Presentation: Exploring Gender Diversity in the Animal Kingdom

Thursday, 4/17/2025
6:00 - 7:00
Learning Studio - 5th Fl
Main Library

100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
United States

415-557-4400

Dr. Nathan H. Lents explores the existence and significance of gender diversity in the animal kingdom, a key topic from his new book, The Sexual Evolution: How 500 Million Years of Sex, Gender, and Mating Shape Modern Relationships. Diverse animal genders is a key aspect in the new science of sex and gender and affirms that transgender, intersex, and nonbinary individuals are part of the inherent diversity of social animals. 

Lents holds a a Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Physiology from Saint Louis University School of Medicine, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Genomics at New York University. Since 2006, he has been a faculty member at John Jay College, where he currently serves as the director of the Cell and Molecular Biology program. His research focuses on understanding the genetic underpinnings of human uniqueness, particularly through studying genes and genetic elements that distinguish humans and our extinct relatives from other African apes. His lab is also investigating the evolution of microRNA genes in Neanderthals, Denisovans, and modern humans, exploring how these small regulators influence gene expression networks and contribute to species-specific traits.

Nathan Lents

Science

Gain a new perspective on and understanding of the world through programs on the sciences.

This program is sponsored by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.

Attending Programs

All programs are drop-in (no registration necessary) unless otherwise noted. All SFPL locations are wheelchair accessible. For accommodations (such as ASL), call (415) 557-4557 or contact accessibility@sfpl.org. Requesting at least 3 business days in advance will help ensure availability.

This program will be conducted in English unless otherwise noted.

Notice: This event may be filmed or photographed. By participating in this event, you consent to have your likeness used for the Library’s archival purposes and promotional materials. If you do not want to be photographed, please inform a staff person or the photographer. A sticker will be provided to help identify you so that we can avoid capturing your image.

Public Notice and Disclaimer

This program uses a third-party website link. By clicking on the third-party website link, you will leave SFPL's website and enter a website not operated by SFPL. This service may collect personally identifying information about you, such as name, username, email address, and password. This service will treat the information it collects about you pursuant to its own privacy policy. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of each third-party website or service that you visit or use, including those third parties with whom you interact through our Library services. For more information about these third-party links, please see the section of SFPL’s Privacy Policy describing Links to Other Sites.

The views and opinions expressed in programs presented by groups unaffiliated with SFPL do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SFPL or the City.