DC
Dr. Caitlin Baird
@bairdlet.bsky.social
science editor, writer, rescuer of asses. PhD, global health. misanthrope. the Statler to your Waldorf. she/her
391 followers288 following1.5k posts
as an anthropologist with training in osteology, I'd like to once again chime in to remind everyone that 'sexing' bones is often a toss-up, even for experts, because SEXUAL DIMORPHISM, LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE IN NATURE, IS A SPECTRUM, NOT A BINARY
even when we have complete skeletons (uncommon), instead of bone fragments (common), we're guessing! sometimes we're pretty sure, but it's still just a guess! we can't say for certain! I've seen Hulk-esque 90° gonial angles paired with pretty wee skulls and heart-shaped pelvises. search me.
Yes I’m riffing on the most obvious elements of this here but in seriousness you are right. You’ll always find variation along the spectrum.
DC
Dr. Caitlin Baird
@bairdlet.bsky.social
science editor, writer, rescuer of asses. PhD, global health. misanthrope. the Statler to your Waldorf. she/her
391 followers288 following1.5k posts