The Connecticut State Museum of Natural History at UConn presents “Morning Tea with Mr. Darwin: Darwin and Women.” The lecture will be held on Saturday, August 11, 10 am at the Biology/Physics Building, Room 130, UConn.

Mr. Darwin was a man of his times. By today’s standards, his thinking and actions would not be tolerated. Even in his own day, there were some men, including his older brother Erasmus, who’s attitudes were more modern. He was quite charming around women and those close to him loved him very much. His attitudes about women’s place in society developed through a combination of his upbringing and his study of the differences between the sexes in nature. He was the first to suggest that Natural Selection sometimes manifested itself among animals in the form of what he called Sexual Selection. The female animal frequently chose the male based on his apparent suitability for siring healthy, competitive offspring. He thought that humans did the same thing as a result of their animal nature. Of course, Victorian mores came into play in his thinking as well. This presentation will explore all these features of his life as well as describe the changing roles of women in Victorian England. Join us for this exploration of Darwin’s world. Mr. Darwin will be portrayed by professor Kenneth Noll of UConn’s Department of Molecular and Cell Biology.

Presented by the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History, part of the UConn Office of Public Engagement.