The End of Gender: Debunking the Myths about Sex and Identity in Our Society

The End of Gender: Debunking the Myths about Sex and Identity in Our Society

  • Downloads:3257
  • Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date:2021-09-28 09:51:20
  • Update Date:2025-09-06
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Debra Soh
  • ISBN:1982132523
  • Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Summary

International sex researcher, neuroscientist, and columnist Debra Soh debunks popular gender myths in this scientific examination of the many facets of gender identity that “is not only eminently reasonable and beautifully-written, it is brave and vital” (Ben Shapiro, #1 New York Times bestselling author)。

Is our gender something we’re born with, or are we conditioned by society? In The End of Gender, neuroscientist and sexologist Dr。 Debra Soh uses a research-based approach to address this hot-button topic, unmasking popular misconceptions about the nature vs。 nurture debate and exploring what it means to be a woman or a man in today’s society。

Both scientific and objective, and drawing on original research and carefully conducted interviews, Soh tackles a wide range of issues, such as gender-neutral parenting, gender dysphoric children, and the neuroscience of being transgender。 She debates today’s accepted notion that gender is a social construct and a spectrum, and challenges the idea that there is no difference between how male and female brains operate。

The End of Gender is conversation-starting “required reading” (Eric R。 Weinstein, PhD, host of The Portal) that will arm you with the facts you need to come to your own conclusions about gender identity and its place in the world today。

Download

Reviews

James Xiao

The book gives a good introduction to many scientific terms that can be at times convoluting, but overall the writing was pretty poor。 I did not expect a story or anything, but just the writing did not feel it was from an experienced writer。 At best I would qualify this book as an amalgamation of research papers。 The research is well done and all, but just the writing is not something you would want to read。 If you are interested in learning more about the topic, please do read it, but understan The book gives a good introduction to many scientific terms that can be at times convoluting, but overall the writing was pretty poor。 I did not expect a story or anything, but just the writing did not feel it was from an experienced writer。 At best I would qualify this book as an amalgamation of research papers。 The research is well done and all, but just the writing is not something you would want to read。 If you are interested in learning more about the topic, please do read it, but understand it is not a book that you read from start to finish。 。。。more

Kzryszthof

I respect Dr。 Soh's will to not be silenced into submission。 Contrary to the current popular belief, I did not find anything she writes controversial in and of itself。 You can disagree with her。 This doesn't disprove her well-crafted statements。 In order to do that, you better be ready to engage with her ideas, evidence in hand。 I respect Dr。 Soh's will to not be silenced into submission。 Contrary to the current popular belief, I did not find anything she writes controversial in and of itself。 You can disagree with her。 This doesn't disprove her well-crafted statements。 In order to do that, you better be ready to engage with her ideas, evidence in hand。 。。。more

Michelle

Brilliantly WrittenI highly recommend this to everyone。 No this is not anti-trans, this is pro trans plus pro science。 It's a very good read if you like facts and science and understanding that science。 "As for those who are still in the academic trenches fighting the good fight, I say, keep going。 Don’t apologize for whatever it is you find in your research。 In turn, journal editors and reviewers should be firm about which studies are acceptable for publication and which do not deserve to see d Brilliantly WrittenI highly recommend this to everyone。 No this is not anti-trans, this is pro trans plus pro science。 It's a very good read if you like facts and science and understanding that science。 "As for those who are still in the academic trenches fighting the good fight, I say, keep going。 Don’t apologize for whatever it is you find in your research。 In turn, journal editors and reviewers should be firm about which studies are acceptable for publication and which do not deserve to see daylight, instead of caving to activists’ complaints and backpedaling once research findings have been published。" 。。。more

Dina Alexander

This was a surprisingly great read。 With compassion and reason, Dr。 Soh tackles a number of controversial issues from a scientific, objective standpoint。 Although the topics of gender and trans issues have been muddled with so much hearsay, emotionality, and just false information, Soh focuses on science and practicality。 I appreciated that she acknowledged that there ARE people who are legitimately transgender, but also shows how so many teenage girls have been caught up in a number of issues, This was a surprisingly great read。 With compassion and reason, Dr。 Soh tackles a number of controversial issues from a scientific, objective standpoint。 Although the topics of gender and trans issues have been muddled with so much hearsay, emotionality, and just false information, Soh focuses on science and practicality。 I appreciated that she acknowledged that there ARE people who are legitimately transgender, but also shows how so many teenage girls have been caught up in a number of issues, body dysmorphia, depression, and other complex personal issues that have led them to believe they are trans。 While not discounting these girls, Soh reminds us to take a step back and look at the various issues that are influencing so many kids right now。 An important read for parents in the digital age!! 。。。more

