Stuff To Blow Your Mind From the Vault: The Queerness of Nature, with Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian
May 31, 2025
Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian, author of "Forest Euphoria" and Curator of Mycology at the New York State Museum, discusses the vibrant intersection of queerness and ecology. They explore how scientific biases shape our understanding of nature and highlight the unique intersex characteristics of the American eel and other non-binary organisms. Dive into the emerging field of queer ecology, challenge traditional views of gender in nature, and understand the deep connections between mindfulness, identity, and our diverse ecosystems.
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Science’s Cultural Biases in Mycology
- Science is a powerful but human endeavor with limitations and biases.
- Mycology shows science’s reluctance to fully understand fungi due to cultural biases.
Queerness as Collective Liberation
- Queerness is an umbrella term for non-heteronormative life linked to collective liberation.
- It extends beyond humans to include liberation of non-human species and ecosystems.
Queer Ecology Challenges Science
- Queer ecology studies non-binary reproductive strategies and challenges rigid scientific categories.
- It aims to improve science by revealing cultural biases limiting nature’s understanding.
