Super Short Summary

In Sex at Dawn: The Prehistoric Origins of Modern Sexuality, Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jethá challenge conventional views on human sexual evolution, suggesting that prior to agriculture, human societies were more promiscuous and egalitarian. They argue that monogamy is a cultural construct that emerged with civilization and that early human mating systems resembled those of bonobos, utilizing sex to strengthen social bonds rather than as a commodity. The authors also claim that traits like human sexual dimorphism and female copulatory vocalization point to a non-monogamous past. Ryan and Jethá assert that the standard narrative of evolutionary psychology is biased by modern societal norms, leading to misconceptions about human nature and sexual behavior.