Starre Julia Vartan

Image by Bianca Nogrady, a science journalist and a reader of the book.

Hi Ms. Vartan, I just wanted to say that I discovered your new book “The Stronger Sex” in one of my local bookstores over the summer and after reading it I can confidently say that I learned SO much about female bodies in sports than I had ever thought. I am a D1 runner in college and I handed my copy over to my coach, who also read it, loved it, and now we talk about the new things we learned together! As you talked about, distance running has its advantages in the body, so being able to read something like that was so inspiring! Thank you! My coach just finished your book, and she wants to pass it around to my other college teammates . I’m excited for them to read it! – Allie on Insta

This is a well-researched science book. There are hundreds of references to journal articles and personal conversation with the scientists who did the research. This is science, not opinion. – Ami on Amazon

I have been raving about your book over the last two weeks to friends and family. I am feeling this increasing desire to scream through the streets and canals of Amsterdam, the amazing scientific discoveries you have brought together in some of the best worded books I have encountered in recent times. Being a Gender and Sexuality master student, you’d think I would be continuously encountering mind boggling theories. While to an extent that is true, this book brings together so much information. And even if I already knew something, it was presented in a new way, a more holistic way, surrounded by other theory. I guess in short, I am reaching out to share my gratitude. Warm hugs from Amsterdam! – Raisa on Insta

Thank you for writing this! I have been screaming this from the rafters for years and you have put it all together so eloquently. I have put a copy in the local girls rugby club as well and I am telling every single PWR player to read it, every woman I know is getting a copy for Christmas as well  – Kate on Insta

This was a delightfully readable, well researched, nonfiction work on the female body and the nuances of its strengths. – Taylor on Goodreads

One of the book’s biggest strengths is how it balances hard science with engaging storytelling. Vartan’s interviews with researchers across disciplines—from sports science to anthropology—add weight to her arguments, while firsthand accounts from athletes, firefighters, and adventurers bring the data to life. – Kate L. on Goodreads

Vartan writes with clarity and conviction, weaving her own experiences—growing up with a squirrel-hunting grandmother and navigating a world of gendered expectations—into the scientific narrative. Her tone is assertive but never alienating, making complex research accessible without oversimplifying. – Kromrie on Goodreads