Adam

This book gave me a massive headache。 There was some interesting discussion on sex v。 gender and it provides an interesting perspective overall, but this book is full of contradictions。 The author speaks a lot on cognitive dissonance and the overpoliticization of science but this book is guilty of both。 I also feel the book is trying to backfill cultural movements with scientific explanations, where the conclusions drawn are highly debatable。

Nigel Shenton

Anglophilia is more about men wearing women’s cloths than about false consultation with LGBTQ suicide rate that progressives deny that often leaves many mutilating their genitals to feel attention often many have to pay post surgery if “a” decide it was a wrong decision delay construction or re construction hoping only to relief of outer appearance or change therapy is often happens but not talked about in progressive circles to leave most conversion therapy or psychologist to not speak out only Anglophilia is more about men wearing women’s cloths than about false consultation with LGBTQ suicide rate that progressives deny that often leaves many mutilating their genitals to feel attention often many have to pay post surgery if “a” decide it was a wrong decision delay construction or re construction hoping only to relief of outer appearance or change therapy is often happens but not talked about in progressive circles to leave most conversion therapy or psychologist to not speak out only to see and say anglophilia or lose there practice and engage a mob rule of speaking out。[enactment]Out of the 99% of heterosexual is often wrong cause people are taught sex is misogynist and sexist are only taught gender many are left confused on normal relationship on how post education is how any society is measured by in a population, In any country in media or work for enployement with affirmative action policy on does low iq cause poverty and or does poverty cause low IQ。The textual or contextual is left to post education in post modern Academia Authority posting correlation and causation versus catastrophic population in any physics is。Denormalization theory an integrated information theory。 In gender or sexIn Jeopardy the most expensive word is what, for illegitimate consequences on any pendulum getting even on what’s baited is。An insurmountable right{write} is usually held over the textual from a contextual。Most Cis men which is just men taught sex not gender are left out of the employement if they are passively loved bombed in dark psychology into self gratification in an illegitimate consequence。 That only if they are not ethnicity trans or sex trans will gain employment under affirmative action if male with out paper education that only grants it to, that will give unchild barring women 70% more employment or single mothers or LGBTQ or an ethnic differences a job。 Due to how society measures out of post education in rule or law。I’m starting to think if one day a week was off or weekends stores closed was a better way to handle pandemics than close everything for a winter。Or start and stops of masks。it might just stop the hospitals from being over capacitated by patients。 From Expotential growth of Covid for an entire week。 For a Sunday thought。 But I understand that for achievers that might set post secondary back when education is weekly and work is weekend。 I also know enrollment has plummeted between SEX to 70-30。 And any labour job if desired is given preferential treatment on income tax to an employer with affirmative action plan policy with subsidiary means men if at on intelligent or education that's better suited for a position is beneficial for feminist ideology, leaving whole gender to be 50% not in labour force。 But I do agree I think today is alot easier than folks era with women working even in child birth。 That World war which was easy explained and hard to see back then, due to legalization means and the euthanasia roller coaster, compared to today of the religion that can't be named^psychedelic Eucharist of drug policy of today as hard to explain but easy to see the ghetto violence。 Might be due to post education in how the society is measured in rule of law。A woman can transition to 12 different Jon(job) interviews in a few years while a guy might only have 1 interview out of a hundred resumes given out。 I can see how many men give up all together in job boards and that unemployment board Statistics don’t show like income tax does and give up on life。 。。。more

