What, These Knockers Here?
In academic news, Yasmin Benoit, “model and award-winning asexual activist,” announces her new position and wants you to notice her cleavage:
I’m honoured to announce that I’ve been given a visiting position at @KingsCollegeLon! We’re going to be conducting research into asexuality together & our first academic paper will be coming out this month! I’m in my academic era. 🎓#ThisIsWhatAsexualLooksLike pic.twitter.com/cam5uhAvvt
— Yasmin Benoit, MSc (@theyasminbenoit) January 3, 2025
Because she’s so asexual, you know.
Via Ophelia, who asks a not unreasonable question.
Readers are welcome to speculate as to what, exactly, “asexual rights” might entail, and how being asexual, or, more coyly, aromantic, differs in any meaningful way from having a low sex drive. Other than the statusful, rather pretentious labelling, I mean.
Update, via the comments:
Clam quips,
*tries not to look at tits*
Truly, we live in an age of wonders.
At which point, I should add that Ms Benoit’s insights, aired via Instagram, include a revelation that SpongeBob Squarepants is also asexual. Which may hint at the dizzying levels of scholarship to be anticipated.
Inevitably, Ms Benoit shoehorns in a racial victimhood angle. Because… well, one can’t be seen without one, I suppose. Not in academia. And so, we’re told that asexual people who are also black “just aren’t perceived as the ideal type of asexual representation, nor are we as amplified or included within the asexual community nearly as much.”
Yes, it’s tears and contrivance all the way down.
And I have to say, Visiting Research Fellows aren’t generally so keen to show off their bras in their social media avatars, or to foreground their breasts in every single photo, or indeed to do interviews with Playboy magazine. Complete with breast-heavy – but, like, totally asexual – photoshoots.
Above, one of many such items. For research purposes only.
So she’s going to write an academic paper in… three weeks?
*tries not to look at tits*
Oh, good heavens, woman.
Wear a top.
We live in an age of wonders.
Something tells me that the customary gathering and analysis of data, and the customary peer-review, will all take place at unprecedented speed, if indeed at all.
But hey, great rack.
The claims to “asexuality” and the very evidently sexual nature of her clothing, are in fact not contradictory. They both say – I am pretentious, and I need attention and flattery, but I don’t want to rely on my character, personality or achievements as that would involve hard work and sincerity.
So these would have to do. Come look at me, while I accuse you of being a bad person for “objectifying” me.
The bigger problem, though, is the hordes of reasonably intelligent young girls passing through university, who also, because of being girls, will be agreeable and believe what they think would give them social points. Its the influence on their minds and approach to life that’s the bigger worry.
Inevitably, Ms Benoit shoehorns in a racial victimhood angle. Because… well, because.
And we’re told that SpongeBob Squarepants is also asexual. Which must be that scholarship we keep hearing about.
And I have to say, Visiting Research Fellows aren’t generally so keen to show off their bras in their social media avatars, or to foreground their breasts in every single photo, or indeed to do interviews with Playboy magazine. Complete with breast-heavy – but, like, totally asexual – photoshoots.
For research purposes only.
Finally! A home for the Incels
That.
Apparently it only takes cleavage to cure David’s sciatica.
On suppression via regulation. And fashionable pretensions.
And happily, some belated correction.
[ Muffled wincing. ]
Fake from haircolor to toe nail polish. Dumb in the middle.
Via Ophelia, who asks a not unreasonable question.
I believe the word that covers this is “ratchet”, regardless, this appears to be like the “aromantics” who have crushes, just more MSU.
Kanye West, sex, and sadism.
[ Post updated. ]
We usually talk about B.S. scholarship as being pulled out of the professor’s ass.
In this case it’s a different orifice.
Ah, the swashbuckling tales of Dumas – :“All for one, two for the all you can eat buffet!”
The one that Empress Theodora wished she had?
Or it could be a deficit in any or all of those characteristics.
?
You have to admit ‘Visiting Research Fellow’ sounds much more impressive than ‘Playmate’.
Given what we have seen from academia lately, can we really say she doesn’t fit in?
Blasphemy laws on one hand, academic pornography on the other.
Something has to give.
There’s an asexual “community”? How long can that last? Shakers redux!
She’s sending some very mixed messages.
Extreme, round-the-clock sexual attention-seeking combined, simultaneously, with claims that sexual attention is unwelcome.
I mean, you say it out loud…
NEEDY and CRAZY.
Schizophrenic Ross. Just Ross.
They just didn’t try hard enough. After all, Beyonce won a Grammy for Best Country Music Album and Joe Biden won the 2020 POTUS election. Anything is possible.
Guardian readers do dating.
Rajesh Koothrappali?
