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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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Original poster

Extreme Male Brain

86 replies

StarshitTerrorise · 15/04/2012 14:52

Can anyone help me put an end to my DH's indoctrination on this matter?

ApParently it makes perfect sense but it sounds about as sensible as when the US started publishing 'evidence' that black people were intellectually inferior.

Many Tia!

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TeddyBare · 15/04/2012 14:57

What does it even mean? I don't understand this post at all!

margerykemp · 15/04/2012 15:27

It's what Simon Baron Cohen calls high functioning autism/Aspergers isn't it?

lovebunny · 15/04/2012 15:39

is your OH an aspie? if he is and he's found extreme male brain interesting, you'd better learn to love it...

Original poster
StarshitTerrorise · 15/04/2012 15:43

No, he's not an aspie. Not even traits.

Ds has ASD though.

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BertieBotts · 15/04/2012 15:45

I have a copy of the book somewhere. I read it many many years ago.

Original poster
StarshitTerrorise · 15/04/2012 15:50

Did you not find it insulting to women?

That our brains are incapable of systemising or spatial awareness and that we should put up with inconsiderate men as they can't help it?

This seems to be the premise which is then extended to imply that people with autism are extreme versions of this 'natural' difference!

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AliceHurled · 15/04/2012 15:51

Have your heard of Delusions of Gender by Cordelia Fine?

belindarose · 15/04/2012 15:53

Yes, Delusions of Gender is very good for debunking that particular nonsense (and much more).

TheFallenMadonna · 15/04/2012 15:56

Not incapable. On average, according to Baron Cohen, males spontaneously systematise more readily than females, and females empathise spontaneously more readily than makes. On average. And females can systematise, and males empathise.

Personally, I have excellent spatial awareness. I am an outlier Grin

AliceHurled · 15/04/2012 16:00

This is the Baron Cohen that states that 'male' and 'female' brain doesn't actually equate to being 'male' and 'female'. I forget the %, but he recognises that female brains aren't all 'female' and male brains aren't all 'male'. Quite why he uses terms that are so easily confused is a mystery. Anyone would think he wanted to prop up a bit of neurosexism. So he is saying that 'male' brainsdo certain things, not that men do certain things. He is knob

BertieBotts · 15/04/2012 16:01

I can't remember, TBH, I read it years ago. I have absolutely no idea what it's about because I've forgotten Blush

TheFallenMadonna · 15/04/2012 16:04

Not sure why he didn't stick to type S and type E brains, but less catchy I guess, which clearly outweighs the potential for misconception... Hmm

AliceHurled · 15/04/2012 16:05

Exactly. All the terms in the world, why go for one so easily confused Hmm

Original poster
StarshitTerrorise · 15/04/2012 16:07

But I pride myself on excelling in both S and E! Plenty things I don't excel in btw, but wouldn't be able to chose which of the above two I was.

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Original poster
StarshitTerrorise · 15/04/2012 16:09

In fact, surely 'most' women are good at both due to their huge amount of practice. To run a family inc the childcare logistics requires both.

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TheFallenMadonna · 15/04/2012 16:09

He even says something like "the type S brain, which we will call the male brain, although both men and women can have male brains" (I am paraphrasing madly...) And I remember thinking eh? So why call it male brain? But what do I know?

TheFallenMadonna · 15/04/2012 16:10

Then you are also an outlier...

Or rather not average. Which doesn't actually negate his argument, however he chooses to express it.

TheFallenMadonna · 15/04/2012 16:11

Not according to his psychometrics. Psychometrics being a whole other can of worms.

WasabiTillyMinto · 15/04/2012 16:11

having read Delusions of Gender, i think even according to SBC, only 48% of males have a 'male' brain... sounds a bit wrong to me.

ElephantsAndMiasmas · 15/04/2012 16:11

Yeah Alice. Basically he wrote a book of sexist nonsense, labelling one supposed "type" as BLOKE BRAIN and the other (only two brain types for SBC apparently) as LADYBRAIN, saying all the BLOKEBRAINERS should get nice [well-paying] jobs like CEOs and surgeons and engineers, and the LADYBRAINERS should go and be lovely [underpaid/unpaid] nurses and infant school teachers and carers.

When people pointed out that this was basically the same old sexism rebranded as "science" he said just because he called it "the male brain" that didn't mean that all men had it, or that only men could have it, and vice versa. What a dim bunch we are, eh? Thinking that because he said "male/female brain", and because people are also labelled as "male" or "female" that those two things might have some kind of connection.

AliceHurled · 15/04/2012 16:14

How could he be expected to know we would all leap to wild conclusions that male meant male? Poor lamb.

Original poster
StarshitTerrorise · 15/04/2012 16:15

He does have a very talented brother.

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Original poster
StarshitTerrorise · 15/04/2012 16:16

Or is it cousin?

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Original poster
StarshitTerrorise · 15/04/2012 16:16

Anyway. How do I show DH that it is all bollocks?

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AliceHurled · 15/04/2012 16:17

Tell him we said so Grin