Eve’s, Not Adam’s, Rib: Sex and Gender in the 21st Century

First published Dec. 1, 2023

All human embryos are destined to be female unless a Y chromosome carrying the SRY gene acts to result in a male phenotype. Male and female human embryos have similar genitalia for the first several weeks of gestation. The SRY gene on the Y chromosome initiates the development of the testes and its subsequent release of testosterone, which results in the development of male genitalia. The human fetus will develop as a female unless the SRY gene activates the signaling pathways to start male reproductive development. If the SRY gene is absent, for example, by the presence of the female sex chromosome complement, XX, or by a deletion of the SRY gene on a Y chromosome in the XY male, the fetus will undergo female development. Hence, female is the “default” sex of humans. Yahweh should have used Eve’s rib to create Adam to make the biblical version of Genesis more realistic. 

The process of sex determination requires a sequence of complex events going perfectly; it usually does, but not always. The superimposition of the human brain and the individual’s sense of one’s gender has led to a distinction between the meaning of sex and gender, which until the mid-20th century were synonyms. Sex hormones can affect cellular processes that alter the function of neural systems and influence behavior. Sex influences the brain of an individual, and the brain influences the gender perceived by an individual. The designation gender as distinct from sex became important in the 1960s, when scholars introduced a distinction between biologically determined sex and socially constructed gender. Commentators have noted (with disapproval) a more recent increase in the use of ‘‘gender’’ as a synonym for ‘‘sex’’ within the biological sciences. 

Socially constructed gender has a powerful and irresistible biological basis. It is not a choice. One of the most fundamental human traits is gender identity, the inner sense of self as a female or a male. In cisgender individuals, gender identity develops in line with the assigned sex at birth and is stable throughout life. On the other hand, transgender individuals, transiently or persistently, identify with a gender different from the sex assigned at birth. Gender dysphoria between the expressed gender and the assigned sex can lead to significant psychological distress. This distress can lead to the desire for a social and somatic transition through gender-affirming hormonal treatment and surgery. This topic is a complex biological and social matter and is not conducive to a treatise ion this blog. Nor should I be the person to write such a treatise. There is a large biological and social science literature on these matters. There is also a lack of knowledge and understanding of gender determinants among the populace. Views can be based on thousands of years old concepts, proposed at a time when there was complete ignorance of the basis of either sex or gender determination. Aristotle believed that the heat of the male during intercourse determined the sex of the child. The more heated the passion, the greater the probability of a male offspring. Thus, he advised older, less vigorous men to conceive on a hot summer day, if they wished to have sons. A prior hypothesis posited that the right testes created males and the left females. Biblical inferences were equally uninformed. Ignorance surrounded this subject for millennia. It still does for those who adhere to ancient, profoundly erroneous concepts. 

Some meet the redefining of gender-related pronouns in speech and writing with disdain. This reflects a lack of understanding and, perhaps, little interest in gaining understanding. The action by more than 20 state legislators, misguided and feckless persons influenced by uninformed and irrational attitudes, would prevent transgender children and their families from obtaining the guidance and care to deal with powerful and inescapable biological determinants. These attitudes and actions deprive them of understanding, of healthcare, and of support and are akin to racism, antisemitism, islamophobia, xenophobia, and other exclusionary attitudes based on ignorance or psychopathology. Neither religion nor politics has any place in these compelling healthcare issues, as one tries to provide the best support and treatment. Nor should politicians interfere with the need to learn better ways to support transgender individuals and normalize their place in society.