Testosterone

1. What’s Testosterone: An Unauthorized Biography by Rebecca M. Jordan-Young about?

• Critical examination of testosterone: The book challenges the traditional view of testosterone (T) as the singular “male sex hormone” responsible for masculinity, aggression, and athleticism, revealing it as a complex, multipurpose hormone with diverse effects.
• Interdisciplinary analysis: Drawing from science and technology studies, endocrinology, anthropology, and feminist theory, the authors explore how scientific facts about T are constructed and circulated.
• Focus on social context: The narrative highlights how “T talk”—the discourse around testosterone—shapes and is shaped by cultural beliefs, reinforcing social hierarchies related to gender, race, and class.
• Unauthorized biography approach: Instead of reinforcing familiar testosterone lore, the book dwells on the unexpected, confounding, and messy aspects of T, combining scientific evidence with cultural analysis.

2. Why should I read Testosterone: An Unauthorized Biography by Rebecca M. Jordan-Young?

• Debunks myths and stereotypes: The book critically examines entrenched assumptions about testosterone’s role in human behavior, showing that many popular beliefs are not supported by robust scientific evidence.
• Illuminates science-culture interplay: It reveals how scientific research on T is influenced by cultural narratives, and how these narratives, in turn, shape social understandings of masculinity, power, and inequality.
• Informs debates on gender and sports: The book provides a detailed critique of sports regulations and policies that limit women athletes’ participation based on natural T levels, exposing scientific uncertainties and ethical issues.
• Encourages critical thinking: Readers are invited to question received wisdom about testosterone and appreciate the complexity of biological and social factors that shape human traits and behaviors.

3. What are the key takeaways from Testosterone: An Unauthorized Biography by Rebecca M. Jordan-Young?

• Testosterone is not a simple cause: T does not directly cause behaviors like aggression or dominance; its effects are diffuse, context-dependent, and mediated by social and environmental factors.
• Multiplicity and measurement: There are multiple forms of T (free, bound, bioavailable), and its measurement varies by method and context, complicating straightforward interpretations.
• Social and cultural entanglement: T’s production and effects are deeply intertwined with social situations, gender norms, and cultural meanings, making it a “social molecule.”
• Challenge to reductionism: The book argues against simplistic cause-effect models, emphasizing T’s responsiveness to social contexts and individual variability.

4. What is “T talk” as defined in Testosterone: An Unauthorized Biography by Rebecca M. Jordan-Young?

• Definition of T talk: “T talk” refers to the web of direct claims and indirect associations about testosterone as both a material substance and a cultural symbol, blending folklore with science.
• Rooted in sex hormone concept: It is based on the idea that testosterone and estrogen are binary, sex-exclusive hormones, which oversimplifies their biological roles.
• Functions of T talk: T talk lends “truthiness” to arguments, serves scientism by elevating scientific authority even without solid evidence, and animates testosterone as a willful agent, often reinforcing gender and racial stereotypes.

5. How does Testosterone: An Unauthorized Biography by Rebecca M. Jordan-Young explain the multiplicity and complexity of testosterone?

• Multiple forms and pathways: Testosterone exists in different chemical forms (free, bound to proteins), in various bodily media (blood, saliva, urine), and acts through multiple biological pathways.
• Measurement complexities: Researchers’ choices about which form of T to measure, when, and how, affect study outcomes and interpretations.
• Contextual effects: Statements like “testosterone increases aggression” must be qualified by specifying which testosterone, which aggression, and in what context, highlighting the hormone’s complexity and variability.

6. What does Testosterone: An Unauthorized Biography by Rebecca M. Jordan-Young reveal about testosterone’s role in female reproduction and ovulation?

• Testosterone’s positive role: The book presents emerging evidence that testosterone and other androgens are crucial for early stages of follicle development and ovulation in women.
• Challenging binary hormone concepts: It critiques the traditional classification of hormones as strictly “male” or “female,” showing that T plays essential roles in female fertility.
• Enactment and ignorance: The authors use the concept of “enactment” to show how scientific practices produce different versions of T’s role, and how cultural and scientific biases have maintained ignorance about T’s importance in female ovulation.

