Does Gender Matter?

By Author: Steven Johnson
Total Articles: 494
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Was it so long ago? Back in 2005? It seems like only yesterday when Lawrence H. Summers stood up at a national conference and said that women would never be any good at math and science because they were women. Let no one suggest women were and are the victims of discrimination. Larry's view was they are simply not good enough. Not surprisingly, there was a firestorm of debate and the poor man lost his job. Fortunately there were others prepared to hire him, so he did not have to suffer too long. This whole gender issue and all the others issues like race are caught up in a trap where political correctness prevents a proper discussion. Just as it would be interesting to do some research into why the top 1% achievers in math is essentially white male, so it would be useful to know whether different races are more likely to be affected by different diseases. We know the possibility is real because of diseases like Thalassemia, but nothing is built into research to test this on a more general basis. The initial assumption has to be that everyone, regardless of race or gender, is the same.

Well, when it comes to pain, the ...
... statistics show some interesting patterns. Data from doctors, clinics and hospitals are collected nationally for planning purposes. Thanks to the Tea Party, this is another of these "big government" issues we are not supposed to talk about, but unless you know how healthcare services are being used now, you cannot plan how many doctors and nurses to train, how many new hospitals to build, and so on. Since it takes years to build hospitals and train people, you look at the birth rate and at the aging population and decide there's no need to panic (not). In all this, one thing stands out. Women are significantly more likely to consult a doctor and describe pain symptoms than men. When it comes to the count of prescriptions for painkillers, women take far more than men. Before the internet came along, the count of prescriptions was quite a good guide to drug usage, but now people can buy online without a prescription, it's hard to tell just how many pills we are popping.

Anyway, the statistical evidence is absolutely clear. More women report being in pain and they take the most painkillers. Should we take this as evidence that women are physically "different" and that's why they feel more pain? The answer is probably no. The best explanation is cultural. The macho image men are stuck with means they are not supposed to go all wimpy if they are injured. Real men feel no pain. But it's OK for girlies to admit to feeling pain and get medical help. A better argument for being a woman is hard to find. The scientific evidence shows there's no biological difference in the way the nervous system works. That's why Tramadol is equally effective in both men and women, interrupting the pain messages before they reach the conscious mind. If this were not the case, the pharmaceutical industry would be delivering new Tramadol for Women and cashing in on a brand new market for drugs specifically targeting the biggest market sector.