Evolutionary Feminism

Core Beliefs

Evolutionary feminists believe that the female was primarily responsible for the separation from the primates through sexual selection.

If sexual selection was paramount in the animal world, then evolutionary feminists take the bio-social position that this continues today in 2009. They reject one particular path in Darwin’s sexual selection theory; that “the-male-is-superior-because-he-was-the-hunter”; nature did not change course on a dime when “man” gained patriarchal dominance. But modern EFers also understand that culture has a larger impact on human behavior then does biology; it is a combination of the two, hence, acceptance of some socially constructed social norms which could restrain some biological behavior in mate selection by the female is understood, but also, considered, unacceptable in the long-term timeframe. (in evolutionary time, of course).

That because of their lopsided reproductive responsibilities, the modern female has much greater role in initiating the sexual dance with males then previously thought. Radical evolutionary feminists take the hard feminist position that the mating signals that modern females give off today are so subtle as to make them almost invisible to male study bias. Moderate evolutionary feminist take the stand that because of the cultural influences over the biological in the modern human female, many females ignore their biological "hunches" and follow cultural norms in mating strategies.

That violent conflicts between fractions (be they nations, ethnic or religious groups) will continue until all women are empowered. By empowered, it is meant full educational, social, and biological support. By biological it is meant that no female or male fetus will be aborted prior to birth due to male offspring preferences in the local culture -- a task easy to speak, but difficult to implement.
That among the more than 4,000 species of mammals, only two have been observed to form coalitions that kill their own species -- chimpanzees and humans. Hence, hard-core evolutionary feminists believe that war is not healthy for children of the Earth and that war is a form of dominance control by dominant nations or society that just happen to be in a superior position in the long timeline of evolution.

Radical evolutionary feminists take the position that the female of our species is the superior sex. Moderate EFers tend to think that the sexes are equal in their mating strategies with good natured debate between the two.

Sexual Selection is the academic wording for “Attraction” has morphed into “Romantic Attraction” to the most modern version: Romantic Love.” The last phrases are products of the work of Dr. Helen Fisher, anthropological evolutionist. (See my Essay:….footnotes, 3, 4, & 5. for references).

Like the famous political statement attributed to Jim Carville to then, candidate, Bill Clinton about the core belief of the people's reason to vote: It's the economy stupid." So, too, in evolutionary thought that "It's about the resources, people." Which morphs to the evolutionary feminist's credo: "It's about the children, stupid!"

Radical evolutionary feminists take the position that the female of our species is the superior sex. Moderate EFers tend to think that the sexes are equal in their mating strategies with good natured debate between the two.

Therefore: if sexual selection is the primary driving evolutionary force in human reproduction, then the female’s decision about her body and reproductive choice, is inviolable. Bumper sticker view: pro-choice is inviolable.

Please note that these, short, simple, and understandable memes of the entire theory have not been debated in peer review publications but merely what is emerging through the cultural dialogue taking place on the internet, personal correspondence, or salon conversations. W.A.S., September, 2009

Some good related points to remember:

>Sex vs. Gender
Sex is the biological term for male or female -
Gender is the socially constructed distinction -
However, most EFers are firm believers in the 40/60 percentage combination of nature/nurture, with nurture, or the socially constructed view of male/female separation winning the culture wars, thus the term, gender is more acceptable and more "polite" when writing to the general audience.