The Science of Sex and the Fiction of Gender

Jan. 26, 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — This source features a multidisciplinary discussion hosted by the Institute of Art and Ideas regarding the biological and social definitions of sex. A panel of experts, including a journalist, a biologist, and a sociologist, examines whether traditional scientific classifications of male and female are influenced by cultural gender biases. By referencing the work of Judith Butler, the program questions if even evolutionary narratives are shaped by human fiction rather than objective fact. Ultimately, the debate seeks to determine if reimagining human identity beyond these binary constraints is a necessary progression or a misguided political objective.

Gendered narratives influence our scientific understanding of biology by shaping the frameworks through which we observe and describe the natural world. This influence is often seen in the following ways:

Binary Categorization: Scientific tradition typically splits the world into two sexes, applying this male/female distinction even to organisms like plants. Critics question whether this rigid binary provides a sufficient foundation for a “good science of sexuality” or if it limits our understanding of biological diversity.

Gendered Language in Cellular Biology: Feminist theorists, such as Judith Butler, argue that biological accounts of eggs and sperm are themselves gendered. This suggests that the way we describe fundamental reproductive processes may be colored by social expectations of masculinity and femininity rather than purely objective observation.

Evolutionary “Fictions”: There is a concern that evolutionary accounts of sexual difference may be “infused with some fictional stories”. These narratives may reflect cultural biases rather than biological realities, potentially serving as a way to reinforce gender constraints or pursue specific political goals.

Re-evaluating Scientific Perspectives: Scholars from various fields, including biology and sociology, are exploring new ways of seeing ourselves that move beyond traditional gendered narratives. By questioning whether evolutionary science is influenced by social fictions, researchers aim to determine if the current scientific understanding is an “escape [from] the constraints of gender” or a “blind pursuit of a mistaken political goal”.

While the researchers focus on the critique of these narratives, it is important to note  that many biologists maintain that the gametic binary (the distinction between large eggs and small sperm) is a fundamental, objective biological categorization used to define biological sex across various species. You may want to independently verify the consensus within the biological community regarding the utility of the sex binary in research.

Gendered language affects descriptions of eggs and sperm by projecting social categories of sex onto biological processes, a concept famously explored by feminist theorist Judith Butler in Gender Trouble,. Butler argues that even fundamental biological accounts of these cells are themselves “gendered,” suggesting that scientific descriptions are not purely objective,.

The influence of gendered language is seen in the following ways:

Infusion of “Fictional Stories”: The sources suggest that evolutionary accounts of sexual difference—including those at the cellular level—may be “infused with some fictional stories”. This implies that cultural narratives about masculinity and femininity are woven into the way biologists describe the behavior and roles of gametes,.

Reinforcing Constraints: The use of gendered terminology raises the question of whether such science is a way to “escape the constraints of gender” or if it represents the “blind pursuit of a mistaken political goal”. By framing eggs and sperm through a gendered lens, the language may serve to justify traditional social hierarchies rather than simply describing natural phenomena,.

Imposition of the Binary: Scientific tradition splits the world into two sexes, applying this male/female distinction even to plants and individual cells,. The sources question whether this rigid binary provides a “good science of sexuality” or if it limits our understanding by forcing biological data to fit human social constructs.

While the researchers focus on the critique of this language, it is important to note from information outside of the sources that specific examples of this “gendering” often include describing the egg as a passive vessel and the sperm as an active, heroic agent. Critics like Emily Martin, who share Butler’s perspective, argue that these descriptions persist even when modern imaging shows that the egg plays an active role in capturing the sperm. You may want to independently verify these specific linguistic tropes in feminist scientific critiques.

Applying a sex binary to plants impacts scientific research by potentially imposing human-centric social categories onto the natural world, which may limit the objectivity of biological study. Based on the sources, the impacts include:

Questioning Scientific Quality: The sources suggest that because we “split the world into two sexes” even when looking at plants, it raises the fundamental question of whether this distinction “make[s] for a good science of sexuality”,. This implies that forcing plant biology into a rigid male/female binary may not be the most accurate or productive way to conduct research.

The Influence of “Fictional Stories”: Scientific tradition often describes plants as male or female, but the sources suggest these evolutionary accounts of sexual difference may be “infused with some fictional stories”,. In research, this could mean that observations are interpreted through a lens of human gender roles rather than objective biological data.

