"Male Reproductive Rights?"

So I read this NYTimes article about "Forced Fatherhood" and boy do I have some things to say!!!

Alright here's the thing: a woman's right to choose is inherently very different from the "male reproductive rights" being proposed. "Oh wow that sounds PRETTY SEXIST doesn't it????? I thought u was gender equality but I guess ONLY WOMEN matter 2 u!!!!" you may be saying but shut up and let me explain.

So, a "woman's right to choose" is predicated on the idea that an unborn child doesn't have the same rights as a human being- we consider a fetus or embryo is inherently connected to a woman's body, and thus conclude "her body her choice". Maybe that's a debatable claim, but in all of the arguments regarding of "Forced Fatherhood" I've seen it generally accepted as true, so that's not really the discussion we've having right now.

However, after a child is born it is unambiguously considered to be a human being. As a human being, it now has certain basic rights. Children ought to have the right to a certain standard of living, and parents should have the responsibility to provide that.

Also, I feel like it's worth pointing out that "coercing a man into fatherhood" and "forcing someone to financially support the living being they created" are very different things!

Are there any real health benefits of green tea?

I drink green tea fairly regularly- partly because I genuinely like the taste and partly because it sort of feels like I'm doing something "healthy". Green tea is often casually treated as some kind of panacea- it allegedly burns fat, boosts your metabolism, lowers your risk of cancer, improves your skin, reduces your chances of developing heart disease, etc. However, it is not clear if this information is mostly fact or folklore. 

Conclusions as to whether green tea actually increases energy expenditure and promotes fat oxidation are contradictory. One study found that green tea extract significantly boosted fat oxidation in healthy men when compared to a placebo or just caffeine alone. Others have concluded, however, that this effect is negligible- a report from Dalhousie University analyzing multiple studies has found that the consumption of green tea has no statistically significant 
effect on weight loss. 

However, studies have shown that drinking green tea reduces the chance of developing cancers within humans. Major ingredients within green tea can inhibit urokinase, an enzyme that can promote cancer growth. However, some studies have shown that in order to reap the benefits of green tea, one would have to drink significantly more than just one cup a day. 

SOURCES: (http://golemxiv.dh.meduohio.edu/pdf/Nature.pdf, http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/70/6/1040.long, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23235664

Does Birth Order Make a Difference?

I am an only child. When I mention that to people for the first time, occasionally someone will mention something about only children being quieter or more independent. I've always wondered if there was actual merit to this, and if birth order actually permanently influenced behavior or personality.

There are distinct stereotypes found when it comes birth order. The oldest child tends to be more authoritative and competent. The youngest tends to be charming and popular, and capable of getting others to do what they want. The middle child tends to feel forgotten and overlooked, while only children feel constantly scrutinized and pressured.

There is one interesting caveat to studying the effect of birth order- a child's "actual birth order" may differ from their "perceived birth order". This can occur due to illness within the family, the size of the family, or significant age differences between siblings. Studies have found that your perceived place within the family actually does influence the beliefs of individuals. Furthermore, a study performed by a Ghent University psychologist found that, on average, siblings close in age (roughly 2.5 years apart) set goals differently. First-born children were significantly more likely to choose goals that that were "self-referenced" (more likely to be chosen for themselves) while second-born children were more likely to choose goals that were "other-referenced".

While there does seem to be some veracity to the assumptions we make about birth order, differences in first born children, second born children, etc. could emerge simply because parents subtly project these roles onto their children. By being treated as the authority figure by their parents, acknowledging the popular stereotype, the first born may assume this role. It's funny to think that maybe our "pop psychology" assumptions may influence behavior, instead of the other way around.

(SOURCE: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201305/elusive-birth-order-effect-and-what-it-means-you)

INTRO?

Hello, I am Edem Bronett. 

I thought is would be nice to have a blog that's slightly more academic than the ones I use to whine about my teenage life. You should expect a lot of rambunctious blathering about feminism and psychology, I guess!