Testosterone rex : myths of sex, science, and society / Cordelia Fine.

Author/creator Fine, Cordelia author.
Format Book
EditionFirst edition.
PublicationNew York, N.Y. : W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., [2017]
Description266 pages ; 25 cm
Subjects

Contents Part one: Past. Flies of fancy -- One hundred babies? -- A new position on sex -- Part two: Present. Why can't a woman be more like a man? -- Skydiving wallflowers -- The hormonal essence of the T-rex? -- The myth of the Lehman sisters -- Part three: Future. Vale rex.
Abstract Challenges conventional beliefs about evolutionary factors that are used to justify gender politics, outlining arguments against cultural stereotypes, in a call for a more equal society that recognizes the potential of both sexes.
Abstract "Many people believe that, at its core, biological sex is a fundamental, diverging force in human development. According to this overly familiar story, differences between the sexes are shaped by past evolutionary pressures--women are more cautious and parenting-focused, while men seek status to attract more mates. In each succeeding generation, sex hormones and male and female brains are thought to continue to reinforce these unbreachable distinctions, making for entrenched inequalities in modern society. In Testosterone Rex, psychologist Cordelia Fine wittily explains why past and present sex roles are only serving suggestions for the future, revealing a much more dynamic situation through an entertaining and well-documented exploration of the latest research that draws on evolutionary science, psychology, neuroscience, endocrinology, and philosophy. She uses stories from daily life, scientific research, and common sense to break through the din of cultural assumptions. Testosterone, for instance, is not the potent hormonal essence of masculinity; the presumed, built-in preferences of each sex, from toys to financial risk taking, are turned on their heads. Moving beyond the old "nature versus nurture" debates, Testosterone Rex disproves ingrained myths and calls for a more equal society based on both sexes' full, human potential."--Dust jacket.
Bibliography noteIncludes bibliographical references (pages [201]-250) and index.
LCCN 2016031608
ISBN9780393082081 hardcover
ISBN0393082083 hardcover

Availability

Library Location Call Number Status Item Actions
Joyner General Stacks BF692 .F525 2017 ✔ Available Place Hold