A gender activist said that “sex in crocodiles and other animals is arbitrary.”
They seemed to think that because there are many diverse ways of determining (developing) sex across species, that sex itself is arbitrary.
This is conflating sex determination mechanisms with sex.
They seemed to think that because there are many diverse ways of determining (developing) sex across species, that sex itself is arbitrary.
This is conflating sex determination mechanisms with sex.
Sex determination mechanisms are the trigger systems that control whether an organism will develop as a male or a female.
Some species, like crocodiles, use temperature to determine the sex development path. Others use genes.
Some species, like crocodiles, use temperature to determine the sex development path. Others use genes.
What unites all these species, despite their diverse mechanisms for determining sex in individuals, is that all the males are the phenotypes that produce sperm, and all the females are the phenotypes that produce eggs.
Here’s this concept in a simple visual diagram.
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