Rebecca

3。5 stars

Frank

You should read Ina's review of this book。The book failed at its stated objective i。e。 to give readers a basis for defending their arguments against current woke claims dealing with gender。 The author uses (or tries to use) logical reasoning or personal anecdotes to defend a claim more times than citing scientific sources。 More sources should have been cited。 For example, you will often see a sentence including "many studies have shown" or "according to the research findings", yet the studies ar You should read Ina's review of this book。The book failed at its stated objective i。e。 to give readers a basis for defending their arguments against current woke claims dealing with gender。 The author uses (or tries to use) logical reasoning or personal anecdotes to defend a claim more times than citing scientific sources。 More sources should have been cited。 For example, you will often see a sentence including "many studies have shown" or "according to the research findings", yet the studies are not cited。 Whenever she talks of the LGBQ community, its as if she is trying to NOT offend her gay friends, which stinks of a heavy bias。 It read like she was trying to be hip and with-it。 The 2 stars are for learning that gender expression is related to brain structure and in utero exposure to testosterone levels i。e。 I finally have references for defending those claims。 Other than these facts, I feel I didn't learn much。 。。。more

Ryan Young

Soh states at the outset that she is a gender nonconforming female, then 200 pages later says to ignore research published by people who need to announce their identity。 this is a metaphor。End of Gender plays the outrage card, hysterically claiming that children are being made into genderless political tools of the woke left。 Scores of pages are dedicated to the children's gender clinics and their emphasis on positive messaging, without ever giving us a single number regarding the prevalence of Soh states at the outset that she is a gender nonconforming female, then 200 pages later says to ignore research published by people who need to announce their identity。 this is a metaphor。End of Gender plays the outrage card, hysterically claiming that children are being made into genderless political tools of the woke left。 Scores of pages are dedicated to the children's gender clinics and their emphasis on positive messaging, without ever giving us a single number regarding the prevalence of minors transitioning。 she spends half of her time lamenting the lack of scientific basis of trans and non binary activism (fair enough), and the other half using anecdote (her friend said this, her colleague thought that) to make her own point。in one episode, she even sends a doll with her daughter to a birthday party where the parents specifically requested to stay away from gendered toys as gifts。 the main point of the book, beaten to death like an effeminate nigerian, is that sex and gender are both binary。 however, she will concede that gender expression exists along a continuum, as someone can be or feel 30% male and 70% female。 the neuroscience here (and she is light on this, to say the least) is that levels of testosterone exposure in utero directly influence a person's level of gender conformity。 i can tell what we gain by denying gender as a spectrum only to turn around and announce that 'gender expression' is a spectrum。 if testosterone is the culprit, and it can be applied along a continuum, the resulting brains will also exist along a continuum。as if this weren't enough, instead of allowing people to be nonbinary, she just wants to redefine what it means to be female or male。 in this case, instead of having many points along a spectrum, we would just widen the points into circles that eventually overlap。 six one, half a dozen for the other。overall, then, she makes no salient point, she does it without much reference to data (in fact she says all research in the last decade is trash), and all the while she is almost laughably haughty about her own educational background and understanding of the science。 as a scientist, you either agree with her point of view, or you have been hopelessly infected by activist ideology。finally, she says 'legit' in her first chapter。 and somehow i kept going。。。。 。。。more

Hek

Too many rantsToo many anecdotesMade me think though,It at least gave critical arguments against the prevailing dogma that asserts gender is wholly distinct from sex。 Some of the stuff I'd take with a grain of salt。 I've seen credible contentions against some of the studies she cites。 Too many rantsToo many anecdotesMade me think though,It at least gave critical arguments against the prevailing dogma that asserts gender is wholly distinct from sex。 Some of the stuff I'd take with a grain of salt。 I've seen credible contentions against some of the studies she cites。 。。。more

james

2。5don't。 2。5don't。 。。。more

Victoria Frost

Very informative and interesting。 I enjoyed the explanation of different terms and how they are different from gender and sex。 Moreover, the different myths were interesting。 Many of the terms (i。e。 libragender, aporagender, lunagender, etc。) I never knew existed and am curious to learn more, let alone why there are so many terms that were created。 Moreover, how do people fall under any of these new terms and (not to be mean) how do people actually know that they fall under it。 Yet, a major issu Very informative and interesting。 I enjoyed the explanation of different terms and how they are different from gender and sex。 Moreover, the different myths were interesting。 Many of the terms (i。e。 libragender, aporagender, lunagender, etc。) I never knew existed and am curious to learn more, let alone why there are so many terms that were created。 Moreover, how do people fall under any of these new terms and (not to be mean) how do people actually know that they fall under it。 Yet, a major issue I had of the book was that it seemed to be all over the place when Deborah Soh was comparing different terms that fall under gender to terms and concepts under sex。 。。。more

