Understanding the Distinction: The Complexity of Sex, Gender, and Consciousness
An Argument for the Biological Adoption of a Distinction Between Sex and Gender
A cheer erupted from the audience of the small, downtown concert hall as Evolutionary Scientist and Author Richard Dawkins marched to his seat at center stage. The entire crowd leaned forward in their chairs, ecstatic to hear cutting-edge information on the state of genetics research in light of his newest publication: The Genetic Book of the Dead. I quickly realized the evening I had anticipated would not unfold, however, as the moderator leaned in and asked Dawkins about how he felt about “wokeness leading to science denial” with a particular emphasis on gender and sex. But, I steeled myself: there was no way a man so well-studied in my field would trip up on the simple pitfall of falsely equating sex and gender.
I shuffled anxiously in my seat, silently horrified, as the great Dawkins dived headfirst, willingly into that very pit.
Even as I write this, I find it hard to believe I witnessed this event in person and that it wasn’t some bizarre moment of hallucination or hysteria. But these very beliefs of his are well-documented and have led to quite a deal of controversy over the last few years.
