Influential author and social scientist Ann Oakley argues that men and women have inherited and reinforce a system of gender differences that has a destructive effect on them, their shared humanity, and the planet. By showing us how every aspect of our lives is dominated by male/female power structures, she forces us to take a step back and see how and why gender inequality has thrown our society out of balance.

In Gender on Planet Earth, Oakley argues that the persistence of traditional gender values prevents us from leading more ethical and humane lives. Governed by “delusional systems” such as psychoanalysis and sociobiology, we assume that the imbalance of the sexes is the inevitable consequence of our genes, psyches, and unchangeable economic motives. Drawing from a broad array of literature, Oakley combines personal narrative with social commentary and eye-opening statistics to provide a provocative account of gender today.