Biological sex is determined by reproductive strategy and is not changeable, and there is a need to debunk creationist arguments and speak up against magical thinking in biology
Questions to inspire discussion
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What is the backlash faced by the biologist?
—The biologist faced backlash for discussing the biological definition of sex and was labeled as a transphobe, leading to continued pushback and the writing of popular articles on the topic.
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What is the fundamental property of being male or female?
—The fundamental property of being male or female is the evolved reproductive strategy of producing many small gametes for males and fewer larger gametes for females, with hermaphrodites being individuals who utilize both reproductive strategies.
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What is the controversy surrounding gender non-conforming individuals?
—The speaker discusses the societal shift towards labeling gender non-conforming individuals as being born in the wrong body, and expresses the belief that people should be allowed to be who they are without interference or judgment.
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What is the impact of social contagion on gender identity?
—The speaker discusses the impact of social contagion on individuals' gender identity and the potential shame and judgment faced by those with autogynephilia.
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What is the importance of speaking up against magical thinking in biology?
—The speaker discusses the importance of speaking up against magical thinking and the biology of sex, and directs people to find their work on substack.
Key Insights
Biological Basis of Sex
- 🧬 "We need to know what biological sex is the fundamental aspect of sex that's rooted in gametes, it's a type of reproductive strategy."
- 🧬 "Males are the evolved strategy of producing many small gametes called sperm and females are denoted as the sex and this again is universal across all plants and animals not just humans."
- 🌊 The simplicity of changing gametes in fish contrasts with the complexity of gender roles in mammals due to the unique reproductive anatomy.
- 🚹 The activists are ignoring gametes as the fundamental defining characteristic of sex and focusing on secondary sex characteristics instead.
- 🧬 Sex is a phenotype, it's an end point of development that you get to at some point along the development of an embryo.
- 🌍 The evidence from the genomes and how it shows the relatedness and how Evolution occurs by mutations and selection is tremendous evidence for the fact of evolution.
- 🎯 Darwin's concept of sexual selection challenges the idea that survival is the only driving force of evolution, showing that attractiveness can lead to higher reproduction rates.
- 🧬 Evolution roots us in reality and helps answer fundamental questions of existence, explaining behaviors, social dynamics, and differences between males and females.
Social and Political Impact on Science
- 💡 The ideological baggage behind arguments about the biology of sex is overshadowing evidence and reason, turning it into a Civil Rights cause rather than a statement of fact.
- 🧬 It's disheartening to see an activist takeover of the sciences, with experts being cowed into silence for fear of backlash.
- 🧬 Colin Wright faced backlash for criticizing the idea of sex as a social construct, likening it to "biology pseudo science."
- 🚫 "If we can be convinced that sex is a social construct that males and females aren't real, then there's no other thing that you can't be convinced of or out of."
#Gender #Transactivism #EvolutionaryBiology #SocialBias #SocialDynamics
Clips
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00:00 🔬 Biologist faces backlash for discussing biological definition of sex, highlighting activist takeover of sciences and need to debunk creationist arguments.
- Biologist discusses the backlash he faced for speaking out about the scientific truth of gender and his background in evolutionary biology.
- Biologist faced backlash for discussing the biological definition of sex and was labeled as a transphobe, leading to continued pushback and the writing of popular articles on the topic.
- The biology of sex is often misrepresented due to ideological baggage, with doctors approaching it in a pragmatic, layered way for diagnostic purposes.
- The speaker discusses the activist takeover of the sciences and the reluctance of experts to push back, highlighting the importance of debunking creationist and intelligent design arguments in understanding biology and medicine.
- The biologist faced backlash for criticizing the idea of sex as a social construct, and believes that if more people spoke out, the issue would be resolved.
- The speaker discusses being cancelled for expressing views on gender and encourages others to speak up against cancel culture.
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09:34 🚫 Sex is defined by reproductive strategy, not secondary characteristics, and is not changeable, with examples from fish and mammals supporting this.
- The fundamental property of being male or female is the evolved reproductive strategy of producing many small gametes for males and fewer larger gametes for females, with hermaphrodites being individuals who utilize both reproductive strategies.
- Clownfish have evolved mechanisms to switch genders based on their social hierarchy and environmental factors.
- Fish have the ability to change from male to female based on resource availability, but mammals are limited in their ability to change due to the complexities of their reproductive anatomy.
- Activists are ignoring gametes as the defining characteristic of sex and instead focusing on secondary sex characteristics, leading to the misconception that variation in these characteristics means variation in sex itself.
- Sex is not changeable, and arguments about testosterone, chromosomes, and beards being associated with males rely on the genetic definition of sex.
- There are no examples of humans being true hermaphrodites, and even if there were, it wouldn't negate the binary nature of sex.
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17:23 🚫 The biologist discusses the differences in male and female brains and challenges the idea of clear male or female brains, instead proposing a spectrum of masculinization and feminization.
- The speaker discusses the appearance of snail sperm and compares it to human sperm.
- There is contradictory views on whether male and female brains are biologically different or socially influenced.
- There are sex-related differences in the human brain, but they are not absolute and can be compared to the differences in male and female faces.
