Intersectional analysis for science and technology

Mathias Wullum Nielsen, Elena Gissi, Shirin Heidari, Richard Horton, Kari C. Nadeau, Dorothy Ngila, Safiya Umoja Noble, Hee Young Paik, Girmaw Abebe Tadesse, Eddy Y. Zeng, James Zou & Londa Schiebinger 

Nature, 2025

Intersectionality describes interdependent systems of inequality related to sex, gender, race, age, class and other socio-political dimensions. By focusing on the compounded effects of social categories, intersectional analysis can enhance the accuracy and experimental efficiency of science. Here we extend intersectional approaches that were predominantly developed in the humanities, social sciences and public health to the fields of natural science and technology, where this type of analysis is less established. Informed by diverse global and disciplinary examples—from enhancing facial recognition for diverse user bases to mitigating the disproportionate impact of climate change on marginalized populations—we extract methods to demonstrate how quantitative intersectional analysis functions throughout the research process, from strategic considerations for establishing research priorities to formulating research questions, collecting and analysing data and interpreting results. Our goal is to offer a set of guidelines for researchers, peer-reviewed journals and funding agencies that facilitate systematic integration of intersectional analysis into relevant domains of science and technology. Precision in research best guides effective social and environmental policy aimed at achieving global equity and sustainability.

Exploring the impact of sex and gender in brain function: implications and considerations

R Gualtierotti, C Bressi, B Garavaglia, P Brambilla

Advances in Therapy, 2024

Sex and gender are crucial variables in understanding brain development and disease. Biological sex is determined by genetic and hormonal factors, whereas gender is a multidimensional construct shaped by social and cultural influences. The interplay of these factors contributes to sex-specific susceptibilities and disease progression in psychiatric and neurological disorders. However, sex and gender are often considered as a single variable, which can lead to biased data analysis and interpretation.

This commentary aims to analyze how sex and gender influence brain structure and function, with implications for personalized medicine, research, and the development of gender-sensitive clinical guidelines.

Bridging the gap: Time to integrate sex and gender differences into research and clinical practice for improved health outcomes

R Gualtierotti - European Journal of Internal Medicine, 2025 - Elsevier

The integration of sex and gender in medical research and clinical practice is increasingly
recognized as a cornerstone for achieving equitable health outcomes. Biological sex and
gender influence the manifestation, progression, and treatment response in numerous
diseases. Biological sex influences health and disease outcomes through genetic,
hormonal, and physiological factors, while gender impacts them via identity, societal roles
and behaviors. Historically, medical research has focused predominantly on the male body 

Cultivating collectivism: faculty couples of color resisting marginalization at predominantly white institutions

DJ Blake - Race Ethnicity and Education, 2025

… Past research on academic couples gives greater attention to how couples’
mobility may be limited due to needing to attain positions for both partners at another
institution (Schiebinger, Henderson, and Gilmartin Citation2008; Wolf-Wendel …

Race and gender biases persist in public perceptions of scientists' credibility

D Eom, AL Molder, HA Tosteson, EL Howell… - Scientific Reports, 2025

This study examines how race and gender stereotypes affect scientists’ ability to
communicate with diverse US public audiences. Through a unique collaboration
between researchers and filmmakers, we conducted an online survey experiment 

Uncovering the persistent gap: The ongoing challenge of integrating sex and gender in biomedical research

J Delgado Rodríguez, M Cano Abadía, K Akyüz… - 2025

Gender and sex are related to important quality and safety issues in scientific, health,
and clinical research. Sex refers to biological characteristics, while gender
encompasses the sociocultural norms, identities, and relationships that shape …

Detecting gender bias in Arabic text through word embeddings

A Mourad, FKA Salem, S Elbassuoni - PLOS ONE, 2025

For generations, women have fought to achieve equal rights with those of men.
Many historians and social scientists examined this uphill path with a focus on
women’s rights and economic status in the West. Other parts of the world, such as …

Preprint—not yet peer reviewed: Role and Use of Race in AI/ML Models Related to Health

MC Were, A Li, BA Malin, Z Yin, JR Coco, BX Collins… - arXiv preprint arXiv …, 2025

The role and use of race within health-related artificial intelligence and machine
learning (AI/ML) models has sparked increasing attention and controversy. Despite
the complexity and breadth of related issues, a robust and holistic framework to …

arXiv—not peer reviewed: A Large Scale Analysis of Gender Biases in Text-to-Image Generative Models

L Girrbach, S Alaniz, G Smith, Z Akata - arXiv preprint arXiv:2503.23398, 2025

With the increasing use of image generation technology, understanding its social
biases, including gender bias, is essential. This paper presents the first large-scale
study on gender bias in text-to-image (T2I) models, focusing on everyday situations …

All best, Londa 

Londa Schiebinger

Director, EU/US Gendered Innovations in Science, Health & Medicine, Engineering, and Environment Project

http://genderedinnovations.stanford.edu

John L. Hinds Professor of History of Science, Stanford University

http://www.stanford.edu/dept/HPST/schiebinger.html

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