years ago today. That was the least remarkable thing that happened that day. Sharing something I wrote about it last year. Since then "the horrors persist but so do we." And with dignity.

Always enjoy reading a dissertation - I try to give it time and respect. We are all so rushed, but somebody worked their f**king ass off for this, and I'm so pleased for the person defending their work this week. So, diving in ahead of time.

It finally happened to me: I read this whole paper and was like "hell yeah this is great" and then saw I was thanked in the Acknowledgements, which I had forgotten about lollll Faculty-brain is real

Assigned Media@assignedmedia.org · 4mo ago

@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 Mar Wiley New study explains there is still no real scientific consensus on what sex is, and why gamete size--beloved of Rep state legislators--really doesn't work either since it is cannot be observed and thus proxies are inevitably used. [HT Denise Norris]

What is the relationship between science and society? How does culture impact the production and dissemination of knowledge? In this new paper, Eppley et al interrogate how systems of oppression bias our research, and how Queer perspectives can address these. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Where We Go From Here: Harnessing Queer Perspectives to Advance Practice in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Science and society continuously shape one another; this relationship determines what science is funded, which inquiries are pursued, and whose voices are included in the production and dissemination...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Fantastic paper! I was coincidentally thinking earlier today about how we sex baby juncos (genetic) and juveniles (wing size) and what the error rates are. I thought "at least we can tell for reproductive adults", but this paper reminded me that it's possible we're getting some of those wrong too.

Madeline Eppley@madeline-eppley.bsky.social · 5mo ago

New paper out in ecology letters! with @andylee.bsky.social @allydefduf.bsky.social We synthesized the active debate on how scientists define sex, including limitations and assumptions. We believe this discussion will lead to more accurate science. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

ICYMI: in our new paper, we contend there is "no current consensus on a definition of sex that is free of assumptions and limitations... and most importantly,...no biological definition of sex should be used to dictate human rights" #evolsky #LGBTQSTEM #ecology #evolution #biologicalsex

Madeline Eppley@madeline-eppley.bsky.social · 5mo ago

New paper out in ecology letters! with @andylee.bsky.social @allydefduf.bsky.social We synthesized the active debate on how scientists define sex, including limitations and assumptions. We believe this discussion will lead to more accurate science. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

I am still actively looking for postdoc positions — please lmk if you (or your friends and colleagues) need a hardworking postdoc with field, lab, and bioinformatic skills! I am broadly interested in evolution in the ocean, conservation and population genetics, and rapid evolution.

Andy Lee, PhD@andylee.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Successfully added a few letters to my name last month!!! Truly could not have done this with our villages upon villages 🫶🏼

New paper out in ecology letters! with @andylee.bsky.social @allydefduf.bsky.social We synthesized the active debate on how scientists define sex, including limitations and assumptions. We believe this discussion will lead to more accurate science. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

There is No Consensus on Biological Sex

At this critical moment when misinformation about sex is being applied to policy globally, scientific clarification on the definition of biological sex is valuable. Here, we evaluate the primary appr...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com