Against Sex As A Biological Category. How To Dismantle The Sexist Premises That Limit Our Lives

Abstract

At the end of the 19th century, the social sciences distanced themselves from biologicist explanations such as social Darwinism. Nevertheless, the debate between social and biological factors in human behavior persists. Lu Ciccia, an expert in biotechnology, science and gender, addresses this tension in her book Against Sex as a Biological Category. She offers a critique of how the biomedical field produces biased studies that overlook the fact that human beings are not merely biological and ahistorical entities. Ciccia argues that human existence is shaped by psychological and social dimensions, situated in specific historical and spatial contexts. This text aims to highlight the key points of Lu Ciccia’s work and reflect on its current sociopolitical relevance.