The differences between men and women are not only cultural, but also the result of the interaction between genetics and environment. We cannot escape the genome, nor can we ignore the environment.
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]n one of the postulates of the gender ideology The ideas that will be taught to our sons and daughters in school claim that there are no differences between men and women. The weight of genetics, epigenetics, and hormonal activity during development is relegated to a secondary and silenced position. Today, the ideological conviction of the philosopher prevails. Simone de Beauvoir which we could summarize in his famous phrase: «Woman is not born, but becomes.«.
They try to confuse us in the name of the just and necessary equality between men and women in all socio-family and work aspects, with the assertion that, from the gender perspectiveIt has nothing to do with biology; rather, women/men are social constructs generated by heteropatriarchy with the sole aim of dominating women. The fact that the primacy of men over women in our culture, and others, has been a reality cannot lead us to conclude that women and men are social constructs. It is true that within the concept of woman, as with the concept of man, there are statements that are simply stereotypes. However, the outright denial of sex differences by gender ideology directly contradicts the latest scientific discoveries.
What does science tell us about the differences between men and women?
This post is based on the literature review by Viltram S. Ratnu et al. (2017)
- Evolution of scientific knowledge related to male/female differences
For more than 60 years the prevailing theory about the sexual differences between both sexes (male/female) was based on two biological realities: the chromosomes, or genetic sex (XX = female and XY = male), would determine gonadal development, while steroid hormones would produce brain differences.
However, current neuroscience strongly suggests that this dual model fully explains the differences observed between the sexes. It is now argued that these differences result from specific signals triggered by factors related to both environmental conditions (from gestation and, especially, during the first years of life) and genetics and hormonal programming.
In short, intersex (male/female) differences would be the result of the combination of hormonal action, mediated by environmental impact through epigenetic regulation and driven by gene expression throughout development.
Several aspects have mistakenly supported the hormone-centric vision Regarding the differences between men and women: On the one hand, most initial research on cognition and stress response was conducted on samples that included only men. On the other hand, studies conducted with MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) They have revealed significant differences in white matter between the sexes; the variation in the incidence of certain diseases according to sex; and the fact that some research seemed to clarify that the molecular processes involved in both differential neuronal development and function were due to hormonal action. As an example, it is cited that if we inactivate the progesterone receptors (PR) Significant behavioral changes occur in the anteromedial hypothalamus in both men and women. In women, these changes involve a decrease in sexual appetite, while in men, they involve a decrease in aggression.
Finally, it has become clear that, although there are identical behaviors between men and women, many of them are executed through different brain structures.
- Current knowledge
We are witnessing a provisional consensus that maintains that brain differences between men and women are not as marked as has been argued, although they exist, and that epigenetic mechanisms play a very important role in the molecular processes that give rise to brain differences between men and women by regulating the expression and function of genes.
We understand epigenetic mechanisms to be "Those that integrate intrinsic and extrinsic signals on the genome, facilitating the adaptation of an organism to the environment through sustained changes in gene expression."(McCarthy, 2009)1 Although many examples could be given, perhaps the most illuminating, due to its scientific support, is that of gliogenesis, where the involvement of intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms and their genetic regulation are clearly observed.
In Conclusion
My opposition to gender ideology will fall on deaf ears due to its imposition and the silencing of any dissenting opinion. However, as a neuroscientist dedicated to the problems of child and adolescent neurodevelopment, my opinions can only be based on science, regardless of the rhetoric of the dominant ideology.
The content in this post comes from article "“Genetic and epigenetic factors underlying sex differences in the regulation of gene expression in the brain” by Vikram S. Ratnu et al (2017). I recommend this book to those more interested in the science than the ideology surrounding gender issues. It offers a comprehensive review of the role of chromosomes, epigenetic mechanisms (especially DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs) in male/female differences.
I would like to conclude with the advice the authors give at the end of the article:
"There is increasing evidence that the influence of sex differences on neuronal function is as important as any other factor and that conclusions regarding one sex cannot be generalized to the other. In particular, epigenetic mechanisms are implicated in the molecular support of sex differences in gene expression and function. Epigenetic mechanisms are especially important because they are capable of integrating intrinsic and extrinsic signals on the genome…. We emphasize the need to include men and women in future neuroscience research in order to gain a better understanding of cognitive function in sexual dimorphism and vulnerability to various brain disorders."
