let's talk about neurological differences between the sexes! specifically, Joel et al.'s 2015 paper "Sex beyond the genitalia: The human brain mosaic" pnas.org/content/112/50…
TERFs love this paper. they say it disproves the idea of a male or female brain
but I love it too. why?
TERFs love this paper. they say it disproves the idea of a male or female brain
but I love it too. why?
because, like them, I believe that the gender binary is oppressive. but they want to replace it with a sex binary, which is just as bad
I favor a larger, more robust model, which can account for all human variation and diversity
I favor a larger, more robust model, which can account for all human variation and diversity
the idea that certain features of the brain are correlated with being male or female is already firmly established. the paper doesn't even make sense if you reject that premise
this research focuses on the distribution of those features within individual brains
this research focuses on the distribution of those features within individual brains
and it turns out that very few brains, when measured this way, fit a completely male or female profile!
this is a satisfying conclusion because it confirms the common-sense observation that hardly anyone you meet is completely stereotypically masculine or feminine
this is a satisfying conclusion because it confirms the common-sense observation that hardly anyone you meet is completely stereotypically masculine or feminine
but you can't make the jump from there to assuming that gendered differences don't exist. some brains ARE more male or female, and it tends to correspond with assigned sex
I mean, look at it! you can literally see gendered aspects of these brains! that's amazing!
I mean, look at it! you can literally see gendered aspects of these brains! that's amazing!
I want to stress that I'm not suggesting this could be used to "diagnose" transness, because a) the brain is incredibly complex and it would be hubris to assume full knowledge of how gender works and b) self-ID is ALWAYS most important, you are whatever gender you say you are
but I would be VERY interested to see future research that cross-references VBM brain measurements with self-reported gender identity, gender conformity, sexual orientation, and opinions of cultural gender norms
so anyway, think for yourself, draw your own conclusions from these results, but I know how I interpret them: gender is real and at least partly physiological, nonbinary people aren't making it up, and we should let everyone define themselves as they see fit
additional thoughts
