Bias in the Terminologia Anatomica

An analysis of medical terminology in the international index, Terminologia Anatomica (illustrated below), reflects linguistic gender bias in the field of biology. Under Genital Systems in the Terminologia Anatomica, the “female” section has 134 specific terms while the “male” section lists over 10% more (153 terms). This may simply indicate that female anatomy is less… Read More Bias in the Terminologia Anatomica

Partner cuddling: testosterone plays a role

Sari van Anders’ research in social neuroendocrinology challenges widely-held assumptions about the roles of so-called sex hormones.  For instance, a common misunderstanding is that levels of sex steroids are sexually dimorphic.  In fact, mean levels of estradiol and progesteroneare similar in women and men (van Anders 2010).  As for testosterone, “A lifetime of gender socialization… Read More Partner cuddling: testosterone plays a role

Song: not just for males — Female Bird Song Project

Song is not just for males — The Female Bird Song Project The conventional wisdom regarding bird song is that males sing to attract mates or declare territories and that females do not sing.  But female birds do sing.  Singing females occur throughout the tropics and temperate regions.  Among the common feeder birds are female… Read More Song: not just for males — Female Bird Song Project