On average, at birth, girls are lighter than boys. This difference is consistent across various populations, suggesting a fundamental biological basis. However, skin tone presents a different aspect. Universally, female skin color tends to be lighter than male skin color after puberty. This is an adaptive pattern, and this difference should not be confused with birth weight.
Birth Weight Differences
The provided research clearly indicates that girls are born lighter than boys. The consistency of this across diverse populations points towards a deeply rooted biological factor. (The gender insulin hypothesis: why girls are born lighter than boys ...)
Skin Tone Differences
Separately, research shows that female skin is generally lighter than male skin. This is a universal adaptive pattern that becomes apparent after puberty. ([Universally, female skin color is lighter than male skin color, irrespective of geographical location. This difference is a distinctive and universal adaptive pattern that emerges after puberty. We address whether this sexual dimorphism is cognitively and culturally represented to ground gender.14-Jun-2019])
AI Bias and Skin Tone
It is important to note that studies on artificial intelligence highlight biases in facial recognition technology. These systems often exhibit higher error rates for darker-skinned women compared to lighter-skinned men. This is not a reflection of inherent weight or skin tone differences, but rather a bias within the technology itself. (Study finds gender and skin-type bias in commercial artificial intelligence systems, Gender Shades: Intersectional Accuracy Disparities in Commercial ..., AI works better for white skin - because it's being trained that way ...) This bias emphasizes the importance of considering data representation and algorithmic fairness in technological development.
In summary, the question of which gender is "lighter" requires clarification. Considering birth weight, females are lighter. Regarding skin tone, females exhibit lighter skin on average post-puberty.
