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Hardwired for Sexism? Approaches to Sex/Gender in Neuroscience https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12152-011-9134-4#citeas
Evidence has long suggested that ‘hardwiring’ is a poor metaphor for brain development. The
metaphor pushes most neuroscience studies of sex/gender inexorably towards the ‘discovery’ of sex/gender differences, and makes contemporary gender structures appear natural and inevitable
metaphor pushes most neuroscience studies of sex/gender inexorably towards the ‘discovery’ of sex/gender differences, and makes contemporary gender structures appear natural and inevitable
Sex/gender: ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ are, in practical terms, inseparable. The patterning of life experiences according to social structures of gender has material effects on the body.
These effects show up, in turn, as biologically based
‘sex differences’.
These effects show up, in turn, as biologically based
‘sex differences’.
Feminist epidemiologists, biologists, and other scientists increasingly replace the discrete concepts of ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ with more complex formulations, such as notions of
‘biologic expressions of gender’ and ‘gendered expressions of biology’
‘biologic expressions of gender’ and ‘gendered expressions of biology’
In the classic paradigm, testosterone directs development away from the default ‘female’ pathway to
develop the male phenotype through an initial ‘organizing’ effect which is understood to permanently determine the character of the brain and behavior as masculine or feminine
develop the male phenotype through an initial ‘organizing’ effect which is understood to permanently determine the character of the brain and behavior as masculine or feminine
All indications are that human brains are not “sex
dimorphic”—they do not occur in two distinct forms. Many activation studies suggest that there are differences in the way that men and women “recruit” different regions of the brain when performing emotional and cognitive tasks
dimorphic”—they do not occur in two distinct forms. Many activation studies suggest that there are differences in the way that men and women “recruit” different regions of the brain when performing emotional and cognitive tasks
There is no reason to assume that these differences do not arise, at least in part, from gendered patterns of social roles and behaviors—that is, brain differences may result from
the very characteristics that are supposedly “hardwired” into the brain in the first place.
the very characteristics that are supposedly “hardwired” into the brain in the first place.
CAH females have the highest prenatal androgen exposures
of any known group of human females (and in spite of
common claims that there are differences in other
domains), only childhood toy preferences and adult
sexual orientation are consistently different in females with CAH
of any known group of human females (and in spite of
common claims that there are differences in other
domains), only childhood toy preferences and adult
sexual orientation are consistently different in females with CAH
the much-touted increase in same-sex orientation among women with CAH is generally limited to fantasy or attraction, while rates of actual same-sex behavior are only slightly elevated, if at all, especially when women with CAH are compared to women in the general population
The possible exception to this pattern is women with CAH who were initially assigned as male, in whom same sex behavior and identity do seem to be elevated above population rates
These differences cannot be conclusively attributed to hormones, in part because CAH has wide-ranging effects on post-natal physiology. Girls with CAH have very unusual rearing experiences and extremely intrusive medical interventions and monitoring