Gemma

This book wasn’t what I was expecting, and it became clear right off the bat that the author and I weren’t going to agree on much。 Call me a delusional trans activist I guess。 The author surely would。 However I decided to keep reading anyways, because it’s good for me to read and learn about other viewpoints。 I love science and I was interested in the scientific discussion of sexuality and gender。 However, the author was a little too keen to blame biology for every little trait and preference, b This book wasn’t what I was expecting, and it became clear right off the bat that the author and I weren’t going to agree on much。 Call me a delusional trans activist I guess。 The author surely would。 However I decided to keep reading anyways, because it’s good for me to read and learn about other viewpoints。 I love science and I was interested in the scientific discussion of sexuality and gender。 However, the author was a little too keen to blame biology for every little trait and preference, based on her own opinion, and write off important social and cultural factors with hardly more than a glance。 I was a bit disappointed to find that the author was more fixated on her place in some culture war, instead of sharing scientific information。 However there were some parts I enjoyed and agreed with。 So, the good: I found the discussion of biological causes of homosexuality to be interesting and informative。 Academic freedom is important, and we shouldn’t shy away from scientific inquiries just because of potential for misuse or misinterpretation。 I also liked the discussion of the interaction between gender roles and gender identity。 I agree with the author that there’s no one right way to be a man or a woman, and being gender nonconforming via clothes, interests, personality, etc doesn’t inherently make someone trans or nonbinary。 There were also lots of interesting points about trans kids and the question of when, how, or even whether to allow transition。 Now, the not so good。 For a book that claims to be purely objective, I found it odd that most of it was dedicated to refuting arguments typically associated with the political left, while paying next to no attention to those of the right。 Misconceptions and bias are rampant on both sides, so I think a true nonpartisan book would have been better balanced in its criticism。 The author also had some pretty awful things to say about nonbinary people that went past pure fact into the realm of personal bias and conjecture。 Not backed up by any data, she claimed that nonbinary identities are merely phases of self-expression, much like being goth or punk, and asserted that people only identify as nonbinary to seem more interesting or unique。 The idea that being trans is some form of social advantage doesn’t seem based on reality, as the author almost completely ignores the truth of transphobia in the real world。 In fact, there is hardly any mention of transphobia throughout the entire book。 Apparently it’s acceptable to discuss every aspect of a trans person’s life, except transphobia。 Maybe she frequents online echo chambers where trans people are instantly and unconditionally accepted, but the real world is not like that。 Trans people, especially teens, are regularly kicked out, beaten, and abused by family and peers for coming out。 They do not often receive universal praise and support like she suggests。 Apparently the author has forgotten this in her eagerness to push back against the perceived mob of SJWs。 That, or it brings her explanation into question, and so she chooses to ignore it。 Also, I really didn’t enjoy the way the author pitted member of the LGBTQ+ community against each other and tokenized groups who agree with her while demonizing and dismissing those who don’t。 None of the identities within the community are inherently contradictory。 Trans people choosing to transition is not “exterminating” gay men and lesbians or “the new conversion therapy”。 For that to be true, being trans would have to be more acceptable in society than being gay, and there is zero evidence to prove that’s the case。 She argues that binary trans people prove the existence of the gender binary, while also criticizing trans people who identify outside of it。 Trans people are only useful to her when they serve the binary。 When they don’t, they are just “confused” or “attention-seeking”。 As a member of the community myself, I don’t really take kindly to a straight woman trying to split us apart and blame us for the struggles we face in larger society。 We aren’t enemies。 The author also has a bizarre aversion to the word “cisgender” which seems impractical for a sex researcher。 The word was only used once or twice。 For the rest of the book, she refers to cis women as “women who were born women”, “natal women”, “female-born women” and “non-transgender”。 It’s wordy, awkward, and impractical。 I still don’t really understand why she has such an issue with the word “cis”。 I don’t think she ever explained it。 Overall, I don’t regret reading the book, but I wouldn’t really recommend it to anyone。 If you’re wanting an overly self-victimizing treatise on cancel culture with a small side of science and some unwarranted dating advice, this is for you I guess。 。。。more

