The Evolutionary Biology of Human Female Sexuality

Research over the past fifteen years has challenged traditional views regarding human female sexuality. Contrary to the belief that women's estrus has been evolutionarily lost, researchers Randy Thornhill and Steven W. Gangestad argue that it still exists but is concealed. They propose that women exhibit two types of sexuality during each ovulatory cycle: estrus and extended sexuality, which occurs outside the estrous phase. Each type serves distinct functions. The authors integrate findings from behavioral evolution and comparative biology to present a new theoretical framework for understanding the evolution of human female sexuality, with a focus on its roots in female sexuality and phylogeny across all vertebrates. The work was published in 2008, spans 424 pages, and is available in English with the ISBN 9780195340983.