The Stronger Sex: What Science Tells Us About the Power of the Female Body

“Female bodies are far stronger and more capable than most of us have been taught,” according to this myth-busting report. Science writer Vartan (The Eco-Chick Guide to Life) argues that understanding strength as moving “the heaviest weight one can manage in a single effort” valorizes activities at which men excel while downplaying the endurance feats in which women often outperform men. She explains that estrogen helps women store fat that’s later transformed into long-lasting energy while men rely on relatively inefficient carbohydrates, giving women an edge in many endurance sports. For instance, she notes that the 10 fastest women to swim around Manhattan were about 13% faster than the top 10 men. Vartan skillfully debunks outdated beliefs, as when she points out that contrary to long-standing medical guidance to “minimize exercise and exertion while pregnant,” research has shown that pregnant people who worked out regularly enjoyed shorter labors. Bringing a thought-provoking outlook to debates around segregating sports by gender, Vartan wonders why testosterone is considered an unfair advantage, but Usain Bolt’s unusually long legs, for example, aren’t, and suggests that separating individuals by height and weight would be more logical. This brings valuable perspective to a much debated topic. Agent: Alice Martell, Martell Agency. (July)