Val

I thought this book was going to something completely opposite of what it is。 Transphobia disguised as “science”。 Couldn’t finish…

Alanna

While I really appreciate the author’s expertise, I feel she makes a lot of emotional leaps with her conclusions。 There is a lot of interesting science in this book, but I’m sad to say that the author buries it inside a whole bunch of her own discomfort。

Francis Buckley

A good read。 Those folks have it rough。 More fleshed out than the JRE interview。 Twitter Paratext as a genre?

Markas

An enlightening scientific look into the topics of sex, gender and all things related。

Mina Fouad

An amazing book that is boldly advocating the scientific truth。

Karissa Hanna

As someone that considers herself more liberal/progressive, I’d been feeling some confusion and concern on some of the progressive culture agenda and messages mostly to do with the direction and support of transgender children。 (I’m definitely not transphobic) Also trying to get an understanding of how gender can be offensive to people and the removal of gender to be inclusive using the terms “people with a vagina” or “persons with a penis”。 I would like to think I’m a good willed person and don As someone that considers herself more liberal/progressive, I’d been feeling some confusion and concern on some of the progressive culture agenda and messages mostly to do with the direction and support of transgender children。 (I’m definitely not transphobic) Also trying to get an understanding of how gender can be offensive to people and the removal of gender to be inclusive using the terms “people with a vagina” or “persons with a penis”。 I would like to think I’m a good willed person and don’t have any intent to bring harm or offend people, but I wanted clarity on the subject and found this book really helpful in this new culture phenomena of political correctness and this no-questions-asked form of social activism。 Definitely would recommend to anyone questioning these things and wondering where they stand on these delicate topics。 。。。more

MIRYAM

This book claims to be based on science, yet a big portion of this is shaped to fit the personal opinion of the author。Firstly, while claiming to base most of her arguments on "biology" , she seems to have little or no knowledge of evolutionary biology。 She explains modern-man sexual behavior by relating him to his evolutionary ancestors (cavemen)。 While it is true that genomes that produce certain proteins will continue to get passed on, the brain of the modern day man is different from that of This book claims to be based on science, yet a big portion of this is shaped to fit the personal opinion of the author。Firstly, while claiming to base most of her arguments on "biology" , she seems to have little or no knowledge of evolutionary biology。 She explains modern-man sexual behavior by relating him to his evolutionary ancestors (cavemen)。 While it is true that genomes that produce certain proteins will continue to get passed on, the brain of the modern day man is different from that of his ancestors (This was proved by mapping and comparing the genomes of modern and ancient humans)。 So unlike what the author is suggesting 。。 evolution is an ongoing process and not a fixed event in the past。I found it hilarious how the author undermines the capacity of people with "PhD in biology" to explain gender and sexuality 。。。 Like what !!!!Another very controversial "fact" that the author mentioned is that sexual behaviour is almost exclusively determined by genes and learned behavior has little influence on it ( she gives the example of heterosexual male kids wanting to play with trucks and not dolls)。。。。。 Again, what!!?? Does the author know that humans have specific neurons for learned behavior by observation? 。。。 Does she understand the difference between genetics and epigenetics? 。。。。 From the book she has written, this seems very unlikely。I think this book is dangerous not only for the opinions it portrays but also because those opinions claim to be based on scientific facts which was not always true here。Some of the facts mentioned were accurate like the intra-uterine testosterone effect, but that does not justify many wrong claims in the book。Should be read with a critical mind。。。 I suggest reading the literature the the author cites。 。。。more

John Marius

This book was fine, but feel into a few self pitying ruts around cancel culture etc。 I think broadly, it could have elucidated a bit better the idea that we can't hold both the ideas that gender doesn't exist, and that more than 2 genders exist。 I also think that there is a lot of value in sociology and the author's throwing sociology under the bus to rescue science was a bit strange。 This book was fine, but feel into a few self pitying ruts around cancel culture etc。 I think broadly, it could have elucidated a bit better the idea that we can't hold both the ideas that gender doesn't exist, and that more than 2 genders exist。 I also think that there is a lot of value in sociology and the author's throwing sociology under the bus to rescue science was a bit strange。 。。。more

