First published 2023
MacArthur Fellow and Pulitzer Prize finalist Richard Prum merges queer feminist theory with developmental genetics to challenge fundamental assumptions about biological sex. Prum argues that male and female categories represent just two possibilities within a spectrum of sexual diversity, rejecting the binary framework that has dominated scientific research for seventy years. He demonstrates that genomes function not as rigid blueprints determining sexual fate, but as dynamic systems where gene expression operates as material performance. Through this lens, Prum shows how organisms develop from fertilized zygotes into complex beings through continuous self-enactment involving genes, molecules, cells, and tissues. The book bridges humanities and sciences, proving that feminist and queer theoretical frameworks can illuminate new understanding of genetics, developmental biology, and physiology. Prum offers accessible explanations for how bodies grow and develop, providing insights for feminists interested in biology, biologists curious about feminist theory, and general readers seeking fresh perspectives on human sexual development.
Genres: science, gender-studies, feminism, non-fiction, lgbt, biology, genetics, academic
Vibes: academic, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: academic, interdisciplinary
403 pages · Paperback · University of Chicago Press