Evolution's Rainbow

In this innovative celebration of diversity and affirmation of individuality in animals and humans, Joan Roughgarden challenges accepted wisdom about gender identity and sexual orientation. A distinguished evolutionary biologist, Roughgarden takes on the medical establishment, the Bible, social science-and even Darwin himself. She leads the reader through a fascinating discussion of diversity in gender and sexuality among fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals, including primates. Evolution's Rainbow explains how this diversity develops from the action of genes and hormones and how people come to differ from each other in all aspects of body and behavior. Roughgarden reconstructs primary science in light of feminist, gay, and transgender criticism and redefines our understanding of sex, gender, and sexuality. Witty, playful, and daring, this book will revolutionize our understanding of sexuality.

Roughgarden argues that principal elements of Darwinian sexual selection theory are false and suggests a new theory that emphasizes social inclusion and control of access to resources and mating opportunity. She disputes a range of scientific and medical concepts, including Wilson's genetic determinism of behavior, evolutionary psychology, the existence of a gay gene, the role of parenting in determining gender identity, and Dawkins's "selfish gene" as the driver of natural selection. She dares social science to respect the agency and rationality of diverse people; shows that many cultures across the world and throughout history accommodate people we label today as lesbian, gay, and transgendered; and calls on the Christian religion to acknowledge the Bible's many passages endorsing diversity in gender and sexuality. Evolution's Rainbow concludes with bold recommendations for improving education in biology, psychology, and medicine; for democratizing genetic engineering and medical practice; and for building a public monument to affirm diversity as one of our nation's defining principles.

Auteur

Joan Roughgarden is Professor of Biology Emerita at Stanford University. She is the author of several books, including Evolution and Christian Faith: Reflections of an Evolutionary Biologist and The Genial Gene: Deconstructing Darwinian Selfishness (UC Press).

Contenu

Preface to the 2013 Edition
Preface to the 2009 Edition
Introduction: Diversity Denied

PART ONE: ANIMAL RAINBOWS
1 Sex and Diversity
2 Sex versus Gender
3 Sex within Bodies
4 Sex Roles
5 Two-Gender Families
6 Multiple-Gender Families
7 Female Choice
8 Same-Sex Sexuality
9 The Theory of Evolution

PART TWO: HUMAN RAINBOWS
10 An Embryonic Narrative
11 Sex Determination
12 Sex Differences
13 Gender Identity
14 Sexual Orientation
15 Psychological Perspectives
16 Disease versus Diversity
17 Genetic Engineering versus Diversity

PART THREE: CULTURAL RAINBOWS
18 Two-Spirits, Mahu, and Hijras
19 Transgender in Historical Europe and the Middle East
20 Sexual Relations in Antiquity
21 Tomboi, Vestidas, and Guevedoche
22 Trans Politics in the United States

Appendix: Policy Recommendations
Notes
Index