The Unchangeable Reality of Biological Sex

How Science Reveals the Innate and Immutable Differences Between Men and Women

Far from what the Secular Orthodoxy would have us believe, biological sex exists, and is a fundamental and profound difference between human beings. Biological sex affects every aspect of our physiology, from our sexual organs and hormones, to our brain and behavior, to our health and disease.

A basic understanding of biology reveals that “man” and “woman” are not mere social constructs, but objective and immutable realities that cannot be altered by surgery or any other means.

Photo by Annette Sousa on Unsplash

Sexual Organs and Hormones

The most obvious and essential difference between men and women is their sexual organs, which are designed to perform complementary roles in reproduction. Men have testes, which produce sperm, and a penis, which delivers sperm into the female reproductive tract. Women have ovaries, which produce eggs, and a uterus, which receives and nurtures the fertilized egg.

The sexual organs are regulated by sex hormones, which are produced by the gonads and other glands. Sex hormones, such as testosterone and estrogen, have a major impact on the development and function of the brain, as well as the behavior and mood of men and women. For example, testosterone has been linked to aggression, dominance, and risk-taking, while estrogen and progesterone have been linked to empathy, nurturing, and cooperation. Hormones are not static or fixed, as they can fluctuate depending on the environment, the life cycle, and the individual. However, hormones are not independent or arbitrary, as they are regulated by the sex chromosomes and the genes they carry.

Brain Differences

Brain imaging studies have shown that men and women have different brain structures, such as the size and shape of certain regions, and different brain functions, such as the activation and connectivity of certain networks. Brain differences are not absolute or deterministic, as they can vary depending on the task, the context, and the individual. However, brain differences are not random or irrelevant, as they are shaped by the sex chromosomes and the genes they carry.

Men have larger brains than women, on average, but this does not imply any superiority or inferiority, as brain size is not correlated with intelligence. However, men and women do have different brain proportions, as men have more gray matter, which consists of nerve cell bodies, while women have more white matter, which consists of nerve fibers.

The brain is also divided into two hemispheres, which are connected by a bundle of fibers called the corpus callosum. Women have a larger and thicker corpus callosum than men, which means they have more communication and integration between the two hemispheres. This may explain why women tend to be better at multitasking, verbal skills, and emotional processing, while men tend to be better at spatial skills, logical reasoning, and visual perception.

The brain is also composed of various regions that perform specific functions, such as the amygdala, which is involved in emotion and memory, the hippocampus, which is involved in learning and memory, and the hypothalamus, which is involved in hormone regulation and sexual behavior. These regions show different patterns of activation and connectivity between men and women, which may account for some of the behavioral and psychological differences between the sexes.

Health and Disease

The biological differences between men and women also affect their health and disease, as they influence their susceptibility, severity, and response to various conditions and treatments. Men and women have different immune systems, as women have more robust and active immune responses than men, which may protect them from infections, but also make them more prone to autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and multiple sclerosis.

Men and women also have different cardiovascular systems, as women have smaller hearts and blood vessels than men, which may make them less vulnerable to heart attacks, but also more vulnerable to strokes. Women also have different risk factors and symptoms for heart disease than men, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression, and they may not experience the typical chest pain, but rather nausea, fatigue, or shortness of breath.

Men and women also have different metabolic systems, as women have more body fat and less muscle mass than men, which may make them more efficient at storing energy, but also more susceptible to obesity, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Women also have different hormonal cycles and fluctuations than men, which may affect their mood, appetite, sleep, and cognition.

The Unchangeability of Biological Sex

The biological differences between men and women are not superficial or arbitrary, but deep and intrinsic, as they are encoded in every cell of our body. Every cell has a sex, as it contains either XX or XY chromosomes, which determine the expression of thousands of genes that regulate the development and function of our organs and tissues. These genes are not interchangeable or modifiable, as they are essential for our survival and reproduction.

No amount of surgery or hormone therapy can change the reality of biological sex, as they only alter the appearance or function of some of the sexual organs or characteristics — not the underlying genetic and cellular basis of sex. Surgery or hormone therapy cannot create or destroy the gametes, the sperm or the egg, that are the defining feature of sex. Surgery or hormone therapy cannot erase or rewrite the chromosomes, the genes, or the proteins that are the building blocks of sex.

Biological sex is not only a scientific and medical concept, but also a philosophical and theological one, as it reflects the design and purpose of our Creator, who made us male and female in His image and likeness. Biological sex is not only a physical and material reality, but also a spiritual and moral one, as it affects our identity and dignity, our relationships and roles, our rights and responsibilities.

Biological sex is not a matter of choice or preference, but a matter of fact and nature.

It is not a social construct, but a biological reality.

It is not a spectrum, but a binary.

It is not fluid, but fixed.

It is not subjective, but objective.

It is not relative, but absolute.

Biological sex is not a problem to be solved, but a gift to be celebrated.

Biological sex is not a burden to be lifted, but a blessing to be embraced.

Biological sex is not a curse to be broken, but a grace to be received.

So, in case this wasn’t already clear: No, a man cannot become a woman.

No amount of surgical intervention or chemical alteration can change biological sex —not for all the lipstick at Sephora.

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How do you see gender roles as distinct from biological sex?

Does the attempt to “transition” merely reinforce gender stereotypes? Why or why not?

What, if anything, is uniquely masculine or feminine about a biological man or woman?