SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT: DICHOTOMY PAPER

Signature Assignment: Dichotomy Paper

SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT: DICHOTOMY PAPER

Throughout the creation of the world, there has always existed the idea that we are all
created by a superior figure. Many people have opposed this idea, but this idea has also been
followed by many more people. In addition to this concept, hypothesis about the relation
between sex and gender and the difference between race and ethnicity have also emerged.
As a result, scientists are working to discover human differences and relations within race,
ethnicity, gender and sex. produce hypothesis and experiments about human differences and
relations. In this paper we are required to read two research papers. One, is called Genes and
Hormones: What Make up an Individuals Sex by Daniela Crocetti, and the second paper is
titled Climate-related Morphological Variation and Physiological Adaptations in Homo
Sapiens written by Gary D. James. This two papers are basically about Human Biological
function within reproduction and adaptation with the influence of culture, also how environment
can affect our biological development.
To begin with, it is important to mention how different humans are (biologically and
culturally);. Even though we all share common links or connections, we all have something that
make us unique and special. Specialist have drawn lines to differentiate us in categories or
groups depending on our phenotypical variations. The most common one is gender and sex,
wh9ich has been separated over time but in reality one is just the gene code of the other. Crocetti
also talks about gender identity in her article Genes and Hormones: What Make Up an
Individuals Sex Gender identity is related to the concept of gender role, but whereas gender role
often represents culturally specific stereotypes and activities, gender identity refers to which of
the gender categories one self-identifies with, regardless of stereotype behavior (2013).
Basically, according to how culture shapes society we all have a role depending on our sex.

SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT: DICHOTOMY PAPER

We are taught in school that sex comes from chromosomes (in some cases). XX
chromosomes indicate a female and XY chromosomes indicates a male. These genes are
transmitted by parents to their offspring, as a result when this genes combine they produce a new
female or male with the correspondent expression of their genes (sexual structures).But,
sometimes variations occur, and sadly most of the times they are not welcomed by society and
culture. During meiosis, the cell could make a mistake in the reordering of molecular
information and there is a variation in the genetic information, which will express later as the
phenotype. These spectrums arte known as DSD (Disorder of sex development),
This, is the foundation of all individuals to define who they are and where do they
belong to. Most of the times these diseases are really complex, and they are not easily accepted
by society and culture. For example, Gender dysphoria, which is a medicalized term for
transgenderism, this means that individuals live a different gender role that the one assigned
them at birth, usually because of the appearance of their genital (2013). It is not common in
society, but if someone Latino has this spectrum, he or she would be seen as a monster or they
would be called by nick names or offensive words.
How body looks is important in this scenes but, also how it function is important too.
DSDs are not considered bodies with functional problems, but bodies that look different
physically and genetically. It basically has to do more with hormone codification and less with
genitals. Hormones doesnt have a gender, we all have both types of hormones but, each of them
are necessary for different processes. For transgender people hormones help them to adjust their
body to fit their identities (2013). But it is not adapted equal by all cultures. In some places
treatments for DSDs patients is not available or they are made follow what society says it is
okay, when it not what is medical correct.

SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT: DICHOTOMY PAPER

Sex and Gender really variate depending on the individual, but we are mostly classified by
women and men, even though there are different groups which nowadays have raised up their
voices to define different limits in this categories. But, this classifications does not occur only
with sexes and gender. It also occurs in Races and Ethnics. Around the globe we can find
different morphologies among people; different height, weight, skin color, face shape, etc. But,
according to the evolution theories we all evolved from one group, which immigrated to many
different parts in the world. Throughout years they changed their manners and also, their
physical appearance because climate and environment. So, as we can see, environment will make
us evolve and change to adapt and survive to generate new generations who can also survive and
repeat the sequence,
Theorist have shown us that we all come from Homo sapiens who evolved and their
population spread around the world, reaching places where is difficult to go into even today. A
common question today is: Why are we so different? Well, what most people dont know (or they
try to not believe) is the idea that environmental factors shaped us after thousands of years, just
to make us able to survive. It is registered that the first human came from Africa. A common
miss understanding (and I consider disrespectful too) idea about Africans is that because they are
black they evolved from monkeys. Primates and humans are in the same lineage, but we are not
close relatives. So because of this, people have been segregated and separated by their physical
appearance (skin color, eye color and morphology). As a result the word race was created, it
refers to human categorization in groups that share similar physical traits. It is often used to share
cultural similarities among individuals. This differences, as I mention before, does not make
human races any less or more than other. Is just the capacity of the human organism to adapt
itself to the environment, generation variation within individuals to make the specie prevails.

SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT: DICHOTOMY PAPER

To show this idea, we can see how humans in different latitudes can develop different
morphologies. According to Gary D. James in his research paper Climate-related Morphological
Variation and Physiological Adaptations in Homo Sapiens Bergmanns rule states that, within a
wide-ranging homoeothermic species, body mass increases with latitude and with decreasing
ambient temperature This means that animals with greater mass have a lower ratio surface area
which in the cold, will radiate less body heat and stay warmer. This is the same in warmer
places, smaller animals with less body surface will stay cooler. We can see this theory in humans
too, for example if we go to Africa we can see individuals with longer limbs who have greater
heat dissipation. On the other hand, If we take a detailed look the north pole or maybe the east
part of Russia there are groups of people that we call Esquimalt and they tend to have a wider
radio of surface (more mass) so, they have shorter limbs and they dont lose heat so easy; on the
contrary they can keep themselves warm. But what about if we take someone from a warm
country to a cold country. What might happen to this individual? Well, he/she might not get
adapted to this weather, as a result it can damage their health.
Temperatures also shapes human morphology, Cold and dry air holds little water vapor, but
the respiratory system must remain warm and moist in order to function properly. It is postulated
that a narrow, beak-like nose improves the turbulence of cool dry air when this is inspired,
heating and moistening it so that it will not damage lung tissues These body acclimatization
improve abilities to survive. For example when Africans migrated to Asia wind was a barrier for
them, so thought time their eyes shape changed and they became longer in the edges and
narrower, which does not let the air come inside their eyes when they are opened.
Adaptation to the Sun radiation has been really important and necessary through human
development. UVR (ultra violet radiation) can change the skin color, it is also determined by the

SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT: DICHOTOMY PAPER

presence of melanin too. According to Gary D. James Melanin is a pigment in the epidermis
(2010). This, makes you more or less vulnerable to UV exposure. As I said before, it has been
scientific proof that the first population that immigrate4d was African, and they were dark
skinned because of the exposure to UVR in Africa, natural selection made them develop a darker
skin which protected them and also they didnt have as much vitamin D as other groups with
lighter skin. We can see skin color variation all around the world. Another important factor is
closeness to the equator line. As a personal example I can see now why my grandfather (who was
from Spain) had a longer, and bigger nose, than my grandmother who is from the coast of
Venezuela. Also, most of South American countries which are closer to the equator tend to have
darker skinned population much larger than lighter skinned populations.
Lastly, Health has also has been influenced by Climate too. Some groups of individuals
are less vulnerable to retain salt than other who does retain salt. Recently, Young and their
colleagues (2005) have reported a geographic cline form the equator to the higher latitudes, of
heat adapted alleles from five functional genes that affect salt retention and blood vessel tone
On context, we can say that if some of this individuals recently moved to somewhere where the
dietary salt intake is higher, it would be a major risk factor in hypertension. Other example could
be Africans living in cold and freezing temperatures in the Antarctic, this situation could cause
them chronic cold stress, becauseblood pressure in Africans is much more sensitive to
change (2010)Also, the migration of dark skinned people to cold places will cause and
increase in vitamin D production, on the contrary people with lighter skin to equatorial regions
will lead to an increment in skin cancer (2010).
Therefore, all we have mentioned before will lead society to divide each one in groups
depending their locations and morphology. Each of them will sub-classified each one as a

SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT: DICHOTOMY PAPER

specie which, is basically a race. Sex and gender -as I said before, are very different because
one will be on your genetic code, while another is the expression of it. In some cases, variations
will occur and there will be an anomaly in the individual which, can or cannot be accepted in
society leading this individual to be isolated or maybe, group with someone with the same
characteristics, basically creating a new ethnic or race. By the same way, race will be influenced
by cultural beliefs and physical characteristics. In addition, ethnicity will also get together with
race because a group of people with the same traits will also share cultural, religious and
linguistic background. The most important thing is that we could establish a common ground or
foundation where we all define each other as equal or at least similar individuals, even though
we are different, so we can all cohabit and live together. Because we all belong.

REFERENCES CITED

SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT: DICHOTOMY PAPER

Crocetti, D. (2013). Genes and Hormones: What Make Up an Individuals Sex. In M. Ah-King
(Ed.), Challenging Popular Myths of Sex, Gender and Biology (pp. 23-32). Switzerland:
Springer International.
James, G. D. (2010). Climate-Related Morphological Variation and Physiological Adaptations in
Homo sapiens. In C.S. Larsen (Ed.), A Companion to Biological Anthropology (pp. 153-166).
Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell