84. Leonard Sax, MD: How Sex Differences Impact Brains, Behaviors, and Child Development

11/20/23 • 109 min

The esteemed Dr. Leonard Sax joins us this week to share his expertise on how sex differences impact child-rearing, parenting, and education. We begin with a discussion of biological differences between male and female brains, particularly when it comes to sense perception, which can lead to misunderstandings between the sexes. Dr. Sax highlights the importance of understanding these differences in order to optimize children’s learning and home environments.

The conversation then shifts to the topic of gender atypicality and how parents and educators might embrace the richness and complexity of the human experience, allowing children to explore their interests and preferences without being labeled transgender.

We discuss the challenges faced by boys in today's society, including the growing gender gap in academic achievements, and how teachers can cater to the unique developmental needs of both sexes in co-ed schools.

Dr. Sax provides practical advice for parents and educators on how to navigate sex differences and create a culture of respect and understanding. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing and celebrating the diversity of gender expression, while also respecting biological differences.

Leonard Sax MD PhD is a board-certified family physician and PhD psychologist with more than 30 years of clinical experience. Over the past 22 years, he has visited more than 500 schools across the United States and worldwide, speaking to parents about many topics including social media, video games, and gender issues. He also leads workshops for teachers on gender-aware instructional strategies, on building a culture of respect, and on dealing with difficult parents. He has published four books for parents: Why Gender Matters, Boys Adrift, Girls on the Edge, and The Collapse of Parenting, which was a New York Times bestseller. Dr. Sax graduated Phi Beta Kappa at age 19 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and went on to earn both a Ph.D. in psychology and an M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Sax lives with his wife and teenage daughter in Pennsylvania. Visit his website at leonardsax.com.

Dr. Sax’s four books can all be found in my bookshop or via these Amazon affiliate links below. Thank you for your purchases that support the show!

Why Gender Matters: What Parents and Teachers Need to Know About the Emerging Science of Sex Differences

Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men

Girls on the Edge: Why So Many Girls Are Anxious, Wired, and Obsessed--And What Parents Can Do

The Collapse of Parenting: How We Hurt Our Kids When We Treat Them Like Grown-Ups

00:00 Start

[00:02:26] Hardwired sex differences in senses.

[00:05:23] Sex differences in hearing.

[00:08:06] Women's Peripheral Vision and Men's Magnocellular System.

[00:11:23] Boys and bullying.

[00:14:34] Color naming gender differences.

[00:18:01] Color naming ability in children.

[00:21:30] Girls value friendship above team affiliation.

[00:24:57] School culture and music influence.

[00:28:52] Growing gender gap in achievement.

[00:32:49] Making school friendly to boys.

[00:37:14] Brain development differences in genders.

[00:41:05] Pervasive and troubling pornography.

[00:43:10] Rise in erectile dysfunction.

[00:48:28] Empowering young women's experiences.

[00:52:19] Disorders of sexual development.

[00:57:37] Intersex conditions and prevalence.

[00:59:41] Intersex being misunderstood.

[01:06:22] Intersex individuals and gender identity.

[01:09:11] XY male fetus and intersex.

[01:13:48] Personality traits and sex differences.

[01:19:48] Trans issues and stereotypes.

[01:22:15] Emotional development in girls.

[01:24:49] Teaching empathy to boys.

[01:28:14] Creating healthy role models.

[01:34:18] Autogynephilia and transgender issues.

[01:39:15] Transgender issues in current society.

[01:40:56] Lawsuit against American Academy of Pediatrics.

[01:43:04] Humans and grandkids.

[01:47:26] Disastrous laws allowing kids.

To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my ...

Dr. Sax’s four books can all be found in my bookshop or via these Amazon affiliate links below. Thank you for your purchases that support the show!

Why Gender Matters: What Parents and Teachers Need to Know About the Emerging Science of Sex Differences

Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men

Girls on the Edge: Why So Many Girls Are Anxious, Wired, and Obsessed--And What Parents Can Do

The Collapse of Parenting: How We Hurt Our Kids When We Treat Them Like Grown-Ups

00:00 Start

[00:02:26] Hardwired sex differences in senses.

