So, very recently, during the whole Harvey Weinstein scandal, Weinstein was compared to a hyena.

近来 在哈维·温斯坦的丑闻中 温斯坦被比作了一只鬣狗

This is one of those instances where I just shook my head and just thought,

听到这种说法后 我瞬间就摇头否认 觉得

'Well, that is just about the most least-appropriate animal to compare Harvey Weinstein to.'

“把哈维·温斯坦比成鬣狗这种动物真是最不恰当的”

The reason why—I think it was The New York Times that was comparing Harvey Weinstein to a hyena—

为什么——应该是《纽约时报》把哈维·温斯坦比成了鬣狗——

was because they are seen as these aggressive, unpleasant, cowardly, malicious, malevolent creatures.

因为它们被视为好斗 令人讨厌 怯懦 邪恶和有坏心眼的动物

The truth about hyenas is that they are really, I think, more like the feminist icons of the animal kingdom.

但我觉得 鬣狗其实更像是动物王国中的女权主义偶像

The spotted hyena is an extraordinary creature.

斑鬣狗是一种非常优秀的生物

They are the original “chicks with dicks” because they have extraordinary genitalia.

它们是最初的“亚洲小鸡” 因为它们的生殖器非常发达

The female’s genitalia is a facsimile of the male’s.

雌性鬣狗的生殖器跟雄性一样

She has what is described in polite zoological circles as a “pseudo-penis”, which is actually an eight-inch clitoris.

雌性鬣狗有着动物学上的礼貌用语所谓的“伪阴茎” 其实就是一个八英寸的阴蒂

And she also has a fake scrotum.

雌性鬣狗还有一个假阴囊

And it’s an unusual piece of equipment for a female, because it’s a strange multitasking organ, the pseudo-penis,

这对雌性而言是一种很不常见的器官 因为这个伪阴茎是一种很奇怪的多任务处理器官

because the female hyena will actually copulate, urinate and give birth through it.

因为雌鬣狗需要通过它交配 小便和分娩

So giving birth is a bit like squeezing a melon out of a hose pipe,

所以鬣狗产仔有点像从一根软管里挤出一个瓜

and a large percentage of cubs suffocate on the way out,

很多幼崽在生产过程中窒息而亡

and a large amount of first-time moms die in childbirth.

还有很多第一次生产的鬣狗妈妈会难产死亡

So you’ve got to think, 'Hello evolution, what were you thinking when you evolved the pseudo-penis in the hyena?

所以你会想 “进化你好啊 你让鬣狗进化出伪阴茎 是想干嘛呢

What possible reason can there be for this structure?'

这个生理结构背后有什么道理呢？”

And there are lots of theories as to why, but the most favored theory by Kay Holekamp—

有很多理论能解释这一点 不过最受欢迎的是Kay Holekamp的理论——

who’s the Jane Goodall of spotted hyenas, an amazing scientist who has been studying them in the wild for years and years and years—

她是斑鬣狗界的珍·古德 很多年来一直在野外研究鬣狗 是一名了不起的科学家——

when I asked her, she said that she thought that it was all to do with the war between the sexes.

我问她的时候 她说 这一切都是因为雌雄之间的争斗

So hyenas are unusual, the females; they don’t just have a pseudo-penis and a fake scrotum,

雌鬣狗很独特；它们不光有伪阴茎和假阴囊

but they’re also bigger than the males and they’re more aggressive.

而且它们的伪阴茎和假阴囊比雄性的还要大 雌鬣狗也更具攻击性

Hyena society is a strict matriarchy, with dominance passing down the female line.

鬣狗社会是很严格的母权社会 统治权会在雌性之间传承

Males are reduced to the very outskirts of society where they are forced to beg for acceptance, food, and sex.

雄性被驱逐到了社会边缘 它们必须得乞求接纳 食物和性

So the females are really running the show, and they’re extremely aggressive.

所以一切都是雌性说了算 雌性的攻击性也很强

Now, if a male wants to mate with a female it’s almost impossible for him to do that without her cooperation

所以 如果雄性想跟雌性交配 没有雌性的合作 那雄性几乎不可能如愿以偿

because it’s kind of like trying to have sex with a sock—because he’s got to try and insert his erect actual-penis into her half-foot floppy pseudo-penis.

因为那会像跟袜子交配一样——因为雄性得把勃起的真实阴茎插入雌性半英尺长的松软的伪阴茎里

I mean, it’s not for the faint-hearted.

这一点胆小鬼可做不到

You can’t really do it unless the female is on your side.

除非雌鬣狗同意 否则根本做不到

Now, amongst mammals rape is not uncommon.

在哺乳动物中 强奸并不罕见

Dolphins—everybody loves them, look like they’re smiling—but they are not averse to boffing each other’s blowholes.

海豚——人见人爱 看起来像在笑——不过它们可不反对去戳彼此的气孔

There’s actually a fair amount of non-consensual sex, shall we say, that happens amongst dolphins.

其实海豚中有很多非自愿的性行为 如果可以这么说的话

But for the female hyena, there’s absolutely no way that the male can force himself on her

但对雌鬣狗来说 雄鬣狗绝对无法强迫它

because she has to be completely compliant in order for him to be able to mate with her.

因为雄性要想与雌性交配 就需要雌性完全的配合

So the idea that Harvey Weinstein was described as a hyena

所以说把哈维·温斯坦比作鬣狗

when this is an animal that is a strict matriarch, an aggressive female with a built-in anti-rape device,

这种极度母权 雌性极具攻击性 还自带反强奸器官的动物

is about the most ludicrous thing I’ve ever heard.

真是我听过最荒谬的说法