Sex at Dawn

"Sex at Dawn" challenges the popular belief that humans are naturally monogamous and instead argues that humans have a primal urge to sexually bond with multiple partners, as seen in the sexual practices of early humans and their primate relatives. The book explains that the standard narrative of human sexual behavior, which asserts that men and women use conflicting standards to evaluate a potential mate's suitability and have an inherent reason to enforce sexual exclusivity, falls apart upon closer examination because it relies on false assumptions about the lives of early humans. The book suggests that humans will likely still crave sexual variety and multi-partner relationships, even if only in their fantasies. The authors use anthropology, evolutionary psychology, and history to argue for the practice of polyamory and to provide a new perspective on human sexuality that can help in understanding some common problems that plague modern relationships.

What will you learn from this KitUP?

• How might the widespread practice of monogamy be changing the anatomy of modern humans?

• What are the advantages of teamwork and generosity for a species' development, according to the text?

• How have religious and scientific institutions historically viewed and suppressed female sexuality?