Faculty Research Fellows Lunch with Marcia Stefanick

Marcia Stefanick:  Biological & Neurophysiological Basis of Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation: Current Evidence

The ongoing debate of “nature” versus “nurture” (and agency and choice) regarding gender identify and/or sexual orientation often fails to recognize the important interactions of sex and gender and the intersectionality of sex and gender with a broad range of demographic and socio-cultural factors.  Interpretations of data arising from scientific investigations of these issues are also often presented as either/or (binary) rather than as a spectrum or multi-dimensional and highly complex phenomenon, and are often biased by values influenced by cultural “norms”. This talk will outline the state of this science and explore innovations in gender research that might make for a more useful discourse on these topics.

Marica Stefanick is Professor of Medicine (Research) and Director, WHSDM.

Biological & Neurophysiological Basis of Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation: Current Evidence