bioessentialism
noun[U]
disapproving(alsobio-essentialism)uk/ˌbaɪ.əʊ.ɪˈsen.ʃəl.ɪ.zəm/us/ˌbaɪ.oʊ.ɪˈsen.ʃəl.ɪ.zəm/thebeliefthat people's mostimportantcharacteristicsarecontrolledbybiologyand cannotchange,particularlythebeliefthat somegroupsofpeoplearenaturallyless good thanothersbecause of this:
Bioessentialism isharmfulbecause itteachesmen tohidetheiremotionsandtellswomen tostayintheirplace.
Overlookingdifferenceswithin racializedgroupsleadsto aformof bioessentialismwhereinperceiveddifferencesareseenasbiologicaland onlybiological.
Thebookis acriticismof bio-essentialism thatturnsconventionalwisdomaboutadoption,identityandbiologicalfamilyonitshead.
thebeliefthatgenderiscontrolledby a person'sbodybeingmaleorfemaleand cannotchange:
Theyclaimthat bioessentialismweaponizesbiologytoinvalidatetranspeople'sgenders.
Suggesting thatprenatalsexchromosomescreeningcandeterminegenderreinforcesbioessentialism.
She says that there should be nospacefor transphobia,genderpolicing, or bioessentialism in thefeministmovement.
See also
essentialism