People – well, men – are unhappy with this fact about lions
We’ve probably all seen Disney’s The Lion King by now, with its image of a pride of lions as the big boss male, benevolently watching over and protecting his females and cubs, whilst keeping the other males in their place – below him yet more powerful than the lionesses. But that’s a misrepresentation of the real gender roles of lions, as this post shows.
National Geographic called me and asked me to write the feminist facts about how The Lion King gets lion pride dynamics all wrong. I happily complied. Lions are matrilineal!! https://t.co/qp4PgTuHuo
— Erin Biba (@erinbiba) July 8, 2019
When I contacted Craig Packer, one of the world's leading lion researchers, to talk about this story he was IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE. He Skyped me almost instantly from a camp in Kenya and said he's been waiting for someone to ask him this question since the original film came out.
— Erin Biba (@erinbiba) July 8, 2019
Anyway, if The Lion King were real, Nala would be the star, Sarabi would be holding her up saying everything the light touches is our kingdom, Simba would have left and never come back, and when Nala got old enough Sarabi would have carved out a territory for her to rule.
— Erin Biba (@erinbiba) July 8, 2019
Science journalist, Erin Biba‘s posts were well received by those in the know.
An AZA zoo volunteer for years, I can tell you that our lion groups were ALWAYS run by the females. Males did exactly what they were told to do. Females decided on intercourse, cub intros, division of labor, and who baby sat. Letting the male eat first was definitely merit based.
— Dorothy Frisch (@DorothyFrisch1) July 9, 2019
Love this – Thank you! Had similar thoughts, when Jerry Seinfeld had his Bee Movie and showed the male bees doing the pollinating, being all "masculine" etc. Bee enthusiasts know its the female bees who do ALL the important work: protecting the hive, pollinating, etc.
— Daniel Maycock (@danielmaycock) July 8, 2019
But there was a certain demographic coming into Erin’s mentions to complain and criticise – A.M.O.T.I. (Angry Men On The Internet).
How the hell is this necessary?
— Kyle McCall (@lacymccall25) July 9, 2019
Its based in Shakespeare, not nature
I hate 2019
— R (@ro_503_) July 9, 2019
Bro stfu it's a fucking kids movie https://t.co/3Gdesj9u16
— Daan (@Lemailleur) July 9, 2019
Correct me if I’m wrong but it is the males job to guard the territory and prevent other prides from expanding into their territory, the lionesses help guard and defend the territory but it is overall the males job
— 🗿 (@SamDodson17) July 9, 2019
Why do people always have to ruin the good shit https://t.co/F2YfPnECHG
— Valentino (@71N0_) July 10, 2019
I'm sure glad we addressed the only biologic misfact in the entirety of lion king and not finding victimhood where it doesn't exist.
— What's in a name? (@Supercoop8221) July 9, 2019
There were so many men crying in the replies, Erin shared a few of the “best”.
Men are so mad that the world's leading lion researcher told me lion prides are run by the females. So. Mad. pic.twitter.com/lIKnH24PgH
— Erin Biba (@erinbiba) July 9, 2019
As if by magic, more men turned up to disagree with the world’s foremost expert on lions.
Prides aren't 'run' by either sex. Females do most of the hunting and the nurturing of cubs; males steam in first to claim much of the kill and they fight all opponents.
So females = food and cubs, and males = first share of food and battles with usurpers. Neither is boss.
— Xero One (@XeroOne5) July 9, 2019
Well your right but also kind of wrong, I think you interpretted wrongly what they said. Females are the core and primary hunters in a pride while males usually defend the females and hunt when needed. Its an equal heirarchy in which females are stronger but not that strong.
— Gaskit (@Gaskit2) July 10, 2019
Let’s just leave this here shall we …
Source: Erin Biba
