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Gender

Between 1957 and 1982, “Sunrise Semester” broadcasted lectures from NYU faculty to the general public.

Education During Coronavirus

The 1950s TV Show That Set the Stage for Today’s Distance Learning

“Sunrise Semester” gave a generation of women a second chance at higher education

Prehistoric hunter-gather societies may have depended on women, as well as men and children, to conduct a successful hunt.

Cool Finds

This Prehistoric Peruvian Woman Was a Big-Game Hunter

Some 9,000 years ago, a 17- to 19-year-old female was buried alongside a hunter’s tookit

“Wise and Valiant: Women and Writing in the Golden Age of Spain” spotlights Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (left) and Catalina de Erauso (right), among others.

Remembering the Forgotten Women Writers of 17th-Century Spain

A show in Madrid highlights female authors who penned histories, biographies, poetry, novels, scripts and more

The Reclaim Her Name campaign centers on 25 books published by authors who wrote under male pseudonyms.

Why a Campaign to ‘Reclaim’ Women Writers’ Names Is So Controversial

Critics say Reclaim Her Name fails to reflect the array of reasons authors chose to publish under male pseudonyms

Chicago-based publisher Haymarket Books will launch the reimagined London tube map next International Women’s Day, March 8, 2021.

A New London Tube Map Will Highlight Women and Nonbinary People

Co-organizers Emma Watson and Reni Eddo-Lodge drew inspiration from a 2016 project centered on the New York City subway

Researchers found that the less likely a student’s gender and racial groups were to be represented in their field, the more likely they were to introduce novel conceptual linkages in their work.

Deep Biases Prevent Diverse Talent From Advancing

A new study indicates that underrepresented students in science-related fields are innovating at high rates—but not reaping commensurate rewards

Olivia de Havilland's 1943 legal victory against Warner Bros. contributed to the downfall of the Hollywood studio system.

Hollywood’s ‘Golden Age’ Saw Massive Dip in Female Film Representation

A new study ties the ousting of women directors, actors, producers and screenwriters to the rise of entertainment studios

Sandro Botticelli's "Birth of Venus" finds its subject striking a contrapposto pose

New Research

Why Viewers Are Drawn to Renaissance Artists’ Go-To Pose

A new study finds that the contrapposto stance reduces the waist-to-hip ratio, an attribute popularly associated with attractiveness

Section of fragment found

Cool Finds

Fragment of ‘The Rose Thorn,’ a Poem About a Talking Vulva, Dated to the 1300s

The section of the erotic Medieval fantasy was found in the binding of book in Austria’s Melk monastery

New Research

Ancient Fingerprints Show Men and Women Both Made Pottery in the American Southwest

Long thought to be primarily women’s work, new analysis of ceramic fragments shows both sexes created pottery at Chaco Canyon

A 19th-century illustration of 'Sleeping Beauty' by artist Gustave Doré

Barcelona School Commission Evaluates 600 Children’s Books for Sexist Content

One-third of the books were removed for promoting gender stereotypes at a critical point in childhood development

While testosterone plays a significant role in fetal development, it is not the only hormone that influences masculinization.

In Addition to Testosterone, Another Hormone Is Vital for Early Male Development

A hormone called androsterone, produced in the placenta and other organs, plays a role in fetal development in the womb

The new survey follows up on findings from 2015.

Study Finds Art Museums Are Slowly Becoming More Diverse, but Progress Is ‘Uneven’

While more people of color are being hired at museums, there has been little change in diversity among senior leadership, especially

Bernice "Bunny" Sandler

Trending Today

Remembering “Godmother of Title IX” Bernice Sandler

Sandler, often known as “Bunny,” played an important role in creating the landmark legislation

Previously deployed service members raise their hands at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey.

America at War

New Poll of U.S. Troops and Veterans Reveals Their Thoughts on Current Military Policies

In a new Smithsonian poll, conducted with the help of Stars and Stripes, current and former members of the armed forces take aim at conventional wisdom

Aaron Wixson, a Marine field artillery radar operator in Oceanside, California, transitioned from female to
male in 2016. His biggest challenge was getting everybody to change the pronouns they used for him. “Some of them
said, ‘We’ve been calling you “her” for so long.’”

America at War

The Faces Behind Transgender Troops’ Struggle for Acceptance

Meet some of the servicemembers at the center of one of the most controversial matters facing the U.S. military

Socialists gather in New York City, but the crowd is conspicuously male-dominated considering the party's official stance on women's rights.

The Historical Struggle to Rid Socialism of Sexism

When it was founded, the Socialist Party of America proclaimed itself as the champion of women’s rights. The reality was much more complicated

Anemonefish, also known as clownfish, are born androgynous and can shift from male to female in one lifetime.

Alternatives to Heterosexual Pairings, Brought to You By Non-Human Animals

No one quite has this sex thing figured out, but these non-binary animals have some good ideas

In the early 20th century, pioneer paleontologist Annie Montague Alexander had to find socially acceptable fieldwork partners to avoid being accused of vague improprieties on her expeditions. She would go on to found the University of California Museum of Paleontology at Berkeley.

The Many Ways Women Get Left Out of Paleontology

The hurdles that prevent female fossil hunters from rising at the same rates as their male peers are myriad—but they are all interconnected

Ten Female Innovators to Watch In 2018

These inventors, startup founders and businesswomen have exciting things happening this year. Stay tuned!

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