▁the ▁field ▁of ▁neu ros cience , ▁and ▁she ▁met ▁with ▁obst acles ▁getting ▁her ▁first ▁study ▁on ▁the ▁subject ▁published ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 : ▁Male ▁or ▁Fem ale ? ▁Bra ins ▁are ▁Inter sex . ▁ ▁Jo el ▁is ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁The ▁Ne uro G ender ings ▁Network ▁and ▁has ▁advoc ated ▁in ▁the ▁media ▁for ▁a ▁less ▁gender ▁essential ist ▁approach ▁to ▁neu ros cience . ▁ ▁G ender ▁and ▁femin ism ▁ ▁Jo el ▁counts ▁gender ▁and ▁femin ism ▁among ▁her ▁research ▁interests . ▁In ▁an ▁interview ▁with ▁The ▁Mark er , ▁she ▁said ▁that ▁even ▁as ▁a ▁child ▁and ▁during ▁her ▁military ▁service ▁( ages ▁ 1 8 – 2 0 ) ▁she ▁expressed ▁femin ist ▁views . ▁Jo el ▁claims ▁that ▁in ▁the ▁gender ed ▁western ▁world , ▁males ▁( as ▁identified ▁by ▁their ▁gen it als ) ▁are ▁ch anne led ▁into ▁being ▁" bo ys ", ▁and ▁gen it ally ▁identified ▁females ▁– ▁into ▁" g irls ". ▁According ▁to ▁Jo el , ▁the ▁common ▁social ▁and ▁cultural ▁per ception ▁is ▁one ▁that ▁div ides ▁the ▁world ▁of ▁possibilities ▁into ▁two ▁parts . ▁In ▁her ▁opinion , ▁in ▁a ▁world ▁without ▁gender , ▁where ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁social ▁and ▁cultural ▁significance ▁to ▁the ▁shape ▁of ▁a ▁person ' s ▁gen it als , ▁there ▁will ▁be ▁many ▁more ▁possibilities ▁for ▁both ▁females ▁and ▁males . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁Jo el ▁began ▁" W omen / Men ▁Conf