Bill Nye is a lifelong devotee to the pursuit of scientific knowledge. He’s been around so long that I can’t remember what his first science show even looked like, although I do remember watching the show so many times that the introductory chant of “BILL! BILL! BILL! BILL! BILL!” is still burned into my brain. While the visuals have faded, the idea of the scientific method (one Uncle Bill effortlessly fills with joy and wonder) has stayed with me throughout my life. In fact, it’s one of the reasons I returned to his (new) show: I had something to learn.
“Right now biologists, sociologists, anthropologists they're are all trying to figure this out. And they’re all figuring out that sexuality is on a spectrum. If you’re like me (and I know I am) you’re still learning about this field of science. We used to think there were just two settings: male and female. But it’s actually a lot sexier than that!” - Bill Nye
As children we are constantly bombarded with information meant to guide us on life’s journey As adults, this supposition of ignorance is something we tend to avoid, relying on obfuscation to hide our errors. Despite the fact we all re-adjust our understanding of the world on a daily basis, we often tell ourselves that science is static: something to be learned and then left forever. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, true knowledge can only be attained when a previous ignorance has been revealed, offering a paradox of experiences to those that crave understanding while also attempting to avoid misinformation. This paradox hit me smack in the face a few nights ago when a conversation over drinks turned in the direction of gender politics. Riding a wave of liquid confidence I asked an (admittedly) ignorant question, one which earned me a remedial class with Bill Nye. Despite the ignorance of the moment, I am here to report I’m a better vanilla cone for doing so.
“For those of you out there who may be concerned about people who don’t seem to share your sexuality: just get over it, will you!? Those people are not going to try to have sex with you, for more than one reason.” - Bill Nye
Whether explaining the science of human chromosomes, the shifting understand of gender, or the cultural importance of tolerance, Bill Nye’s new show was a delight to watch and learn from. Despite the weight of a topic like human sexuality and gender, everyone’s favourite bowtied scientist delivers both information and critical insight in a way that is educational, entertaining, and rarely preachy. While I am certainly skeptical that a science show can save the world, in only one episode I learned that it can at least save us all from a little bit of ignorance. And that’s a discovery worth tuning in for. Thanks, Bill.