Scott Alexander compares the San Francisco Gay Pride Parade to traditional civic and religious celebrations, arguing that it has evolved into a form of civil religion similar to American patriotism. Longer summary

Scott Alexander describes his experience at the San Francisco Gay Pride Parade, drawing parallels between it and traditional civic and religious celebrations like Easter in Guatemala and Fourth of July parades in America. He argues that the Gay Pride celebration has evolved into a form of civil religion, similar to how American patriotism has functioned as a civil religion. The post explores how the gay rights movement, which started as a counterculture, has become mainstream and incorporated many elements of traditional civic celebrations. Scott suggests that this evolution mirrors the historical development of other religions, particularly Christianity, which also started as a countercultural movement before becoming an established institution. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander uses a couples therapy case to explore how cultural defaults influence our judgments on relationship issues, reflecting on the importance of culture wars in shaping societal norms. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses a couples therapy case involving two gay men, Adam and Steve, who disagree about non-monogamy. Adam wants to engage in kinky activities outside their marriage, while Steve insists on monogamy. Scott uses this case to explore how cultural defaults influence our judgments in such situations. He argues that in different time periods or subcultures, the 'right' answer would be clear, but our current diverse culture makes it ambiguous. Scott reflects on how this realization has made him more understanding of both cultural activists and conservatives, as they are essentially fighting to set these cultural defaults. He concludes by acknowledging the importance of culture wars in shaping societal norms, while also apologizing for potentially reinforcing stereotypes about gay couples in his example. Shorter summary

Ozy responds to Spandrell's article on sexual deviancy, refuting claims about homosexuality, female paraphilias, and transgender experiences. Longer summary

This post is a response to Spandrell's article on sexual deviancy. Ozy argues against Spandrell's points on homosexuality, female paraphilias, and transgender women. They discuss animal homosexuality, the role of environment in sexual orientation, women's tendency to underreport sexual behaviors, and the existence of female paraphilias in erotic literature. Ozy also critiques Spandrell's understanding of autogynephilia and transgender experiences, arguing that autogynephilia is simply ordinary female sexuality. The post ends with Ozy addressing Spandrell's misconceptions about their own gender identity and sexual preferences. Shorter summary

Scott argues against the concept of 'objectification', claiming it unnecessarily stigmatizes harmless attractions and prevents potentially beneficial relationships. Longer summary

Scott criticizes the concept of 'objectification' or 'fetishization', particularly in response to writings by Ozy. He argues that the concept is flawed and potentially harmful, preventing mutually beneficial relationships from forming. Scott contends that being attracted to specific characteristics is not inherently wrong, and that the real issue is when people ignore consent, not objectification itself. He uses various examples to illustrate his point, including hypothetical scenarios and personal anecdotes. The post challenges the idea that having preferences or 'fetishes' is inherently problematic, suggesting that open communication about desires is more beneficial than stigmatizing them. Shorter summary