Neurosexism

Resumen: En el presente trabajo se exponen las carencias más importantes en la investigación de la denominada " diferencia sexual en el cerebro ". Desde la revisión y análisis crítico del grupo de científicas NeuroGenderings Network se propone una superación de los prejuicios que, de manera obvia o solapada, continúan manteniéndose en la investigación en relación a las diferencias sexuales en el cerebro. La tarea de " guerrilla epistemológica " , como la he llamado, que este grupo feminista lleva a cabo con el fin de ir con-formando un conocimiento rigurosamente cien-tífico se podrá ver con el ejemplo concreto de la propuesta que hacen a una revista neurocientífica. Palabras clave: Neurofeminismo, diferencia sexual, neurociencia de la diferencia sexual, neu-rosexismo. Abstract: The aim of this paper is to analyze and expose the most important shortcomings in the investigation of the so called " sexual difference in the brain ". Departing from the work of the academic group NeuroGenderings Network this paper will review and analyze critically its proposals to overcome the prejudices that, obviously or not, continue to be maintained in scientific research in relation to sexual differences in the brain. The task of " epistemological guerrilla " , as we call it, that this feminist group carries out in order to conform a rigorous scientific knowledge can be seen with the concrete example of the proposal they have recently made to a neuroscientific journal.

Several authors have accused neuroscience and psychology of promoting sexism through the differentiation of psychological predispositions of men and women that would not be a product of socialization. We will analyze the argumentative and empirical problems of two academic articles of one of them, the biotechnologist Lucía Ciccia, and the central ideas on sexual dimorphism of two neuroscientists who have a similar perspective on the subject, Daphna Joel and Janet Hyde. We offer empirical evidence on psychological predispositions of men and women that interact with the environment but are not products of socialization, and we argue in favor of the possibility that some stereotypes are an effect and not a cause of the differences between men and women. Finally, we will present arguments to support the claim that an evolutionary perspective is relevant in order to construct a better explanation of the characteristics of each sex, and a valuable starting point to search for equal rights. Roxana Kreimer-Is it sexist to recognize that men and women are not identical?

En la comunicación se exponen las carencias más importantes en la investigación de la denominada “diferencia sexual en el cerebro”. Para ello partiremos de la revisión y análisis crítico del grupo de científicas NeuroGenderings Network. Mi propuesta es contar cómo llevan a cabo esta labor, qué resistencias encuentran y qué relato de las neurociencias llega finalmente a la ciudadanía y a los medios de comunicación.

RESUMEN: Los argumentos neurocientíficos focalizados en demostrar diferencias sexuales en el cerebro gozan de una gran popularidad. Algunas de las conclusiones de dichos experimentos han derivado en propuestas neuroeducativas que promueven la educación segregada por sexos. Estas propuestas carecen del rigor necesario para poder ser aplicadas. No sólo porque los estudios neurocientíficos están lejos de poder aseverar diferencias sexuales significativas en el cerebro, sino porque falta un diálogo crítico entre las ciencias que fundamente estrategias educativas adecuadas en el ám-bito de las diferencias sexuales del cerebro. Concluimos que es necesario establecer un diálogo entre los diferentes ámbitos que conforman la neuroeducación, porque solamente de este modo se pueden fundamentar modelos educativos democráticos donde la igualdad de género sea un valor irrenunciable. PALABRAS CLAVE: género, sexo, educación, neuroplasticidad, discurso neurocientí-fico SUMMARY: Neuro-scientific arguments focused on demonstrating sexual differences in the brain are very popular. Some of the conclusions of these experiments have derived in neuro-educational proposals aimed at fostering single-sex education projects. Such proposals are insufficiently rigorous for their application to be justified, not only because neuro-scientific studies are far from being able to identify significant sexual differences in the brain, but because the necessary critical dialogue between sciences that might sustain appropriate educational strategies is lacking. We conclude that there is a need to establish such a dialogue between the different areas involved in the neuro-education field. Only through a dialogue of this kind would we be able to base democratic educational models where gender equality is an inalienable value.

