Signature Assignenment

Jordan Gannuscio
Professor Deborah Graham

ANTH- 1020
December, 10, 2015
Signature assignment critical assessment
As research continues and the amount of theories on evolution continue to grow, this
reveals a vast amount of possibilities. The two articles that were read in the process of
completing this assignment both shared their own views on different theories of evolution.
Author, Anne Fausto-Sterling. Travis produce their belief in chapter five of The Meaning of
Difference, as the title of the chapter, The Five Sexes, why male and female are not enough shares
their position that there is more to gender than the two sexes that are known today. In the
following paper, thoughts are remarked on the adaptions made in our founding Homo sapiens as
they dealt with changes in climate as well as location. Gary D. James summarizes his views in
chapter eight of the Companion to Biological Anthropology, Labeled Climate-related
morphological variation and physical adaption in Homo sapiens. Following the readings of
these two articles, it is made obvious that there are points which are valid and those that cause
for questioning. In the following paper there will be a summarization of both articles as well as a
critical analysis of the theses brought up by the given authors.
In introduction to the first article, the noted author shared the story of Levi Suydam, a
twenty-three-year-old hermaphrodite whose ability to vote was debated upon as s/he was not
fully female or male. As the controversy took place before females had the right to vote a doctor
had to determine the majority of his/her sex. The outcome of Suydams physical exam
determined the majority of Levis structure to be that of a male, allowing for the authorization to
join the Whig party and vote as desired. Other than the happy ending for Levi Suydam, the
objective behind this story is to redirect the focus of the two sexes that are generally seen in
todays society. While on a birth certificate you are marked either male or female, there are three
major subgroups that author Anne Fausto- Sterling brings up; hermaphrodites, male
pseudohermaphrodites and the female pseudohermaphrodites. All three of these Intersex
subcategories all containing both male and female parts, but in differing variation. The general
Hermaphrodite holds one teste and one ovary, while the female pseudohermaphrodites have
ovaries as well as some male genitals, making the male pseudo hermaphrodite opposite with
testes and some female genitalia.
As author Fausto- Sterling continues examining deeper into reaction and issues that are
brought up today, it is learned that there is more than just a problem with societys abilities to
categorize those who fall into these subgroups. Doctors had put less time into the examination of
hermaphrodites, posing dangers to those that fall under both sexes while advancements in
knowledge are still underway. Progression was made as the ability to control the sex of the
human body was developed making it possible to put an end to the intersexes with only a surgery
at the request of the patient. This bringing into play other problems faced with the intersexes that
are more than just physical, as society generally only puts acknowledgment on the two greater
known sexes, hermaphrodites are left with array of guesses. If society is reluctant to admit that
hermaphrodites are included within the sexes that leaves a lot of questioning for the four percent
that fall into the intersex category. Many at this point are left to believe that there is something
wrong with having the parts of both males and females creating the illusion that the surgery to
transform them into one gender or the other is the optimal option, an assumption that is not
necessarily accurate. Near the end of the article, Anne Fausto-Sterling shares a story of a girl
named Emma, a hermaphrodite whom in summarization, was able to perform sex with both
males and females that was deemed normal and whom in all cases was normal as she declined
the surgery that would have made her of one sex. Emma is an example of why society needs to
put a greater emphasis on those who fall into the intersexes and the point Anne Fausto-Sterling is
trying to make as she concludes her article putting hope that the future will be more open to the
ideals of the sexuality instead of hesitant as society is today.
Opening the second article, Gary D. James explains the transformation made by the
original Homo sapiens as they started in Africa and migrated into their new environments. The
focus then starts on the adaptions that Homo sapiens have made as they progressed into new
climates that shouldnt be livable for species who arose from a tropical, sea-level climate. These
questioning observations, led to the discovery in the correlation between a populations BMI and
the median temperature of their living environment as well as potential relation in the size of
head and shape of nose with the temperature. Further investigation into the adaptation shows
abilities that are possessed by humans for long term, as well as short term internal adjustments.
Humans can only stand to a certain temperature whether it be hot or cold before the reach the
point of death, studies have found that the range in-between these deadly points are greater than
expected because of the changes the human body is capable of making. Fat, shivering and the
rate of ones metabolism are some of the many factors that allow for human survival in their
changing environment.
As Homo sapiens migrated, it was noted that it wasnt until the human species that
Hominid to permanently settle in the colder environments such as; Siberia, Asia, Greenland and
The North American Arctic. As the human species placed themselves in colder climates
adaptions were made in the BMRs and CIVD of humans, allowing for humans internal rate to
stay at a safe temperature. The BMR or bascal metabolic rate, is the amount in which the
metabolism of an individual is working, in the cold environments seen it is noted that the
decreasing temperature causes an increase in ones BMR. An increase in the BMR allows humans
to stay warm as it increases digestion working more to provide heat. In addition to the already
stated BMR, the CIVD (cold-induced vasodilation) cuts down on blood flow to conserve heat
and adds pulsation in the hands and feet to prevent from frostbite. Gary D. James, discusses the
adaptions made to high-altitude hypoxia or the lack of oxygen in high-altitude air. Though
studies are still underway today it is found that the human body does allow for adaptations as
bodies make the capabilities to breathe with less air as the bodies circulation changes and
mechanisms are created to allow for survival. Following the given adaptations, it has made
notable that humans poses the ability to adapt to more, such as ultra violet rays. The UV rays in
which humans are exposed allow for distribution of melanin and creation of pigmentation in the
skin making for a darker color and more protection from the sun. All of these are minor, but are
vital to the constantly changing locations of humans today.
In view of the two articles there is to be found many points that are valid, but still few
that are inoperative. Article number one, The Five Sexes, why male and female are not enough
by Anne Fausto-Sterling was purposeful, but seemingly out-of-date. The improvements made by
todays society in regards to those with hermaphrodite build have gone far as it is more accepted
in todays world. Gary D. Jamess article proved nothing but factual in his attempts to prove that
without the adaptations the human body makes, the world would not be what it is today.
Concluding the paper, it has been made clear that there are many remarkable capabilities
of the human body. The Five Sexes, why male and female are not enough brought the less viewed
side of the hermaphrodite sexes and the risks brought along with these three seemingly unnoticed
genders. While, Climate-related morphological variation and physical adaption in Homo
sapiens showed a new perspective on the adaptations humans are forced to make in their
surrounding climate. Both authors, Anne Fausto-Sterling and Gary D. James proving that
humans are one adaptive race.
Bibliography
REFERENCES
Fausto-Sterling, A. (1993). The Five Sexes. In The Sciences (2nd ed., Vol. 33, pp. 20-24). The
New York Academy of Science.
James, G. (2010). Climate-Related Morphological Variation and Physiological Adaptations. In C.
Larson (Ed.), A Companion to Biological Anthropology (Vol. 20, pp. 153-166). New Jersey: John
Wiley & Sons.

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Jordan Gannuscio

Professor Deborah Graham

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