An anthropologist muses on what her career and child have taught her about gender stereotypes and fluidity.
What Milk-Sharing Communities RevealAs women in the United States create networks to give or receive breast milk, anthropologists are illuminating the complex social and cultural forces that shape mothers’ choices.
Were Women the True Artisans Behind Ancient Greek Ceramics?A new paper makes the case that scholars have ignored the role of female ceramicists in Greece going back some 3,000 years—and that this failing could speak to a more consequential blind spot involving gender.
Reflecting on the Rise of the HotepsAn anthropologist looks at a U.S. subculture inspired by ancient Egypt and its effort to foster a particular Black identity.
Combating Anti-Black Racism in Brazil and BeyondAn interview with anthropologist Christen A. Smith provides insights into resisting police violence and creating safe societies for people of African descent.
What Ancient Gender Fluidity Taught Me About Modern PatriarchyNonbinary genders and male hierarchy as expressed in Ecuadorian clay sculptures led one archaeologist to see biases in her modern life with fresh eyes.
The Life and Meaning of Margaret MeadThe famous anthropologist argued that non-Western cultures offered alternative, often better, ways to be human. Why was she so vilified for it?
Sweating Through a Gym’s Gender BarriersTraining with macho bodybuilders, a female powerlifter and anthropologist muscled through grueling rites of passage—and forged unexpected bonds.
India’s Third Gender Rises AgainHijras are striving to overcome a century of discrimination and reclaim their holy status in society—through a mix of faith rituals and Facebook.
The Anthropologists Who Undid Sex, Race, and GenderIn Gods of the Upper Air, a biographer reveals how anthropologist Franz Boas and his students helped transform how human differences and similarities are perceived.
