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Male chickens, known as cocks (in most countries), cockerels (if younger than one year) or roosters (primarily in the US and Canada), are common symbols of masculinity, and their natural inclination to fight has been exploited in staged cockfights, sometimes with a metal spike added to or replacing the natural spurs. Most countries have banned cockfighting, but it is still legal in two U.S. states, New Mexico and Louisiana, and is common in Southeast Asia. Cockfighting was popular in ancient Greece. According to tradition, it was introduced in Athens by Themistokles as a public spectacle. Fighting cocks were fed garlic and onions to increase their aggression. In ancient Greece, the gift of a fighting cock among men was a common way to initiate a homosexual relationship. Gems often show a cock combined with Eros, the god of love. Sometimes cockfighting has a religious significance, as in Bali, where the shed blood is seen as cleansing.
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