Sounds a lot like cultural appropriation. You know, requiring trans actors to play any trans role? So why should asexuals take the sexy jobs?
Also, what sexiness is she appropriating? It’s not just one thing, sexy is relative to your *audience’s* preferences. Is she pretending to be straight sexy, gay sexy, queer sexy, trans sexy? I feel some kind of crib sheet or explanatory plaque is needed. Perhaps a badge, though that would probably hide much of the pretend-sexy.
Extreme, round-the-clock sexual attention-seeking combined, simultaneously, with claims that sexual attention is unwelcome.
Or, in the vernacular, “Look at my tits! Stop looking at my tits.”
Boobies were never highbrow.
Not really my area, guv. I looked at the second photo and all that came to mind were the oversize baps in the Béres roast pork sandwich shop.
At 04:00, he talks about Larry Fink with Blackrock rolling back all the “retarded” social projects that he’d previously been pushing and pushing.
That’s surprising. I thought Fink was a true believer, and that he was using his leverage to force compliance with a hard-left agenda that would eventually consolidated all corporate control in Washington (read: fascism).
Who knew he had his finger to the wind?
Well, quite. Though now I’m hungry and annoyed.
There is an “asexuality” community? eh?
Does it include incels?
For those who missed it, very much related.
So she’s going to write an academic paper in… three weeks?
ChatGPT is going to write the paper, which will be a buzzword salad larded up with some victimhood ideology crap for seasoning. Pal review will see all the right keywords and pass it through for publication.
She saw how well the whole trans thing went down for “look at me pay attention to me obey me” types, but doesn’t want all the messy ick with taking hormones, getting surgery, or apparently the messy ick involved in actual involvement with either sex. So basically all the worship of the GQBLT++ but without the commitments. Bingo presto a new stripe on the already overindulged, overburdened “rainbow” flag.
By the way, Ms Benoit’s Playboy interview can be found here.
Imagine blood loss as a reading experience.
Word on the street is that Canadians are having a right-old freakout today: tagging American-made products to boycott, Canadian-made to buy up, and asking those who do remote work for American companies whether they’ll quit their jobs.
I should think it’s best to wait a bit before making big decisions, because things are likely to settle out in a much less drastic manner than is currently being threatened. You know, for the negotiation leverage.
But it’s Trump, so who knows.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9K9wiH2Lko
tariffs: well, for all those who are crowding the stores, looks like Mexico already caved and I bet Canada does too.
By the way, if the lass featured here knows how to look sexy, she is not asexual. Just sayin. Only in clown world can you get bonus points for hormonal deficiencies and mental illnesses.
And in Hollywood movie-award news.
A whore is a whore of course of course…
We hate you! Why don’t you like us!
Jeff Goldstein:
Links in original.
pst314 (1:48 pm): The “Secret History” of Procopius (6th century) tells of how Theodora was a notorious prostitute before she became Byzantine empress. He records her as saying that it was too bad she had been given only three orifices, because she would have liked to have a fourth in the area that this Yasmin is showing off.
Trump is WYSIWYG. For people who spend their days avoiding the reality of what they say and what they do it’s unsurprising they’re taken aback.
My sister-in-law is freaking out because (someone told her) Elon has taken over the treasury or banking system or something and why aren’t we concerned that he has access to our money…or something. This is an educated woman, medical background, nursing degree, middle management, six figure income before retirement. Big home on golf course of nice country club in suburban Atlanta. Married to a “Republican” Eagle Scout. She’s been texting back and forth with my wife the last few weeks. I ask (my wife, not getting involved directly), “Who had all this access before?” Some faceless nobody with plenty to gain. Why wouldn’t one more trust Elon with all his self-made billions over some faceless bureaucrat with nothing to lose and plenty to (relatively speaking) gain? Such is how well educated, high income people think. Because that’s what all their friends think. And that’s what scares me. Though with all this winning, I’m breathing a bit easier lately.
Oh, yes. The whole country is melting down. The Ontario liquor authority has removed all US alcohol from the shelves.
Not a chance in hell. There’s not enough popcorn in the world for this.
I’m not so sure. I’ve seen an interesting theory that Trump wants to re-open the USMCA early (there’s a window in 2026 for renegotiation) but one of the only possible conditions is a national security issue. Trump is not as protectionist as people think, he uses the threat of tariffs to get other countries to stop protecting their own industries while still getting access to the US market. I think there’s something to this. I mean, Canada is a failed narco-state but given the way Trump negotiated trade deals in his first term I can see the logic.
Thanks. I found a few more details by looking up “Secret History Procopius” in Wikipedia. Looking up “Empress Theodora” was less helpful, earlier, as Wikipedia returned a long list of empresses with that name.
