![]() ![]() Originally published around 350 BCE, Aristotle’s Generation of Animals discusses the process of conception in depth, ultimately superseding contemporary theories to shape later scientific views of fertilization. ![]() Gendered depictions of the egg and sperm thus rely on “stereotypes central to our cultural definitions of male and female.” 1 Rather than being based in biological reality, these depictions reflect broadly held views on the expected roles of men and women in society. 2 Fertilization is a cooperative process, with both the female body and the egg cell making active contributions to its completion. Though sperm swim several millimeters per second, contractions of the uterine walls and fallopian tubes are crucial in rapidly propelling the sperm along its path eggs secrete chemicals that attract, guide, capture, and “pull” the sperm towards them other chemicals produced in the female body trigger hyperactivity in the sperm and contribute to gamete fusion. Furthermore, decades of scientific research support a far more active role for the egg in fertilization than is typically acknowledged. Gametes are unicellular and, necessarily, characterless, thoughtless, and free of conscious motivation. The tenacity of gendered accounts of the egg and sperm are not, it should be noted, rooted in science. 3 Examining the role of gender bias in Aristotle’s account of fertilization provides a model to appreciate the social influences underlying modern accounts of fertility. 2 The origins of these metaphors extend back to antiquity, with Aristotle’s Generation of Animals as one of the key popularizers of the idea of “passive” female contributions to conception. 1 Twenty-five years later, this distinction persists in popular portrayals of fertilization. 1 “Feminine” oocytes, on the other hand, are described as passive and fragile, being “swept” along the fallopian tubes to await the arrival of the sperm. 1 “Masculine” sperm were depicted as strong adventurers, heroes, and conquerors, actively swimming towards the egg and “penetrating” its defenses. In 1991, anthropologist Emily Martin argued that accounts of human fertilization in medical textbooks often applied gendered language and stereotypes to anthropomorphized representations of the sperm and egg. Aristotelian gender bias in modern depictions of fertilization January 29, 2017 ![]()
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