[00:05:23] Sex differences in hearing.

[00:08:06] Women's Peripheral Vision and Men's Magnocellular System.

[00:11:23] Boys and bullying.

[00:14:34] Color naming gender differences.

[00:18:01] Color naming ability in children.

[00:21:30] Girls value friendship above team affiliation.

[00:24:57] School culture and music influence.

[00:28:52] Growing gender gap in achievement.

[00:32:49] Making school friendly to boys.

[00:37:14] Brain development differences in genders.

[00:41:05] Pervasive and troubling pornography.

[00:43:10] Rise in erectile dysfunction.

[00:48:28] Empowering young women's experiences.

[00:52:19] Disorders of sexual development.

[00:57:37] Intersex conditions and prevalence.

[00:59:41] Intersex being misunderstood.

[01:06:22] Intersex individuals and gender identity.

[01:09:11] XY male fetus and intersex.

[01:13:48] Personality traits and sex differences.

[01:19:48] Trans issues and stereotypes.

[01:22:15] Emotional development in girls.

[01:24:49] Teaching empathy to boys.

[01:28:14] Creating healthy role models.

[01:34:18] Autogynephilia and transgender issues.

[01:39:15] Transgender issues in current society.

[01:40:56] Lawsuit against American Academy of Pediatrics.

[01:43:04] Humans and grandkids.

[01:47:26] Disastrous laws allowing kids.

To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my ...

Previous Episode

83. Autogynephilia: an Overlooked Source of Transgender Identification? With Phil Illy

On this podcast we often explore the gender crisis affecting today’s young and vulnerable people. Today we bring on a different perspective from Phil Illy, a man who self-identifies as autogynephilic, meaning that he experiences a sexual attraction to the idea of himself as a woman. Originally described by sexologist Ray Blanchard, autogynephilia is a common contributor to gender dysphoria in young men. Yet the sexual component of “gender identity” is rarely addressed in the process of diagnosing and reviewing “treatment options” for gender dysphoria. Why is this?

Phil considers autogynephilia, as well as its counterpart in women, autoandrophilia, to belong to a broader category he calls autoheterosexuality. While many in the gender critical community consider these to be sexual fetishes, Phil refers to them instead as sexual orientations. Within that framework, he researched the issue extensively and wrote a book on the subject, Autoheterosexual: Attracted to Being the Other Sex.

Phil makes several further assertions in this interview, while I play devil’s advocate and push back, all in an attempt to bring understanding to listeners who are concerned for loved ones and expose both sides of the debate over this taboo topic. What does femininity mean to him? Is autoheterosexuality just another form of narcissism? What is its connection with autism? How influenced is it by fetish pornography and niche online microcultures? Would it occur in a cultural vacuum? Is it heritable? How can it be a sexual orientation if it doesn’t involve another person; isn’t it just a fetish? Are “autohet” people capable of sustaining meaningful romantic relationships with others? How are their platonic relationships and quality of life? Are self-aware autogynephilic men threats to women, and under what conditions can we peacefully coexist?

UPDATE: this episode was recorded prior to Phil's appearance at the Genspect conference in Denver, which became the subject of much heated debate on X. I was not at the conference, but have weighed in online to some degree. Things got so heated around this issue I have temporarily locked my account. The best commentary I have found on the debacle comes from the ever-admirable Heather Heying on her blog, Natural Selections: The Public Fetish.

Phil Illy is a self described autogynephile and the author of Autoheterosexual: Attracted to Being the Other Sex. Phil received degrees in physics and mechanical engineering before retiring to Portland, Oregon, where he became best known for his skill at handstand twerking and juggling hula hoops. His Substack blog, Understanding Trans, can be found at https://phililly.substack.com/. Follow him on X @autogynephilic.

Other resources mentioned:

Landon & Robby Starbuck’s interview with detransitioner Chris Beck

00:00 Start

[00:01:52] Autogynephilia and sexual orientation.