Vicki McKenna

I have conflicting feelings about this book。 For a while, I've been aware that there is just as much gate-keeping and possibly as much misinformation on the left as there is on the right especially when it comes to scientific matters。 Soh brings out this point in her book。 All that aside, what is most troubling to me about this book is that it rides the line between being helpfully informative regarding the correct science of things, and useless because of the author's agenda。 I feel like she be I have conflicting feelings about this book。 For a while, I've been aware that there is just as much gate-keeping and possibly as much misinformation on the left as there is on the right especially when it comes to scientific matters。 Soh brings out this point in her book。 All that aside, what is most troubling to me about this book is that it rides the line between being helpfully informative regarding the correct science of things, and useless because of the author's agenda。 I feel like she belabors the point of being scientifically correct at the expense of being helpful to the LGBTQ+ community。 Yes, we need to use correct language and terminology and understand the science of things, but I don't understand how weaponizing correctness is going to further the cause of inclusion and equal rights。 Eh, not the best read on this subject。 I'd look somewhere else。 。。。more

David Kakhadze

Transphobic trash disguised as scientific language and trying to cash in on the moral panic about growing trans rights。 It becomes more overt as you go on in the book。 For example, when she claims that women with shaved heads clearly lacked estrogen when they where in the womb。

Brandon

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it, click here。 Debra Soh's book, while staunchly pushing back against much of the SJW, social constructionist narratives surrounding sex and gender, also serves as great primer into the scholarly world of Sexology。 The End of Gender very frankly defines the differences between topical labels such as Sex (Whether One is Male or Female), Sexual Orientation (What Sex one is sexually attracted to), Gender Identity (How one relate to his/her Sex) and Gender Expression (How one expresses their sense of his/her Gende Debra Soh's book, while staunchly pushing back against much of the SJW, social constructionist narratives surrounding sex and gender, also serves as great primer into the scholarly world of Sexology。 The End of Gender very frankly defines the differences between topical labels such as Sex (Whether One is Male or Female), Sexual Orientation (What Sex one is sexually attracted to), Gender Identity (How one relate to his/her Sex) and Gender Expression (How one expresses their sense of his/her Gender Identity) in ways that are very basic and easy to understand。 To anyone striving for some form of intellectually sound life raft to save them from the ocean of ideological duplicitousness surrounding the discussion of Sex and Gender, this might be the book for you 。。。more

Nick

Great book and a easy read。

Taylor Gale

This book took me months to read, because I disagreed with some of what the author had to say。 It made me question my own ideologies in ways I never have before。 Ultimately, I’m glad I finished it as the final message of the importance of understanding scientific research and the effects of that trickling down to children is important。

Krishnanunni

A poorly written book,(It reads like a blog, than as a book; It is written by an ex-scientists but seems to target political pundits, and perhaps that's why it doesn't have any citations。)The fact that the author addresses possibilities that the book might be used by Right wing nuts to justify and normalise their phobias doesn't seem to have stopped it from happening。 A poorly written book,(It reads like a blog, than as a book; It is written by an ex-scientists but seems to target political pundits, and perhaps that's why it doesn't have any citations。)The fact that the author addresses possibilities that the book might be used by Right wing nuts to justify and normalise their phobias doesn't seem to have stopped it from happening。 。。。more

Kasey Jojo

Enlightening。 Engaging。 At times appalling and shocking。 This isn't an evangelical right wing attack on trans rights。 This is a scientist objectively considering the data and how we can begin to make sense of sex and gender in an empirical way。 I recommend this to anyone who is deeply concerned about being called a bigot for having questions。 Enlightening。 Engaging。 At times appalling and shocking。 This isn't an evangelical right wing attack on trans rights。 This is a scientist objectively considering the data and how we can begin to make sense of sex and gender in an empirical way。 I recommend this to anyone who is deeply concerned about being called a bigot for having questions。 。。。more

Soquel

Wow! Wow! Wow! Very thought-provoking and insightful。 I learned a lot about how sex and gender have been weaponized。

Brittany

Oh boy。 Or girl? Lots to unpackage here。 Will probably read again later。