What is a mammal? Fur. Hair. Special Ear-bones. Neocortex. Diaphragm. Red blood cells. MILK!
But males don't make milk. In humans they have nipples and shriveled mammary glands, but no milk. Horses, rats, and mice don't even have that.
So why mammal? It seems the least appropriate of all our distinctive characteristics.
Carl Linaeus named the mammal because was obsessed with breasts. More specifically he was opposed to the practice of wet-nursing. By naming the mammal (before him our class was just the quadrupeds) he promoted the feeding of ones own children and elevated women to caring mothers.
Perhaps it would have been more accurate to name ourselves after our hair?
How about: We are Pelosa! The hirsute ones!
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