KQED's Forum Agustin Fuentes on Why Sex is a Spectrum
May 6, 2025
Agustin Fuentes, a Princeton biological anthropologist and author of "Sex is a Spectrum," challenges traditional binary notions of sex. He discusses how cultural assumptions shape our understanding of gender and highlights the complexities of human reproductive biology. Fuentes draws parallels with intersex earthworms and sex-switching fish, advocating for a more fluid understanding of sexual identity. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing the spectrum of gender and its implications for personal identity, particularly for trans and intersex individuals.
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Sex Is a Biological Spectrum
- Human sex is not binary but a spectrum of biological variations in bones, tissues, chromosomes, and organs.
- Males and females are typical clusters of similar but variable assemblages, not strictly separate categories.
Brains Vary More Individually
- The male-female brain structural difference explains only about 1% of variation.
- Individual brain variation is mostly influenced by experiences and society, not sex.
Biocultural Growth from Start
- Human biology and culture develop together from conception, influencing each other.
- The binary male-female model excludes many individuals who do not fit typical patterns.