[00:05:17] Auto-sexual orientations.

[00:10:08] Dynamic competition in relationships.

[00:14:32] Autogynephilic men and attraction.

[00:19:45] Body and identity.

[00:22:12] Embracing cross-sex identity.

[00:27:13] Attaining an excellent male physique.

[00:31:18] Celebrity crushes and real relationships.

[00:37:37] Sexual orientation and self-love.

[00:41:09] Neurological studies on AGP.

[00:47:09] Porn addiction and sissy hypnoporn.

[00:50:03] Autogynephilia as an inborn predisposition.

[00:55:46] Autogynephilia in the trans community.

[01:00:29] Overlap between autism and autogynephilia.

[01:04:45] Autogynephilia and Transgender Identities.

[01:07:23] Autoandrophilia and female-to-male transgenderism.

[01:11:28] Autoandrophilia in transsexuals.

[01:19:08] Autogynephilic males seeking identity.

[01:19:23] Autogynephilia and Medical Transition.

[01:24:31] Ignorance in therapist education.

[01:28:32] The complexity of bisexuality.

[01:34:08] Relations with women and envy.

[01:38:38] Men getting in touch with feminine side.

[01:43:18] The desire to be the other sex.

[01:46:16] Autosexuality as the culprit.

To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to ...

Next Episode

85. Mass Delusional Psychosis: Dr. Mark McDonald on How Fear is Destroying America

Psychiatrist Mark McDonald coined the term "mass delusional psychosis" to describe the fear-driven response that swept the nation during the pandemic. In this episode, I interviewed him about the events of 2020 and their impact on our society. We discuss how fear became a fuel, driving irrational and self-destructive behaviors that were not in our best interests.

Dr. McDonald highlights the shift in our society towards a culture that values safety over courage, risk-taking, and personal freedom. He points out the detrimental effects of this safety culture, such as the decline in IQ points among infants born during the lockdowns and the decrease in face-to-face interactions among young people. He also raises concerns about the erosion of masculinity and the impact it has on relationships and society as a whole.

The conversation delves into the importance of teaching virtue and morality, as well as the need to reaffirm the qualities of healthy masculinity. Dr. McDonald emphasizes the role of individuals in shaping the future and the need to save the younger generation from the damaging ideologies and behaviors that have taken hold. He warns that if we don't address these issues, we risk the extinction of our civilization.

The episode touches on the impact of the lockdowns on brain chemistry, particularly in terms of oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine. Dr. McDonald discusses the observed changes in behavior, such as acute onset OCD-like symptoms and the reliance on non-face-to-face interactions for dating. He expresses concern about the increasing demand for drugs to alleviate depression, anxiety, and fear, and the long-lasting consequences of these changes in brain chemistry.

Dr. Mark McDonald graduated from UC Berkeley and the Medical College of Wisconsin. Trained in adult as well as child and adolescent psychiatry at UCLA, he now works primarily with children in his west Los Angeles private practice. He is co-host of the podcast Informed Dissent and the author of United States of Fear and Freedom From Fear. His opinions have been widely published in local and national news, and he has been interviewed on a variety of platforms. Links to his writings on Facebook, X, and Substack can be found at www.dissidentmd.com.

Books mentioned in this episode can be found via these Amazon affiliate links or in my bookshop

00:00 Start

02:30 United States of fear

06:09 Fuel of mass delusional psychosis

09:54 Moral rigidity and disgust

11:37 Incalculable societal damage

15:24 Safetyism and its consequences

19:07 Informed consent and individual freedom

23:27 Impact of lockdown on brain chemistry

27:13 Less sex among young adults

31:09 The redefinition of masculinity

36:52 Concerns about future generations

39:51 Sexualizing children

48:20 Lords and peasants in society

51:55 Sacrifices in education and society

56:13 Luxury beliefs in safe societies

01:00:05 The capacity for violence

01:04:05 Therapist indoctrination and patient harm

01:08:55 Detoxing from media

01:12:27 Fear addiction and urgency

01:16:59 Social media and success

To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!

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