Some might say that a castrated lion is the perfect symbol for European defence policy - and the Times online claims some unidentified US blogger did but I have not found a source for that quote. It all began when a few women in the Nordic Battle Group were miffed that the symbol for their group showed a male lion, and they figured this was sex discrimination so they lodged a complaint with the European Court of Justice. Before anyone could say nip-tuck the lion on the coat of arms was castrated via computer.
The lion, before and after.
The Lions designer Vladimir A Sagerlund doesn't think it's in the least bit amusing: “The Army lacks knowledge about heraldry. Coats of arms containing lions without genitalia were given to those who betrayed the Crown.” he said to Göteborgs Posten. Mr Sagerlund knows a thing or two about this, having worked as a crest designer at the National Archives since 1994.
A pretty useless snip if you ask me, since the Lion is still clearly a male with that mane - the Times says that "the message remains clear: the lions are supposed to display courage and nothing else." To me, choosing the lazy-ass, never hunt for himself male lion as a symbol for courage when the females do all the scary hunting work (in tight units no less, with each female responsible for one part of the hunt, how very army-like) seems kind of silly right there so while we're already using by now outdated symbols could we at least let the poor critter keeps his balls? Then there are those who are better at latin than me who argue that "ad omnia paratus" in female form would be paratas, so we're not gender neutral even in the motto, making the snip a tad impotent.
There are plenty of other crests that are clearly male animals, and sadly it looks as if they'll be loosing their parts soon as well. Where will all the baby crests come from in the future?
Hat tip to Bold
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I read about this last week on various different news websites, and I really had to laugh. As an outsider observing Swedish society for the last 37 years, the women are the ones with the "balls." And I say this with much love for all my Swedish male friends, but c'mon guys, true is true. In lieu of hate mail, you can make a donation to your favorite charity! :-)
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PermalinkI just saw a television program last night about a transexual surgeon in Colorado who performs sex reassignment surgery, so this post seems very appropriate this morning. Of course her procedures can take six hours and she doesn't get to use photoshop.The male lions are indeed a bunch of lazy wankers, laying around preening themselves while the lionesses do all the work. Not unlike what goes on at my house.
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PermalinkIt all began when a few women in the Nordic Battle Group were miffed that the symbol for their group showed a male lion, and they figured this was sex discrimination so they lodged a complaint with the European Court of Justice.
It is always easier to re-write history than to create it. Perhaps the male lion symbol is appropriate for this group after-all.
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PermalinkUlrika is posting another thing: that the Gothenburg-lion don't have any genitals at the picture. Do that mean that people of the front of Sweden are sissys? ;)
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PermalinkWhy not a new slogan: "Ad Omnia Apparatus"
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PermalinkSissys have genitalia. They just don't have cojones.
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PermalinkThat gotheburg lion does seem to lack cojones, however it's not lacking a dick. ;)
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PermalinkThe unidentified blogger wasn't to hard to find: http://www.threaded.com/2007/12/ad-omnia-paratus.html
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PermalinkWell ta. I guess my search-fu was a bit rusty this morning.
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PermalinkNo, I don't think Threaded was the unidentified blogger since his post was on the 16th, and the Times article was on the 15th, and Threaded isn't a US blogger in any case. A google blog search reveals several other blogs on the topic all of whom predate the Times article, but most of them reference the "unidentified US blogger" as well.
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PermalinkAw, poor lion. I hope the lions from other parts of the world don't make fun of him, or rather her now.
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