Testosterone rex: unmaking the myths of our gendered minds

‘The distribution of preferences and abilities of men and women differ in part due to biological causes,’ wrote Google engineer James Damore in his now-infamous memo that criticised Google’s efforts to improve gender equality among its employees. Damore argues that it is purely biological causes, like exposure to prenatal testosterone, that make men naturally more skilled at technical professions and keener to gain positions of power and leadership.

Over the years, frustrated Google employees and scientists alike have pointed their finger at testosterone when trying to explain men’s and women’s seemingly differing aptitudes for taking risks or caring for offspring. In her new book Testosterone rex, University of Melbourne psychologist Cordelia Fine takes on this ‘men are from Mars, women are from Venus’ myth.