Unmaking The Myths Of Our Gendered Minds: Testosterone Rex

Introduction Does the introduction actually “introduce” the reader to the idea? Can the reader tell why you find the idea novel?
Instructions and Marking Criteria for Reflective Essays

Why is the idea interesting? (Do you explain well why you find this to be a great idea and why it’s interesting? Statements like “I think this is interesting” without any further justification will receive no points for this section.

Speculation Do you talk about what might happen next? What ideas do you have yourself for what could be done today to follow up on the author’s idea?

Expression & Grammar Have you formatted the paper properly (double spaced, proper margin spacing)? Have you not gone over the word limit for this assignment (note that there is no buffer or extra “grace” amount)? If you cited any other works in your essay, have you included a reference list on a separate page? Have you written succinctly and clearly? Have you avoided spelling and grammar mistakes?

Introduction and Interesting Point

The introduction to the essay showcases the reader the idea of the novel it follows clearly. The reader is an optimistic one and has goodwill to be having clear and transparency in her ideation and showcase of ideas using wit and humor along with feminism approach to developing complex subjects (Ditum, 2018). Readers can well understand by the introduction to the essay that people can get enlightened and enhance themselves with the help of knowledge. Testosterone Rex is an essay where introduction showcases a quote “We should all be feminists” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. It showcases the clear-cut approach for the novel in a small sentence. The introduction gave me a clear idea about the novel (Schudson & Chadwick, 2017).

Interesting Point

The idea of Testosterone Rex itself made my interest grow for this novel. The author showcases her target directly when she uses the name. She also showcases the pervasive, familiar, powerful and plausible story idea related to sex and society. The fact that there exists inequality among sexes is a naturally observed phenomenon and is not a cultural one. So, testosterone gives male members of the society a different look and appearance than their female counterparts (Paul, 2018). It is the natural physical characteristics which are different in this relation. Here it is not normal and complete superficial to consider that the characteristics of being a great leader or showcase horniness or violence are a dominant criterion only for men.

Neuroscientists, Simon Baron-Cohen, has showcased in his creation “The Alien to Fine’s Ripley” that hormone is a special substance (Rumble, 2018). It is responsible for inducing in a human being all the qualities which are adaptive, and humans are fortunate to be able to create large among of such characteristics (Allenandunwin, 2018). The justification is indeed fair as hormones do make an individual a man or a woman. This can also make a contradictory argument from Testosterone Rex idea. As per the Baron Cohen concept if we are what our hormones secrete then the initiatives being taken in the world to finish make dominance is a waste. Testosterone Rex argues it is a fiction. The fiction has powerfully shaped the society and even shaped up our physical sells. Hence, one cannot be dominated to shape up their understanding of their self (Thepsychologist, 2018).

As per the author people have the core belief that the aspect of biological sex is a basic one and is a diverging force with which human development is aided. The author showcases that there are questions where differences in between he exes are sometimes responsible for pressure created in the past. There are instances found everywhere that women are born and brought up in a much more cautious manner with focused parenting and on the other hand male children are born and brought up in a friendly manner. Moreover, the existence of sex hormones and brains of male and brains of female concepts further reinforce differences which are unreachable and create a long-term inequality concept in modern society (Fine, 2018).

Baron-Cohen Concept

Testosterone Rex as per me is where the author has suggested past as well as the role of ex-played in present times and future (Jipiy, 2018). It is revealing more and more dynamics in the situation. Using a documented and entertaining exploration the research made by psychologist Cordelia Fine has developed evolutionary psychology, space, endocrinology, neuroscience, and philosophy. Stories from daily life are used in her scientific research with the aim to break and demystify the cultural assumptions. Testosterone for an expert contains the basis of the hormonal essence of masculinity, and for each sex this is different. As per author, this is nothing but a myth which the society has.

Reflections and discussions

The concept stated above in this reflection as per me is a bit exaggerated. The author is shown in her work to be considered the human brain must be asexual. So, it says humans are not supposed to study how sex impacts in the brain. Science says that differences in hormone and genetics give individuals a distinction between the sexes and this can also have an influence on the development and in the functioning of the brain in every level. By exploring, analyzing, investigating all the different processes is indeed a very critical aspect and it also gives a thorough explanation of why sex is much more sensitive and vulnerable than any other pathologies related with the mind or the human brain.

Neuroscience and neuroscientists are eager to explore the fact that sex differences do occur and this is because due to the differences in these there are many medical aspects which are explored. A common example is depression, Autism or Alzheimer’s can occur differently in men and women owing to the differences in the ratio of sex in them. Hence as per me when Fine has said “The point is rather that, potentially, even quite marked sex differences in the brain may have little consequence for the behavior,” this seems a contradictory thought. I do agree that the author has used words such as “may,” “potentially” or “quite.” Still as per me after reading it carefully and understanding it, I find the closure strange. Unless I am someone who believes in dualism and thinks that the differences in behavior like the reliability of sex-related distinctions in spatial competencies and physical aggression come from some other human organ than the brain (Brunskell, 2018). 

