# X + Y: A Mathematician's Manifesto for Rethinking Gender - Hardcover

by **Eugenia Cheng** (Author)

**Shortlisted for the 2021 Phi Beta Kappa Book Award for Science  
One of NPR's Best Books of 2020  
One of the Most Fascinating Books _WIRED_ Read in 2020**

A brilliant mathematician examines the complexity of gender and society and forges a path out of inequality. Why are men in charge? After years in the male-dominated field of mathematics and in the female-dominated field of art, Eugenia Cheng has heard the question many times. In _x + y_, Cheng argues that her mathematical specialty -- category theory -- reveals why. Category theory deals more with context, relationships, and nuanced versions of equality than with intrinsic characteristics. Category theory also emphasizes dimensionality: much as a cube can cast a square or diamond shadow, depending on your perspective, so too do gender politics appear to change with how we examine them. Because society often rewards traits that it associates with males, such as competitiveness, we treat the problems those traits can create as male. But putting competitive women in charge will leave many unjust relationships in place. If we want real change, we need to transform the contexts in which we all exist, and not simply who we think we are. **Praise for Eugenia Cheng** "\[Eugenia Cheng's\] tone is clear, clever and friendly . . . she is rigorous and insightful. . . . \[She is\] a lucid and nimble expositor."--- **Alex Bellos**, _New York Times Book Review_

"Dr. Cheng . . . has a knack for brushing aside conventions and edicts, like so many pie crumbs from a cutting board."--- **Natalie Angier**, _New York Times_

### Author Biography

**Eugenia Cheng** is Scientist in Residence at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an Honorary Visiting Fellow at City, University of London. She has authored numerous titles, including _How to Bake Pi_, _Beyond Infinity_, and _x + y_. Cheng lives in Chicago, Illinois.

**Number of Pages:** 288

**Dimensions:** 1 x 8.3 x 5.5 IN

**Illustrated:** Yes

**Publication Date:** August 25, 2020

## Details

- **Price:** 28.0 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 28.00 USD | In stock |

## Images

- X + Y: A Mathematician's Manifesto for Rethinking Gender - Hardcover

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