Evolution’s Rainbow

Diversity, Gender, and Sexuality in Nature and People, with a New Preface

By: Joan Roughgarden

Narrated by: Carrington MacDuffie

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 fascinating discussion of diversity in gender and sexuality among fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals, including primates. Evolution's Rainbow explains how this diversity develops from the action of genes and hormones and how people come to differ from each other in all aspects of body and behavior. Roughgarden reconstructs primary science in light of feminist, gay, and transgender criticism and redefines our understanding of sex, gender, and sexuality. A new preface shows how this witty, playful, and daring book has revolutionized our understanding of sexuality.

©2004 Joan Roughgarden (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Essential Reading for All Humans

This book is a ringing, scientifically rigorous, and quite readable statement of where we go when we "Follow the science" on sex and gender diversity. It's powerful and should be considered carefully by everyone, full stop. Everyone.

Very interesting but a little less empirical than I would like

I cannot say I’m a huge fan of the anthropomorphism of several species in this book, and the author does have an agenda, but she quite clearly states this aspect of her writing and honestly, who can blame her? Overall this book is very enlightening and has been a long time coming.

So grateful for this!

As a cis gender male Christian who is the father of a trans Girl, I am so grateful for the scientific explanation of the great diversity of the natural world and its relationship to human species and our current social life. It was so helpful. Thanks again

a new view of animals bodies and behaviours

interesting book, well researched by a competent author. this book dispels myth about the rigidity of gender and sex behaviour and expression in non human animals. I find myself thinking of it often and reccomending it to others.

Thank you.

I wish I had had this book at 13. It would have saved me and my family a lot of heartache. Thank you.