The author has in her boo claimed that no specific and evolutionary distinction occurs in the behavior of men and female. I am critically analyzing the idea. In my reflection what she has meant by the “Bateman experiment” showcasing a large variation in the success of reproduction being more in male than in female is not at all right. It is not wrong, but it is not a strong and well supported or proven point. In this detailed reflection, I found that the author has used a great style of writing and tactics. The author has perhaps taken help of some scientific papers which are not all very accurate and informative. Especially the papers which she used as a reference in relation to the inferiority element of the female are not properly presented with the right hypotheses as per me.

Role of Ex-played in Present Times and Future

Future Implications

I would engage myself to understand the idea in more depth and keep a check on it is evolution. Male or female as per the concept is not enough for shaping up he version of the perspective of society about a man or a woman. There is nothing called a male brain or a female brain. In the future, the world will witness this in a large scale acceptance. As people realize an individual to be a male or a female they were treating the individual in some preconceived notions which are either that of a man or a woman (Critchley, 2018). This is aided by the use of toys right from children, role models, books to a million other things which are constrained and limited separately for boys and girls. This as per the author’s idea of Testosterone Rex is a case for rapes or wage gaps. The entire species divided into men and women is misunderstood and manifested wrongly which is a cause for so many mishappening (Brunskell, 2018).

However, in future, the world can indeed remake itself.  So, for the thought process of the entire world has not changed. Hence, it is often wondered whether there is an optimal amount of rational thought process which is good enough and whether it is mainly responsible for the interest for the member at a higher level than interest on women (Coyne, 2018). It is time that people and the entire making becomes less polite. Humanity must be more disruptive and hence does not consider these to be fine incidents. Rather it is okay to be angered as concepts like Testosterone Rex is roaring and rumbling to change human notions about sexes. Overall, this has been an enjoyable reading where I have learned so much and used a lot of reflection to analyze the work critically.

References:

Allenandunwin. (2018). Testosterone Rex - Cordelia Fine - 9781785781612 - Allen & Unwin - Australia. Retrieved from https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/books/general-books/popular-science/Testosterone-Rex-Cordelia-Fine-9781785781612

Brunskell, H. (2018). Transgender Children and Young People: Born in Your Own Body (2nd ed., p. 112). UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Critchley, R. (2018). Books: Testosterone Rex: Unmaking the Myths of Our Gendered Minds by Cordelia Fine. Retrieved from https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/books-testosterone-rex-unmaking-the-myths-of-our-gendered-minds-by-cordelia-fine-lqnt7fd6p

Coyne, J. (2018). “Testosterone Rex”, a biased polemic, wins the Royal Society book prize. Retrieved from https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2017/09/21/testosterone-rex-a-biased-polemic-wins-the-royal-society-book-prize/

Ditum, S. (2018). Testosterone Rex by Cordelia Fine review – the question of men’s and women’s brains. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/jan/18/testosterone-rex-review-cordelia-fine

Fine, C. (2018). Human check / KissLibrary: Affordable Ebooks. Retrieved from https://kisslibrary.com/book/BD14257E587A446BF79B?utm_source=new-1909-reuse&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=newtraf&search=Testosterone+Rex%3A+Myths+of+Sex%2C+Science%2C+and+Society&x=998912

Jipiy. (2018). Audiobook Testosterone Rex: Myths of Sex, Science, and Society Free. Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/jipiy/audiobook-testosterone-rex-myths-of-sex-science-and-society-free

Rumble, M. (2018). Unmaking the myths of our gendered minds. Retrieved from https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23331151-200-unmaking-the-myths-of-our-gendered-minds/

Paul, A. (2018). Not From Venus, Not From Mars: What We Believe About Gender and Why It’s Often Wrong. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/23/books/review/testosterone-rex-myths-of-sex-science-and-society-cordelia-fine.html

Schudson, Z., & Chadwick, S. (2017). Testosterone Rex: Myths of Sex, Science, and Society. Journal Of Sex & Marital Therapy, 43(5), 498-500. doi: 10.1080/0092623x.2017.1337991

Thepsychologist. (2018). Is testosterone the key to sex differences in human behaviour? | The Psychologist. Retrieved from https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-30/october-2017/testosterone-key-sex-differences-human-behaviour

Waterstones. (2018). Testosterone Rex by Cordelia Fine | Waterstones. Retrieved from https://www.waterstones.com/book/testosterone-rex/cordelia-fine/9781785783180