Brainy: the new sexy

The AsapScience guys come out (again)


Brainy is the new sexy.

It’s funny how these little things in life coincide. When I set out to find a subject for my latest History Boys column (page 26 of the issue currently out on the stands) I wanted to find a scientist who was also gay. LGBT people are very well represented, historically, in arts and culture, but the only openly gay scientist I could think of was Alan Turing, an innovator whose life was destroyed by homophobia and a violently oppressive legal system.

For contemporary, gay, scientific role models who are putting their brainpower to work, I have to look no further than YouTube.

Mitchell Moffit and Gregory Brown, the genius, not to mention Canadian, science educators behind AsapScience, released a video today where they came out (again) and dissected the homophobia and sexism they’ve experienced through their YouTube channel.

“Women face a similar challenge in this respect, in that any time there’s a woman or a gay man behind an educational channel, the comments just seem to fixate on that and avoid the actual scientific discussion in the first place,” Moffit says.

“Where are the role models that are showing kids that they can be smart and intelligent and successful and be gay at the same time?” Moffit asks. “Or about the ones that can tell them it’s not all about their personality and looks that will get them through in life?”

AsapScience has taught me so many amazing things: why farts smell, why love happens, why morning wood happens . . . As a fellow queer science enthusiast, I’m super proud of the work they do and the incredible guys behind it!

Michael Lyons is a queer-identified, chaotic neutral writer, activist, misanthrope, sapiosexual, and feline enthusiast. He is a columnist, blogger and regular contributor with Xtra and has contributed to Plenitude Magazine, KAPSULA Magazine, Crew Magazine, Memory Insufficient e-zine, The Ryersonian, Buddies Theatre blog, Toronto Is Awesome blog and Fab Magazine and more.

Keep Reading

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 16, Episode 11 power ranking: Power(Point) rankings

The choice in winner this week—and the editing of another queen’s reaction—tells us a lot about the state of the competition

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 16, Episode 11 recap: “You’re a mom and pop, I’m a corporation’

The queens take on drag seminars, and it’s as weird as it sounds

What ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ taught me about being in a queer relationship

How Seattle’s steamiest—and gayest—hospital helped me climb out from under a harrowing breakup

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 16, Episode 10 power ranking: Lucky seven

A top two Lip Sync for the Win makes for interesting power rankings