Dr. Tiana Pirtle

So there's some animals with multiple vaginas, some with corkscrews, vaginal folds, long and thin ones. Yes. Thicker, fatter ones.

So there's some animals with multiple vaginas, some with corkscrews, vaginal folds, long and thin ones. Yes. Thicker, fatter ones.

And I'm so excited for you to tell us all about it after the break. Welcome back today on the show, The Wonderful World of Animal Vaginas. And we're here with Dr. Tiana Pirtle. So welcome back. Let's start from the beginning for you. So you were in the middle of a PhD studying evolutionary theories and you started noticing something a bit frustrating in some of the papers that you were reading.

And I'm so excited for you to tell us all about it after the break. Welcome back today on the show, The Wonderful World of Animal Vaginas. And we're here with Dr. Tiana Pirtle. So welcome back. Let's start from the beginning for you. So you were in the middle of a PhD studying evolutionary theories and you started noticing something a bit frustrating in some of the papers that you were reading.

I just noticed there was quite a difference in the way male animals and female animals were described, especially in terms of reproductive behavior and evolutionary strategies. The males are often described as these very active players. They're coercing, manipulating, harassing. And females, on the other hand, are described in very passive terminology.

I just noticed there was quite a difference in the way male animals and female animals were described, especially in terms of reproductive behavior and evolutionary strategies. The males are often described as these very active players. They're coercing, manipulating, harassing. And females, on the other hand, are described in very passive terminology.

They're responding, reacting, even like adaptation is what males do and counter adaptations are what females do. Wait, what do you mean by that? So the male is adapting all these strategies and she's only relevant compared to what he's doing. And yes, there's an empirical bias in the way Western science has treated female animals historically. Starting with Darwin, but extending even before that.

They're responding, reacting, even like adaptation is what males do and counter adaptations are what females do. Wait, what do you mean by that? So the male is adapting all these strategies and she's only relevant compared to what he's doing. And yes, there's an empirical bias in the way Western science has treated female animals historically. Starting with Darwin, but extending even before that.

So tell me about that. When did this bias begin?

So tell me about that. When did this bias begin?

Well, Aristotle, in fact, has described males as active and females as passives. So it extends all the way back to then. But it really was solidified by Darwin. He was developing his theory of sexual selection. And sexual selection is the struggle for mates, essentially, in how animals get mates.

Well, Aristotle, in fact, has described males as active and females as passives. So it extends all the way back to then. But it really was solidified by Darwin. He was developing his theory of sexual selection. And sexual selection is the struggle for mates, essentially, in how animals get mates.

formed the foundation for how Darwin viewed female animals, describing them as coy and chaste and the thought that... An animal is chaste. A female animal couldn't be promiscuous was unacceptable, so they just ignored any sort of examples that would suggest otherwise. And it really, A, gave scientific credence to the patriarchy, but also kind of set...

formed the foundation for how Darwin viewed female animals, describing them as coy and chaste and the thought that... An animal is chaste. A female animal couldn't be promiscuous was unacceptable, so they just ignored any sort of examples that would suggest otherwise. And it really, A, gave scientific credence to the patriarchy, but also kind of set...

Western science on this trajectory of focusing on the males. They're doing the interesting things, evolving weaponry and behaviors and tactics.

Western science on this trajectory of focusing on the males. They're doing the interesting things, evolving weaponry and behaviors and tactics.

And cool feathers.

And cool feathers.

And cool penises. Yes. And the females, on the other hand, are just in the sidelines waiting for the males to do their thing and then working themselves around what the males decide. And the reality is that's not true.

And cool penises. Yes. And the females, on the other hand, are just in the sidelines waiting for the males to do their thing and then working themselves around what the males decide. And the reality is that's not true.