Why read Evolution's Rainbow?

Book cover of Evolution's Rainbow: Diversity, Gender, and Sexuality in Nature and People

Book description

In this innovative celebration of diversity and affirmation of individuality in animals and humans, Joan Roughgarden challenges accepted wisdom about gender identity and sexual orientation. A distinguished evolutionary biologist, Roughgarden takes on the medical establishment, the Bible, social science - and even Darwin himself. She leads the reader through a…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Evolution's Rainbow as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Jeff Stookey

Author

Evolution’s Rainbow made me happy and excited because I write about sexuality and gender in my books. In a time when the LGBTQ+ community is being attacked, especially by criminalizing transgender people, this scientifically based book by a trans woman is a cause for celebration.

She presents numerous compelling examples from nature demonstrating that homosexuality and gender diversity/mutability are not uncommon. In later parts of the book, Roughgarden examines the various genetic and physiological origins of transgenderism in humans and the existence of homosexuality and gender variation across human cultures and eras.

I learned a great deal from this book.…

From Jeff's 3 favorite reads in 2023.