7. How does Testosterone: An Unauthorized Biography by Rebecca M. Jordan-Young address the relationship between testosterone and aggression or violence?

• Weak and inconsistent links: The book demonstrates that scientific evidence linking T to aggression or violent behavior is weak, inconsistent, and often confounded by social and environmental factors.
• Zombie fact of T and aggression: Persistent but unsupported claims about T and aggression continue to influence public and scientific discourse despite contradictory evidence.
• Role of race and class: Research on T and violence often racializes and classifies certain groups as biologically predisposed to aggression, reinforcing stereotypes and obscuring structural inequalities.

8. What does Testosterone: An Unauthorized Biography by Rebecca M. Jordan-Young say about testosterone and athleticism, especially regarding women athletes and sports regulations?

• No simple link to performance: The book emphasizes that T is neither a necessary nor sufficient factor for athletic success; studies show mixed and context-specific relationships between T levels and performance.
• Critique of sports regulations: It critically examines policies by sports authorities that restrict women athletes with naturally high T, revealing scientific uncertainties and ethical concerns.
• Multiplicity and variability: T’s effects on muscle mass, strength, and competition are highly variable across individuals and contexts, undermining the notion of a fixed “male advantage” based solely on T.

9. What is the “challenge hypothesis” and how is it critiqued in Testosterone: An Unauthorized Biography by Rebecca M. Jordan-Young?

• Definition and origin: The challenge hypothesis, developed in birds, posits that T levels rise during mating competition and fall during parenting, supporting reproductive strategies.
• Application to humans questioned: The book critiques extending this hypothesis to humans, noting that evidence linking T to mating effort behaviors is weak or inconsistent.
• Racial and cultural biases: The hypothesis has been used to frame racialized narratives about parenting and mating strategies, often pathologizing marginalized populations.
• Alternative models: Researchers like Sari van Anders propose more nuanced models emphasizing T’s role in social bonds and nurturance.

10. How does Testosterone: An Unauthorized Biography by Rebecca M. Jordan-Young explore the racialization of testosterone research?

• Ghost variables of race and class: The book reveals how race and class often operate implicitly in T research, shaping sample selection and interpretation, and reinforcing stereotypes.
• Misuse of evolutionary theory: Some researchers misapply r/K selection theory to argue for racial differences in reproductive strategies linked to T, supporting white supremacist narratives.
• Triangulation of T, race, and behavior: Studies often link T to behaviors stereotypically associated with racial groups, naturalizing race as biology and obscuring social determinants.
• Critique of scientific complicity: The authors argue that even well-meaning researchers contribute to racialized science by failing to critically engage with the social and historical contexts of their work.

11. What new frameworks or theories about testosterone are introduced or highlighted in Testosterone: An Unauthorized Biography by Rebecca M. Jordan-Young?

• Steroid/peptide theory of social bonds: Proposed by Sari van Anders, this theory integrates T with other hormones like oxytocin and vasopressin, focusing on social bonds beyond traditional mating-parenting dichotomies.
• Testosterone as a social molecule: The book emphasizes T’s intra-action with social contexts, meaning T is both shaped by and shapes social interactions, emotions, and environments.
• Beyond masculinity: The authors challenge the framing of T as inherently masculine, showing it operates across genders and social roles, supporting both competition and nurturance.
• Multiplicity and context-dependence: T’s effects vary by individual biology, receptor sensitivity, social environment, and cultural meanings, requiring complex, non-linear models.

12. What are the ethical and social implications of testosterone research and discourse discussed in Testosterone: An Unauthorized Biography by Rebecca M. Jordan-Young?

• Impact on marginalized groups: T talk often pathologizes women with naturally high T, black men, and poor communities, leading to harmful policies, medical interventions, and social stigmatization.
• Sports and gender policing: Regulations based on T levels enforce narrow gender binaries, disproportionately affecting intersex and transgender athletes, raising concerns about bodily autonomy and fairness.
• Naturalizing inequality: The book shows how T research can reinforce sexist, racist, and classist ideologies by attributing social disparities to biology rather than structural factors.
• Call for interdisciplinary approaches: The authors advocate integrating social theory with biological research to responsibly explore T’s complexities and avoid reproducing social biases.