- Brains can vary in masculinized or feminized ways, with no clear male or female brains, but rather a spectrum of masculinization and feminization.
- The speaker discusses natural variation in hand size and challenges the idea of gendered characteristics.
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21:51 🚫 The biologist challenges the idea of gender as a social construct, discusses brain differences, and questions the societal shift towards gender affirming care and transitioning.
- Judith Butler's idea of everything being a social construct contradicts the concept of male and female brains.
- Brains have slight differences on average, and the idea of binary gender is wrong, with varying degrees of masculinization or feminization in brains not equating to brain sex.
- The idea behind gender affirming care is to bring physical sex into alignment with brain sex in order to achieve gender euphoria.
- The speaker discusses the freedom for individuals to identify as they wish, but questions the idea that others must see them the same way, especially in regards to policies and sports.
- The speaker discusses the societal shift towards labeling gender non-conforming individuals as being born in the wrong body, and expresses the belief that people should be allowed to be who they are without interference or judgment.
- Young girls are now mostly transitioning to become boys, while older men are transitioning to become women, with two pathways for males - one being very feminine young boys who grow up hating their genitals and wanting to change them, and the other being straight males who later in life envision themselves as women, and the concern is mainly about appropriate age for making life-altering decisions.
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29:24 🚫 Some controversy over inclusion of crossdressers in trans umbrella, criticism of sexualized crossdressing, and discussion of social contagion and acceptance of crossdressing in schools.
- Grayson Perry, a UK crossdresser, admitted in an interview that people may have a problem with him getting sexual gratification from his actions without their consent.
- The speaker criticizes an artist for wearing a giant dildo at a children's charity event, comparing it to the scandal of Jimmy Savile.
- Some trans organizations are trying to claim crossdressers as part of the trans umbrella, but there is controversy over whether crossdressers should be included in women's spaces.
- The speaker discusses the impact of social contagion on individuals' gender identity and the potential shame and judgment faced by those with autogynephilia.
- The speaker discusses the acceptance of crossdressing and the need to be more accepting of it, even in schools.
- The speaker criticizes the support for individuals wearing fetish gear and crossdressing in a sexualized manner, instead of representing the true essence of the gender they identify with.
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34:44 🔬 Sex determination in mammals is based on chromosomal combinations, with the presence of the SRY gene on the Y chromosome triggering male development, but the sex of an individual is a phenotype that develops over time and can be influenced by genetic and environmental factors.
- Sex determination in mammals is based on chromosomal combinations, with the presence of the SRY gene on the Y chromosome triggering male development, but the sex of an individual is a phenotype that develops over time and can be influenced by genetic and environmental factors.
- Men have nipples because of the ancestral ground plan in mammals, and there are debated theories about the evolved function of the female orgasm and the absence of rib cages around men's testicles.
- The main idea is that male genitalia adjust to regulate temperature, but it's surprising that they are not more protected.
- Tucker Carlson's comments on evolution sparked a debate on Twitter, causing the speaker to alienate some of his right-wing Christian audience.
- The speaker discusses the challenge of speaking truth about biology and evolution while facing pressure to conform to popular beliefs and avoid offending certain groups.
- The speaker, an atheist and evolutionary biologist, emphasizes the importance of honesty and transparency in discussing controversial topics with their audience, and expresses the freedom to speak honestly without being beholden to any one view.
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44:49 🔬 Evolution is a fact supported by gene frequencies, fossil records, and genomes, and new discoveries in biology enhance understanding of sexual selection and genetic drift.
- The speaker explains the misunderstanding of the word "theory" in science and emphasizes that it is a thoroughly tested framework interpreting evidence and facts.
- The evidence from gene frequencies, fossil records, genomes, and theoretical frameworks all point to the fact that evolution is a legitimate and undeniable process.
- Evolution is a fact, even if there are aspects we can't explain, and there are no competing scientific theories.
- Sexual selection, a concept developed by Darwin, explains how certain traits that may be a disadvantage for survival can still evolve due to the benefits they provide in terms of reproduction.
- New discoveries in biology fit within the existing framework and enhance understanding of sexual selection and genetic drift.
- Adaptation to the environment and survival of species depend on the gradual changes in the environment and the presence of predators.
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51:17 🔬 Understanding the importance of scientific knowledge and the need to speak up against magical thinking in biology, biologist Colin Wright encourages others to emulate Charles Darwin's fearless pursuit of truth.
- The speaker discusses the need to take scientific knowledge on faith and the lack of politicization in certain areas of biology.
- Understanding the history of genetics and doing thorough research is important before forming strong opinions on gender ideology and related policies.
- Evolutionary theory helps explain human behavior and societal dynamics, and without it, the world would be a chaotic mess.
- Evolutionary biology explains the suitability of organ transplants from close relatives and the potential risks of cross-species transplants.
- The speaker discusses the importance of speaking up against magical thinking and the biology of sex, and directs people to find their work on substack.
- Biologist Colin Wright admires Charles Darwin for his fearless pursuit of truth despite social ostracism, and encourages others to emulate Darwin's approach to science.
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Duration: 1:0:49
Publication Date: 2024-06-02T11:10:28Z
WatchUrl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFPlJSkuf-o
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