title: Why can't a woman be more like a man? A renaissance perspective on the biological basis for female inferiority.
abstract: Western biomedical theory supported the idea of human female inferiority. The Aristotelian formulation was: Nature intends to produce the perfect male form with external genitalia; the female with internal genitalia is less than perfect and thus a defect of nature. In the Renaissance, peripubertal virilization in females was interpreted as further evidence that females were "defective" males capable of developing into the more perfect male form.
authors.affiliation: Genetic Services Section, Washington State Department of Health, Seattle 98101, USA.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Walton
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Fineman
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Walton
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D011639:Public Opinion; D012380:Role; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000266:history*; D016387:Women's Health