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Exteme male brain theory 'unhelpful'

TheCatWoman

Say's Simon Baron Cohen, the man who came up wth the phrase in the first place has said in an interview with the Guardian. He believes that it's not been helpful, or saying that autistic people lack empathy, when what we really have is often problems knowing what people are thinking or feeling from facial expressions, but have no lack of empathy regarding peoples feelings once they know what they are. He has also acknowleged that the terms "male and female" brains dosen't really mean anything.

I'm glad he's said this and I hope it clears up some of the misconceptions about us.

Parents

  • I have a lot of 'male' brain if you decouple humans this way - enjoying machinery and football for example. I remember being told by a colleague, 'you aren't natural, dear' when I said I didn't want children. Roles were much more defined at that time.

    I think the key is to change our social expectations over time - perhaps this is happening anyway. To stop thinking in terms of 'male' and 'female', rather than simply, 'human beings.' Binary excludes in all sorts of ways whereas 'rainbow' thinking covers every type. There are other kinds of social equality issues, for example sport and the use of public toilets that would need to be ironed out - perhaps based on physical attributes. I simply couldn't use a urinal.. and I even at school sports I could throw a javelin but would be no use at boxing or football. 

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  • I have a lot of 'male' brain if you decouple humans this way - enjoying machinery and football for example. I remember being told by a colleague, 'you aren't natural, dear' when I said I didn't want children. Roles were much more defined at that time.

    I think the key is to change our social expectations over time - perhaps this is happening anyway. To stop thinking in terms of 'male' and 'female', rather than simply, 'human beings.' Binary excludes in all sorts of ways whereas 'rainbow' thinking covers every type. There are other kinds of social equality issues, for example sport and the use of public toilets that would need to be ironed out - perhaps based on physical attributes. I simply couldn't use a urinal.. and I even at school sports I could throw a javelin but would be no use at boxing or football. 

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