About this episode

Starre Vartan discusses how cultural factors influence perceptions of strength between genders, supported by scientific research.

Are women as strong as men? According to science writer Starre Vartan, in some cases, they are stronger. She argues that scientific research over the last several decades shows that culture shapes strength as much as hormones — and that much of what we presume about sex differences, strength, and athleticism harms all of us. Starre Vartan, The Stronger Sex: What Science Tells Us about the Power of the Female Body Seal Press, 2025 Photo by Peter Zhan on Unsplash The post Sex and Strength appeared first on KPFA.

People in this episode

Guest: Starre Vartan

Topics covered

• gender differences
• strength
• athleticism
• science
• cultural impact

Keywords

• strength
• gender
• athleticism
• science
• cultural influence

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Seal Press

Books & works: The Stronger Sex: What Science Tells Us about the Power of the Female Body

More episodes of KPFA - Against the Grain

• Triumph of the Yuppie · June 3, 2026 · 48 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the KPFA - Against the Grain podcast page.