# There is No Consensus on Biological Sex

## TL;DR

This paper argues there is no agreed-upon definition of biological sex and warns against using such definitions to influence policy or human rights.

## Contribution

The paper highlights the lack of consensus on defining biological sex and provides recommendations for accurate sex description.

## Key findings

- There is no consensus on a definition of biological sex free of assumptions and limitations.
- Recommendations are provided to improve accuracy in describing sex regardless of definitional choices.
- Biological definitions of sex should not be used to dictate human rights.

## Abstract

There is ongoing scientific and societal discourse on the definition of biological sex. At this critical moment when misinformation about sex is being applied to policy globally, scientific clarification is valuable. Here, we evaluate the primary approaches to defining sex and synthesise the active discourse to conclude that there is no current consensus on a definition of sex that is free of assumptions and limitations. While there is no current consensus, we do not advocate for a single definition and contend that a lack of unanimity is not inherently problematic. No matter what definitional choices are used, we provide actionable recommendations to improve accuracy when describing sex. Most importantly, regardless of scientific debates, no biological definition of sex should be used to dictate human rights.

At this critical moment when misinformation about sex is being applied to policy globally, scientific clarification on the definition of biological sex is valuable. Here, we evaluate the primary approaches to defining sex and synthesise the active discourse to conclude that there is no current consensus on a definition of sex that is free of assumptions and limitations. Most importantly, regardless of scientific debates, no biological definition of sex should be used to dictate human rights.