Primate: A Feminist Argumentative Analysis

Charles Darwin once said that the essence of an instinct is that it may be followed independently without the need of a necessary reason. In greater detail, the definition of an instinct is that it is an innate, evolutionary trait that typically is a fixed natural pattern of behavior which promotes a response to a stimuli. For instance, the presence of instincts can prove that natural selection favors actions that promote reproductive success, which may be the reasoning behind male dominance over their female counterparts. This is the explanation most feminist, Anthropological theorists believe is the presence behind male power in human and non-human primates. Specifically, it is theorized that this evolutionary, biological, or environmental

In fact, sexual dimorphism and male dominance is not present in all species of non-human primates, but there is a heavy vulnerability of the female coercion when they are separated from their social, support system. For example, in the Ape community females are dispersed from the places they were born, as adults and have no relatives to protect them which leads them to being dominated by a Silverback Gorilla and their already dependent infants would be killed to create estrus (11). Another key perspective is the differences between female and male mating behaviors and the presence of sexual dimorphism and hierarchies. For instance, in many non-human primate communities during the period of female fertility she begins to be dominated frequently by moments of aggression by males because of her smaller size, which can cause severe wounding or sometimes death if she is seen associating with lower-ranked males, versus the times when she is not sexually receptive. Surprisingly, this evidence alone has potential links between aggression and sex in human society; in accordance, with the initiative behind why there are higher rates of males raping, abusing, or even overpowering females habitually

As well as, the direct relationship between the forms of sexual intimidation during a females fertility cycle when she tries to mate with a male of her choice (7). Similarly, it appears that the females are more likely to be overpowered by a male when they are in communities that create times of seclusion from other female kin or relatives which removes their sense of protection from dominating tactics or death (12). To summarize, it seems the evolutionary trait of male dominance over females is a behavior that may be biologically adaptive, but according to Darwin it may be just an instinct that is heavily, influenced by the environment the non-human primate or human has adapted