On the basis of numerous studies that demonstrate how people adjust their self-perception, behavior, and capabilities to meet societal gender expectations, Fine maintains that sexist stereotypes are both self-perpetuating and far from inevitable.įine begins her argument by stating that there is a history of “neurosexism” in which the brain has been explained as being different between men and women. While popular discourse would have us believe that the brain is hardwired, with innate and unchangeable proclivities programmed in, Fine argues that it’s actually more nuanced than we think. The book discusses how malleable human identity is. She debunks many studies that purport to prove such differences, often discovering poor assumptions in their design and execution. The third part examines how stereotypes are perpetuated through children’s lives.įine provides a wide range of studies and research that show how gender is not innate. The second part focuses on how stereotypes affect human behavior, as well as studies that have been done on gender differences in the brain. The book is divided into three parts: the first part discusses the origins and persistence of gender stereotyping. The author offers several suggestions for how to change gender biases in society.

She also states that the gender stereotypes promoted by neurosexism have real-world consequences, such as holding women back in their careers. In Delusions of Gender, Fine takes a comprehensive look at the field of neuroscience and observes that there is sexism in this field. The author uses a thorough analysis of neurological studies and interviews with scientists to show how our minds are not as different as we think they are. 1-Page Summary of Delusions of Gender Overall Summaryĭelusions of Gender: How Our Minds, Society and Neurosexism Create Difference is a book that seeks to debunk the idea that men and women have different brains.

Delusions of gender