Are Biological Differences Destiny?

Unraveling Myths Surrounding Biology and Leadership.

So, I was scrolling through social media, and I came across this post that was all about going back to traditional gender roles. You know the drill—men as leaders, and women, well, apparently just submitting. Their big argument? Some supposed differences between guys and gals, all thanks to biology. Well, you know me—I couldn't let that slide without a good ol' fact-checking session.

Now, a lot of folks think men and women are worlds apart biologically. But here's the real deal: it's mostly about our bodies, not our brains. And trust me, I've got the facts to back it up.

This tweet I stumbled upon claims that men are just born to lead, biologically wired for it. Spoiler alert: that's a load of nonsense.

There is no such thing as a ‘male brain’ or a ‘female brain’. A study published in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews finds that size is the only clear-cut difference between male and female brains. “Women's brains are about 11% smaller than men's, in proportion to their body size. Smaller brains allow certain features, such as a slightly higher ratio of gray matter to white matter, and a higher ratio of connections between, versus within, cerebral hemispheres.”

This just shows that being male or female has absolutely nothing to do with being a good leader. You might argue that ‘Oh! there are more male leaders than there are female ones, that has to count for something?’

Let me burst your bubble, the only reason we have far more male leaders than female leaders is because of the patriarchy and systemic inequality. Nothing to do with biology and anyone who tells you so is either bonkers or just plain lying.

Now, not only have I heard the fact that men are made for leadership because of ‘biology’ but I have also heard that men are more ‘visual’, they are moved by what they see, they are better at math, they are more logical, etc.

What have I not heard? And the excuse that they all gave is that they were made that way. That they are biologically predisposed to behave in such a way and the funniest that ‘God made them that way’. Well, I am here to tell you that all the things it seems like boys are better than girls at are all as a result of gender roles and societal norms.

How? You might ask. Let me explain.

Starting with the whole men are visual so they cannot control themselves when they see a woman naked or almost naked. For one, there is absolutely no scientific evidence to back it up.

According to this article and study, men are NOT more visual than women. So no, men are not moved by what they see. At least not more than women.

The other weird idea that people have is that men are better at math than women. This video by Blair Imani sums it up nicely.

While she relates it to the U.S., we can relate it to Nigeria.

Again there is no proof, that men are better at math than women. It all boils down to social conditioning. We expect men to be better at math and so we put in more effort into their education.

In the media, we rarely see women in STEM at least we didn’t use to till recently. And when girls don’t see themselves in the media, that can make them think that math is not just something that girls do.

The toys and activities children engage in can inadvertently reinforce gendered expectations regarding mathematical abilities. If boys are consistently directed toward toys that enhance problem-solving and spatial skills, while girls are encouraged differently, it can perpetuate the stereotype that certain skills are inherently gender-specific.

Back to leadership and the myths surrounding it. If truly, men are biologically wired to lead, why are there some men who are passive and laid-back and would much rather follow instructions than get within an inch of any leadership role?

Yes, we all have them in our lives. Are we saying that these men are not real men? Are we saying that they have failed as men? No nau.

The more we perpetuate this stereotype that men are natural leaders, the more we alienate men who want nothing to do with leadership.

Leadership is a human thing and various factors are involved in deciding if someone will make a good leader and gender is certainly not one of them.

Now, let's wrap this up. Leadership, math skills—heck, any skills—aren't gender-specific. It's high time we dumped the stereotypes, let people be who they are, and set them free from these ridiculous expectations.

So here's to a world where everyone, regardless of what's in their pants, can kick butt, lead, and break free from the chains of assumptions.