A hormone produced in the body that controls masculine characteristics and affects mood and muscle growth in both males and females.
Created in 1935 from 'testis' (Latin for testicle, where it's mainly produced) and the chemical suffix '-sterone.' The word was coined by scientists to name the newly isolated hormone.
Women produce testosterone too—it's not just a 'male' hormone, but society has made it so associated with masculinity that we often forget half the population has it in their bodies!
Historically conflated with aggression/dominance in pseudoscientific gender narratives; used to essentialize male behavior as biologically determined and fixed.
Use precisely for the hormone itself; avoid as explanation for behavior without evidence. Acknowledge testosterone exists in all genders.
["hormonal influence","biological factor"]
Women's testosterone contributions to athletic performance and physiology are routinely erased in popular discussion.
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