Introduction

Abstract

Every year I lectured in sociology departments at both Leeds and York I asked the same question: as a quick poll, how many people have ever been accused of getting ‘too’ emotional? Sociology courses up and down the United Kingdom are (quantitatively) skewed toward young women, the entirety of whom put their hands up alongside a handful of their male peers. When I followed this up with: ‘and who has ever had this linked to their hormones?’ the sea of hands became exclusively women. This happened every year for five years. Of course, it’s a well-documented medical fact that only women can suffer from PMT and this leads to ‘irrational’ mood swings, right? Male brains and bodies are just wired differently that’s all.