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Image is a drawing of two faces split into puzzle pieces with image fragments of a DNA double helix and chromosomes.
In The Chronicle of Higher Education, evolutionary biologist David P. Barash reviews six leading hypotheses for the evolution of homosexuality as a behavior.
The World Health Organization website has a concise but comprehensive overview of the relationship between genetics, sex, and gender. This website presents an overview of the major ethical, legal, and social implications associated with gender and genetics. This website is a useful resource for students researching sex and gender in the context of genetics or health.
Image shows a small snowman with hat, eyes, and arms created in a plastic container in a science classroom.
This article by Ariel Serkin in Chem Ed Xchange describes the author's choice not to do any Christmas-themed chemistry celebrations that are popular on social media. The author cautions educators that these common school traditions may unintentionally create an environment where students and teachers may feel excluded.
Image shows several slipper limpets (small snail-like organisms) with four captions reading (1) A larva that settles on an unoccupied substrate develops into a female, which produces chemicals that attract other larvae. (2) The larvae attracted by the female settle on top of her and develop into males, which become mates for the original female. (3) Eventually the males on top switch sex, developing into females. (4) They then attract additional larvae, which settle on top of the stack and develop into males. This image is from Genetics: A Conceptual Approach, Fourth Edition.
Slipper limpets are unique because their sexual development is influenced by touch with other individuals of the same species. Maryna Lesoway from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign concisely explains current research on the phenomenon.
Image shows two purple-colored figures with male symbols and one orange-colored figure with a female symbol, all caring for two yellow-colored babies.
This gallery of art by Humon depicts diverse animal mating behavior in 20 different species.
Image of a rainbow-colored composition notebook with title “2018 LGBTQ Youth Report” and HRC logo.
This is a survey of over 12,000 LGBTQ teenagers in the United States. Although it lacks any specific data about science curriculum, it contains the important finding that only 10% of youth are out to all of their teachers. This informs teachers’ work because we must not assume that there are no LGBTQ students in our classrooms, just because they are not out.
Image shows two graphs displaying information about testosterone levels of men and women in different sports.
In this activity by HHMI BioInteractive, students analyze data on testosterone levels in elite athletes to assess the appropriateness of official athletic policy. First, students learn about the current IAAF and IOC policies for using testosterone levels to determine eligibility for women's sports events. Students interpret the graph and engage in discussion. Statistical concepts include range, sample size, average, threshold, and using a graph to make predictions.
Image shows various birds with unique plumage.
This research by Nathan H. Lents finds that undergraduate students are more likely to accept evolutionary concepts after learning about the biological basis of reproduction and sexuality. The authors suggest that the topics of reproduction and sexuality may be opening students’ minds to accepting the ideas of evolution, or that these topics are high-interest and they make tangible and striking examples of evolution.
This article by Vicky L. Snyder and Francis S. Broadway uses queer theory to question assumptions embedded in high school biology textbooks. The authors identify "deafening silences" on some topics and "socially sanitized concepts". The authors suggest ways to science educators to broaden their perspectives.
Article uploaded with permission from Francis S. Broadway.
This SciShow video reviews several intersex traits in humans and several patterns of hermaphroditism in animal species. At different times in the video, the host describes this phenomenon as a “condition,” “disorder,” and “variation”. You may wish to discuss the impact of these word choices with your students.
Editor’s note: The term "hermaphrodite" is appropriate for referring to non-human animals with sex characteristics that do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies. For humans, “intersex” is the appropriate term—learn more here!
This TED-Ed video by Robin Ball comes with a small set of questions to be used in a lesson. The gendered language and visuals used in the video are more nuanced than most.
This SciShow video summarizes the complexity of human sex determination, which often wrongly thought to be binary. Mosaicism, chimerism, and intersex traits and nonconsensual surgeries are mentioned.
This video from Facts in Motion illustrates how the sex of crocodiles is determined by environment and not genetics. The sex ratio of developing crocodile eggs is shown to be a function of temperature, thought to be mediated by a thermosensor protein. Climate change may impact or even cause the extinction of crocodile populations.
This sex-determination system is not so “unusual” because it occurs in other reptiles and fish species. But it is certainly interesting and gathering attention. The College Board’s 2018 AP Biology exam had a free response question about temperature-dependent sex determination in fish.
In this article in Massive Science, neuroscientist Elysa Carr calls for authors to avoid essentialist biases and treat all identities, non-binary, gender nonconforming, trans, or cis, as equally valid. Carr advises scientists to consider how research on the genetics of human behavior can impact marginalized communities when the research is misinterpreted or abused.
In this article in The Scientist, Shawna Williams reviews current research on how brain structures may be linked to gender identity.
Image of a presentation slide with the rainbow-colored Project Biodiversify logo containing an atom, a DNA double helix, a single-celled organism, a plant, and a winged insect. Title reads “ESA 2018 WK 44: Inclusive and Accurate Approaches for Teaching Sex and Gender in Biology.” The bottom of the image lists three presenter names: Alex Webster - she/her/hers - @alxweb, Ash Zemenick - they/them/theirs - @mtn_ash, and Sarah Jones - she/her/hers - @joness943.
Project Biodiversify team members Alex Webster, Ash Zemenick, and Sarah Jones presented this workshop at the 2018 Annual Meeting for the Ecological Society of America (ESA). The slides contain comprehensive information about the benefits of teaching inclusive biology, and how to adapt existing curricula using an iterative process. Extensive examples are given for sexual reproduction, sex determination, and sexual selection.
Image shows the silhouette of a study opening a locker in a school hallway.
The 2013 GLSEN National School Climate Survey is the most recent GLSEN survey to report a correlation between LGBT-inclusive science teaching and students' interest in studying STEM.
“LGBT high school seniors were more likely to be interested in studying STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math) or Social Science in college if their relevant high school classes had included positive LGBT content (35.8% vs. 18.5% for STEM majors; 29.0 vs. 19.7% for Social Science majors).”
This research by Boby Ho-Hong Ching and Jason Teng Xu suggests that biology teaching may have the power to reduce transphobic attitudes in students. In the experiment, students read one of two articles - one claimed that sex differences in personality and social behavior are caused by neurological factors, and the other claimed that brain and environment interact to shape personality and behavior. Students who read the first article were less likely to support equal rights and anti-discrimination protections for transgender people.
Article uploaded with permission from Boby Ho-Hong Ching.
Drawing of Indian professional sprinter Dutee Chand running a race.
In this web activity by HHMI BioInteractive, students integrate knowledge from several areas of genetics to understand the history and the science behind sex verification of athletes.
The key concepts covered in the activity are:
Information stored in DNA is expressed as RNA and proteins, which impact anatomical structures and physiology.
Many gene products determine the development of biological sex characteristics in humans.
Like many traits, biological sex consists of a spectrum of phenotypes.
Scientific knowledge (e.g., knowledge about which genes and other factors contribute to a person's traits) can inform societal practices (e.g., what types of tests can be used to define an individual's biological sex), although ultimately implementing those practices reflects our values as a society.
The lab techniques covered in the activity are:
Physical examination
Barr body staining
PCR and gel electrophoresis of SRY gene
Serum testosterone measurement
In this article for GLSEN, Lewis Maday-Travis offers six high-impact ways to include LGBTQ students in science class.