Setting aside the entertaining salaciousness of the story, I do wonder about its accuracy. I have read that similarly scandalous stories about some Roman emperors are questionable and may be nothing more than defamatory stories concocted by their enemies.
Why should they be left out of the fun? Some of the liberals I know are practically in hysterics.
But it’s Trump, so who knows.
This Sub-Stack essay link posted at Kate’s makes an interesting case for how Trump is reestablishing the Monroe Doctrine of 1823 to reconsolidate Fortress America. Here’s part two. It’s a long read but the author makes some interesting points.
For the record, in my opinion, Canada has become a failed state. Our system is badly broken and our current leaders have put us in a position that ensures we will remain on the outside of any future economic success. Given that future or becoming the 51st state. I’d vote in a referendum to join the US. Unfortunately, there are too many more who define their being Canadian as not being American.
As for trying to pick and choose products to either support or boycott, those people have no idea how integrated our two economies have become. Some say don’t buy French’s mustard because it’s made in the US (Buffalo), but it’s made with almost 100% mustard seeds from Saskatchewan. Heinz ketchup closed an Ontario plant over 10 years ago and temporarily made ketchup bound for Canada in the US. But for almost ten years now, they manufacture ketchup in Quebec with tomatoes grown exclusively in Ontario. Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey is made with rye from Canada. Cars that people think are built exclusively in Canada are made from parts made in the US, Mexico, Canada and sometimes China. That car might cross the border as many as 8 times before final assembly. It’s a mug’s game and Canadian “nationalism” is really “irrationalism.”
What does “being sexy while being asexual” even mean?
I am a reasonable man and willing to compromise: Ban both Islam and pornography and implement Christian blasphemy laws.
Canada’s economic position relative to the US is so hilariously weak that all I can do at antics like that is point and laugh.
Current exchange rate: 1US$ = 1.44CAN$
Last time I visited Canada it was close to 1-to-1. Sad.
Aaaand Canada caves in a matter of hours.
https://www.smalldeadanimals.com/2025/02/03/art-of-the-deal-71/
Word Has Come Down that it’s the worst thing evar! Especially since DOGE discovered that Treasury has never denied a payment to anyone, ever, even if they’re shady as hell.
You know what? BANKS can’t do that! They have to implement rigorous anti-money-laundering measures to ensure they’re not allowing terrorists to open accounts with them, because if they allow criminals to use their infrastructure, they get in Big Trouble.
Also, he’s axing USAID, the CIA slush-fund NGO that the gubmint uses to do stuff they’re not constitutionally allowed to do. Lots of snouts in that trough, and they’re all shaking their fists at Elon and his mighty horde of autistic software geniuses, one of whom got a huge award for using AI to decipher a 2000 yr old scroll that scholars hadn’t been able to figure out for decades.
Recommended: inject Elon’s replies feed directly into your jugular.
I mean, where else you gonna get this elixir of life?
Aaaand Canada caves in a matter of hours.
Tbf, Canada announced most of those things almost a month ago. It took Trump that long to accept them.
Nice Alinsky ref, Devon. Amazing.
That’s all it is. So why do people with low sex drives need special rights? How would you even discriminate against someone for having a low sex drive?
Actually it’s possible to want attention and publicity (and exploit sex appeal to get them) while not wanting sex. It can happen to young men too. Mononucleosis will do it, but Prozac helps, especially if (as George Stephanopoulos described in his memoir) mixed with gallons of coffee.
Discrimination against asexuals: Refers to laws that were meant to reward young couples for having formal weddings, but that penalize singles–including the half of all couples who become single when death doth them part. We have those in the US.
All good questions. And so far as I can see, and despite the confidence with which these needs are asserted, Ms Benoit doesn’t offer much in the way of answers. She claims to be “raising awareness,” in a supposedly daring and heroic way, yet there’s a remarkable coyness about particulars.
Ms Benoit’s Playboy interview includes a link to her “asexual rights initiative,” but all it contains are a few glib, fragmented sentences – “Aces deserve to be heard.” There’s no actual content. No compelling statistics or scandal-worthy examples of being oppressed. It’s just slogans mouthed by the terminally self-absorbed.
It seems to be a kind of glorified pronoun-envy. Sort of, “Those trans kids are getting all the attention with their boutique identities. I want attention, too.”
We’re told, “Many ace people feel invisible and their experiences are often overlooked, with a significant portion not feeling comfortable coming out about their asexuality.” But if you don’t regard yourself as a sexual being, or as someone who wants a romantic partner, why is being “overlooked” – in terms of romance and sexuality – an issue? What purpose would “coming out” serve, beyond drawing attention to oneself? Why is a lack of interest in sex a basis for activism and demands for funding?
