He often presented a humorous or provocative argument that men are a form of "incomplete" woman, emphasizing women’s superior health and longer life expectancy.
He argued that women's genetic makeup allowed them to survive better during the evolution from hunter-gatherer to technological society.
" The Natural Superiority of Women " is a seminal 1953 book (and earlier 1952 article) written by British-American anthropologist Ashley Montagu. The work argues from a biological and anthropological perspective that women are naturally superior to men. Core Arguments & Themes The Natural Superiority of Women
Writing in the 1950s, Montagu’s arguments were used to support traditional gender roles in a Cold War context, arguing that women's role as the anchor of the family was a defense against societal breakdown.
The book was part of a broader effort by Montagu (who helped draft a 1949 UN statement on race) to argue against biological determinism regarding race, while curiously turning that same focus toward "natural" sex roles in this specific work. Draft and Publication Context He often presented a humorous or provocative argument
According to the American Philosophical Society , the Ashley Montagu Papers (Mss.Ms.Coll.109) hold several complete manuscripts of his work, including The Natural Superiority of Women , alongside his correspondence, which may provide further insight into the drafting process. from the original 1952 Ladies' Home Journal article?
The work emphasizes that women possess a natural, inborn capacity for love, cooperation, and nurture. Conversely, he argued that men’s reliance on "muscular power" led to harmful behaviors in modern society, such as "psychopaths, drug abusers, and barroom brawlers". The work argues from a biological and anthropological
An early version was published in the Saturday Evening Post , creating significant attention. Another piece, “The Natural Superiority of Women,” appeared in the Ladies' Home Journal in July 1952.