The latest neuroscience study of sex differences to hit the popular press has inspired some familiar headlines. The Independent, for example, proclaims that:

The hardwired difference between male and female brains could explain why men are “better at map reading” (And why women are “better at remembering a conversation”).

The study in question, published in PNAS, used a technology called diffusion tensor imaging to model the structural connectivity of the brains of nearly a thousand young people, ranging in age from eight to 22.

It reports greater connectivity within the hemispheres in males, but greater connectivity between the hemispheres in females. These findings, the authors conclude in their scientific paper, suggest that male brains are structured to facilitate connectivity between perception and coordinated action, whereas female brains are designed to facilitate communication between analytic and intuitive processing modes.

The research came under a lot of criticism, implying that sexism is underlying its conclusions. (1)

Why should men and women be the same? Why should we always take care of the politically correct? Society oppression of the stupid majority is huge. When a stupid idea gets into the mind of the (STUPID) many, then the harm cannot be undone.

We are not allowed to think of anything beyond what the stupid majority thinks. Sexism is bad. Imposing the stupid idea that everyone is the SAME is even worst! At least this is what my stupid male mind says…