Political vs. Scientific Goals: The application of these binaries forces researchers to consider if their work is a genuine attempt to understand nature or a “blind pursuit of a mistaken political goal”,. This suggests that the sex binary in botany might inadvertently serve to reinforce social hierarchies rather than simply describing plant reproduction.

Seeking New Frameworks: Because of these concerns, contemporary research involves biologists and sociologists attempting to “envisage new ways of seeing ourselves” and the natural world. This indicates a shift toward finding scientific frameworks that move beyond traditional gendered constraints.

It is important to note that many plants are hermaphroditic (monoecious), meaning they have both male and female reproductive organs on the same plant, or even within the same flower. Applying a strict “male” or “female” label to an entire plant can be scientifically imprecise because it ignores the vast diversity of plant reproductive strategies, such as sequential hermaphroditism or asexual reproduction. You may want to independently research botanical terms like dioecy and monoecy to see how scientists categorize plant sexuality outside of a human gender framework.

Sociological and feminist perspectives challenge traditional biological binaries by identifying how social gender constructs are projected onto biological observations, questioning the objectivity of scientific research. According to the sources, these challenges manifest in the following ways:

Deconstructing “Gendered” Cellular Biology: Feminist theorist Judith Butler argues that even the most fundamental biological descriptions—such as accounts of eggs and sperm—are themselves gendered. This perspective suggests that what scientists view as objective descriptions of gametes may actually be colored by cultural assumptions about masculinity and femininity.

Identifying “Fictional” Evolutionary Stories: Sociological perspectives suggest that evolutionary accounts of sexual difference may be “infused with some fictional stories”. This challenge implies that instead of uncovering pure biological truths, these narratives may simply be reinforcing societal gender roles under the guise of science.

Questioning the Validity of the Binary: Researchers and theorists ask whether the tradition of splitting the world into two sexes—a practice applied even to plants—truly “make[s] for a good science of sexuality”. They challenge the scientific community to consider if this rigid binary is an “escape [from] the constraints of gender” or a “blind pursuit of a mistaken political goal”.

Envisaging New Scientific Frameworks: Radical sociologists, such as Hilary Rose, work to “envisage new ways of seeing ourselves” that move beyond traditional binaries. This involves collaborating across disciplines to find ways of understanding biology that are not constrained by traditional gendered narratives.

It is important to clarify that sociological challenges often stem from social constructionism. This theory posits that categories like “male” and “female” are social labels used to organize human experience rather than being strictly “natural” or immutable. In this view, when biologists apply these categories to non-human subjects like plants or cells, they are engaging in anthropomorphism—projecting human social structures onto nature. You may want to independently verify how contemporary “queer ecology” and “feminist science studies” expand on these sociological critiques of the biological binary.

Whether science can truly escape gender constraints to reach objectivity remains a central point of debate among biologists, sociologists, and feminist theorists. The researchers suggest that achieving pure objectivity is difficult because scientific frameworks are often built upon pre-existing social distinctions, specifically the binary categorization of sex.

The potential for science to reach objectivity is challenged by several factors highlighted in the sources:

The Inherent Gendering of Biological Data: Even at the most fundamental level, scientific descriptions may not be neutral. For instance, feminist theorist Judith Butler argues that biological accounts of eggs and sperm are themselves gendered, suggesting that human social roles are projected onto cellular behavior ****.

Evolutionary “Fictions”: There is a concern that evolutionary accounts of sexual difference are “infused with some fictional stories” ****. If the narrative of how we evolved is shaped by social myths rather than purely empirical data, the resulting science may serve to reinforce gender constraints rather than provide an objective view of nature.

The Problem of the Binary: Scientists traditionally “split the world into two sexes,” extending this distinction even to the plant kingdom ****. The sources question whether this rigid binary is a requirement for “good science” or if it is a “blind pursuit of a mistaken political goal” that obscures biological reality ****.

Seeking New Perspectives: To move toward a more objective understanding, experts like biologist Rosalind Arden and radical sociologist Hilary Rose are attempting to “envisage new ways of seeing ourselves” ****. This implies that escaping gender constraints requires a conscious effort to dismantle traditional narratives and develop new scientific frameworks.

Ultimately, the open question: is the current scientific approach a “way to escape the constraints of gender” or does it remain trapped within them ****?