Hoy en día las noticias que vienen acompañadas del prefijo «neuro-» son acogidas con gran entusiasmo por el público general así como por el académico. La autoridad que se otorga a los resultados de los experimentos neurocientíficos y su exitosa divulgación a través de los medios de masas, sirven para que la lectura neurocientífica del dimorfismo sexual se haya extendido rápidamen-te, abriendo viejos debates feministas. Desde una posición feminista, nos vemos en la obligación de aproximarnos críticamente al neurogénero y sus derivaciones sexistas conocidas como neurosexismo. Esta empresa se realiza con el objeto de identificar los riesgos que dicho discurso entraña para la lucha política feminista. Para conseguir nuestro objetivo nos basaremos en el análisis de las obras seminales del feminismo, así como en la propuesta postfeminista de Paul B. Preciado. ABSTRACT: Today news about neuroscience is received with great enthusiasm by the general public as well as the academic field. The authority awarded to the results of neuroscientific experiments, linked to its successful dissemination through the mass media, serves to extend the sexual dimorphism argument, opening old feminist debates. Consequently, from a feminist position, we ought to critically approach the neurogenderings and the neurosexism. This aim is performed in order to identify the risks that such discourse entails for feminist political struggle. In order to achieve our objective, we rely on the analysis of the seminal works of feminism, as well as the post-feminist proposal of Paul B. Preciado.

تستند بنية الصراع النفسي عند فرويد علي التعارض بين نوعين من الغرائز التي تمثل القوي المنبعثة من التركيب الفسيولوجي والكيميائي للإنسان ، واستمسك فرويد بفكرة الصراع و وجود قطبين في النفس يتنازعانها حتي جاء الوقت الذي أعاد فيه تعريف طبيعة النزاع بين الدوافع و فهم انطلاق الليبدو من البؤرة النرجسية .

This paper will unfold in two different critiques, first dealing with how neuroscience has sexed the brain, ignoring cultural elements of gender formation, and further focusing on the masculine bias of neuroscience research, which, we claim, adopts male physiological and social patterns as “normal”. In order to do so, we will start our investigation with some insights on the sex/gender debate and how it is of consequence for research on neurosciences of sexuality. Secondly, we will critic the way studies are focusing on differences rather than similarities between genders, and how such strategy re-enforces gender biases. Finally, we use contributions from social cognitivist theory and feminism to support a more complex view of body, identity and gender performance.

The principal thesis of this chapter is that neuroeducation must engage with a critical concept of gender in order to avoid political decisions being taken that would reinforce the regulation of life according to a simplistic binary view of gender. Thereby, neuroeducation can become an ally in tackling one of the most prominent neuromyths: the idea that there is a clear difference between male and female brains. Over the course of this chapter an analysis is undertaken of concepts of sex and gender in order to critique the prejudices that persist in many neuroscientifc studies on sex difference. Attention is then turned to the most prominent neuroscientifc theories about sex (and gender) difference and morality, following which a critical framework is discussed for pursuing future research on sex/gender differences within the brain. Chapter in: https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030225612 This book brings together a group of top scholars on ethics and moral neuroeducation to cover the specific field of moral learning. Although there are many studies on neural bases of human learning and the application processes in different fields of human activity, such as education, economics or politics, very few of them have delved into the specific field of moral learning. This book brings forward a discursive and cordial ethical concept suitable for the theoretical-practical development of moral neuroeducation, as well as a set of guidelines for the design of an educational model that, based on moral neuroeducation, contributes to the resolution of social problems and the eradication of undesirable patterns and behaviors such as hate speech, corruption, intolerance, nepotism, aporophobia or xenophobia. Furthermore it contains a management approach for the application of this educational model to the different areas of activity involved in social and human development. A must read for students, educators and researchers in the field of moral philosophy, (applied) ethics ethics and any other discipline working with reciprocity (economics, politics, health, etc.).

RESUMEN: En el presente escrito se propone revisar los supuestos que guían la práctica neurocien-tífica al afirmar diferencias sexuales en el cerebro. Tras la constatación de que una gran parte de la investigación y publicación de hallazgos neurocientíficos dan por hecho tal diferencia, encontramos una gran carga de lo que se ha denominado neurosexismo. Como forma de superarlo y desde la teo-ría feminista y el compromiso político se propone un acercamiento crítico a las neurociencias, que a modo de colaboración reflexiva entre las disciplinas, pueda constituir un marco de superación de los prejuicios a la hora de hacer, pensar y diseñar la ciencia. ABSTRACT: The aim of this paper is to offer a view of the assumptions that guide the practice of claiming sex differences in the brain. After the realization that much of the research and publication of neuroscientific findings assume such a difference, we found a great deal of what has been called neurosexism. As a way to overcome it and from a feminist theory with a political commitment we propose a critical approach to the neurosciences. This is understood as a reflective collaboration between disciplines that could provide a framework for overcoming prejudices in thinking and designing science.