As demands go, it’s not exactly compelling.
But then, Ms Benoit is much too busy talking about herself while squeezing her breasts together.
So how was your day?
Fat man in Far Side glasses takes down flag.
Claiming to ‘not be afraid to be sexy whilst being asexual’ is rather like claiming to not be afraid to be fat whilst being a marathon runner, isn’t it??
The chap in question, named Emerald, would have us believe,
Which raises the question of why flags affirming serious mental illness, compelled unrealism, and surgical mutilation were felt necessary props in a classroom where children learn English.
When not mournfully taking down flags, our shaper of young minds imagines himself as Barbie, and stipulates his fabulist pronouns, which vary according to location, mood and medication.
So nothing to worry about there.
Kids having to learn his made-up pronouns is indoctrination.
Kids having to pretend he’s a woman is indoctrination.
Yes.
Playboy used to publish intelligent interviews with intelligent and accomplished people. Now, I suppose, it’s just another dying media beast desperate for attention.
Rewarding marriage and child-bearing is a sensible policy.
pst314: Playboy used to publish intelligent interviews with intelligent and accomplished people.
Oh well, now people will just have to say they read it for the tits and ass, I guess…
We’re told, “Many ace people feel invisible and their experiences are often overlooked, with a significant portion not feeling comfortable coming out about their asexuality.”
a) Why, other than attention seeking, would anyone fell compelled to tell the world? Sure if you are gay announcing might attract partners but that wouldn’t be the goal with an “asexual”.
b) Prove you are one.
He has a rich imaginary life.
Umm . . . what experiences?
[ Grunting, stretching, muttering. ]
LOL.
But if the screenshot above is any guide, their target market is people who like obvious skanks and hood rats.
Worse than Hamas.
Left behind.
Principled.
More DOGE, please.
About that Mr./Mrs. Potato Head musical . . .
Amid the layered farce, what jumped out was the phrase “blatant beliefs.”
Left behind.
On the topic of DEI nonsense, if this is genuine, about 1.38 Million Imperial Dollars for West Yorkshire Rozzer DEI nugs.
Now that may seem like chump change to the way money is thrown away in the US, but that is 46 more mid level PC Plods that could be on the streets – whether that is a good thing is left to the student, but I’m reasonably sure the money could go to good use elsewhere regardless.
I do want to know what the hell a “Positive Action Ambassador” is, though.
LOL: Scottish outrage as Harrison Ford wears kilt made in England.
But was it only Scottish kilt makers who were angry, or was it Scots in general?
Given those PC Plods have taken to doxing those who disrespect Muhammedism, mayhap that’s not the best use of the funds.
…mayhap that’s not the best use of the funds…
True, but is it PC Plod, or the Positive Action Ambassadors doing the actual doxing?
The Star Wars icon is the new face of Glenmorangie…
Sad, that is good stuff and using him is not on the same level as that Mulvaney chap for Bud Lite, but getting there.
Ford, rightly or not, has a public image of daring & manliness. Don’t think you’re likely to see him bouncing around in a school-girl outfit prattling on about having a first ‘period’.
Don’t think you’re likely to see him bouncing around in a school-girl outfit…
It is not the flouncing, it is the leftist lunacy.
Don’t be too sure about anything. He’s still a Hollywood leftist. His blue collar roots were bleached out a long time ago. Anyone backing Kamala should have their testosterone checked.
We are currently in the US experiencing coordinated protests called “A Day Without Immigrants”. It is pretty hilarious because immigrants does not equal illegals and Trump explicitly campaigned on deporting illegals. A message that a majority of hispanic males voted for. They had a chance to make their case and could not so now they are going to block traffic. Oh, and the LA protesters took their kids out of school to the protest so cops could not respond. Hiding behind kids is so stunning and brave.
[ Quietly, heroically compiles Friday’s Ephemera. ]
The global historical norm is that most people are asexual most of the time, or should be politely assumed to be. But in the post sexual revolution West, people who say they’re bachelors/spinsters/asexuals by choice can expect to be the subject of amateur psychology about their repression or sour grapes, and to have their occupations/pastimes examined as sublimations or copes. Is the word “asexual” going to forestall that kind of indiscreet speculation any more than the word “bachelor” did?
As we speak, my house is being cleaned by a couple-three immigrants. God bless them.
The deliberate and repeated conflation of immigrants with illegal, criminal aliens is difficult to forgive.
Tbf, Canada announced most of those things almost a month ago. It took Trump that long to accept them.
Tbf, Trump was not president a month ago. He may have been in transition and meeting with people so it prolly seemed like he was president, but the husk-puppet’s string pullers were still officially in charge, and doing stuff, right up until Trump took the oath of office.