The Mismeasure of Desire: The Science, Theory, and Ethics of Sexual Orientation (Ideologies of Desire)

Is there a "gay gene"? What if there is? And what does "gay" mean, anyway? Philosopher and queer studies instructor Edward Stein asks these questions and far more, delving deeply into our feelings about gender and sexuality in The Mismeasure of Desire, a deep but accessible examination of how we classify and study sexual orientation. Stein is that rare postmodern philosopher who explains his terms simply and strives for clarity in thought and prose; readers scared off by his background in the humanities will find his book as sensible as any science text. He divides his subjects into sections on metaphysics, science, and ethics, each building on the last.

First turning his attention to the construction of gender and desire, Stein takes great pains to define his terms so that they satisfy our intuitions yet maintain the rigor required of them by his philosophical operations. This territory has been explored fairly well over the last 30 years, but he finds new paths well worth further pursuit. Next he examines the social and biological research pertaining to sexual orientation; not surprisingly, he finds much fault therein, as much (if not all) of it rests on thoroughly disreputable and homophobic foundations. These assumptions are brought out of the closet and don't stand up well to scrutiny, lending power to Stein's concluding ethical arguments that we should at the very least demand more of researchers looking into sexual orientation, and perhaps curtail such research altogether. The powerful, heady ideas in The Mismeasure of Desire will keep you thinking for years to come. --Rob Lightner