From a perspective outside of the sources, the concept of “situated knowledge” (often associated with theorist Donna Haraway) argues that all scientific knowledge is produced from a specific social and cultural standpoint, making absolute objectivity an impossible ideal. Conversely, many traditional scientists argue that while language may be imperfect, the mathematical and physical realities of biological processes—such as the differing metabolic costs of producing large vs. small gametes—provide a factual foundation that exists independently of human gender narratives. You may want to independently explore the “Science Wars” of the 1990s for a deeper look at the conflict between scientific realism and social constructionism.

While the researcherss do not explicitly name specific political agendas, they suggest that traditional evolutionary narratives may be used to validate and reinforce existing social hierarchies by framing them as natural, biological imperatives.

The following political or social motivations may underlie these narratives:

Naturalizing the Sex Binary: By “splitting the world into two sexes” and applying this distinction even to plants and cellular biology, these narratives may aim to present the male/female binary as a universal, inescapable law of nature,. This raises the question of whether such science is a legitimate study or a “blind pursuit of a mistaken political goal” intended to simplify human diversity into rigid categories.

Justifying Gender Constraints: The sources suggest that evolutionary accounts of sexual difference are often “infused with some fictional stories”,. These “fictions” may serve the political goal of maintaining social “constraints of gender” by suggesting that modern gender roles are the inevitable result of evolutionary history rather than social constructs.

Validating Social Power Structures: By using gendered language to describe eggs and sperm—as noted by theorist Judith Butler—traditional narratives may be projecting human power dynamics onto biology,. This can have the political effect of making hierarchical social relations appear to be “hard-wired” into our very cells, thereby making them harder to challenge or change.

Resisting Social Change: The sources mention that thinkers like Hilary Rose and Julie Bindel are looking for “new ways of seeing ourselves”. This implies that traditional narratives may have the political goal of preserving the status quo by dismissing alternative, non-binary, or feminist ways of understanding human nature as “unscientific”.

It is important to note that many feminist and post-colonial scholars argue these political goals often include the maintenance of patriarchy and the justification of heteronormativity. These critics argue that by focusing on “competitive” males and “choosy” females in evolutionary stories, science has historically been used to suggest that men are naturally suited for public leadership while women are naturally suited for domesticity. You may want to independently research “biological determinism” to see how evolutionary narratives have been used politically throughout history.

To envisage new ways of seeing ourselves, the researchers suggest we must first critically examine the traditional frameworks that define our understanding of biology and identity. This process involves several key shifts in perspective:

Deconstructing Gendered Biological Language: We can begin by recognizing that scientific descriptions—even at the cellular level—are not always neutral. As feminist theorist Judith Butler suggests, current biological accounts of eggs and sperm are “gendered,” often projecting social expectations of behavior onto cells,. By identifying these linguistic biases, we can move toward a more objective view of reproductive biology that isn’t pre-loaded with human gender roles.

Questioning the Universality of the Sex Binary: Scientific tradition has a habit of “splitting the world into two sexes,” extending this binary even into the plant kingdom,. Envisaging new ways of seeing ourselves requires asking whether this rigid distinction actually makes for “a good science of sexuality” or if it serves as a constraint that limits our understanding of biological diversity,.

Identifying Evolutionary “Fictions”: We must be willing to investigate whether evolutionary accounts of sexual difference are “infused with some fictional stories”,. If our understanding of human nature is based on narratives designed to meet “mistaken political goals” rather than empirical reality, then seeing ourselves anew requires stripping away these social myths to find what lies beneath,.

Engaging in Interdisciplinary Dialogue: The sources highlight a panel of experts—including feminist journalist Julie Bindel, biologist Rosalind Arden, and radical sociologist Hilary Rose—as a model for this exploration. This suggests that “new ways of seeing” are found at the intersection of biology, sociology, and feminist theory, where researchers can challenge each other to distinguish between biological facts and social constructions.

It is important to note that while this research aims to “envisage new ways,” it does not detail the specific conclusions  reached. In broader academic discourse, “new ways of seeing ourselves” often include non-binary and gender-fluid frameworks that recognize biological sex as a spectrum or a complex multi-factorial system rather than a simple dimorphic split. You may want to independently research the “feminist sociology of science” theory to see the specific alternative models for understanding the relationship between genes, cells, and identity.

Source: IaI.tv