As part of my Human Sexuality course, I teach about sexual anatomy in both biological females and males. During my anatomy lecture, it is not uncommon for students to ask about the significance of the male nipple. If it doesn't appear to serve any biological or reproductive function, then why is it there? The answer is that during the initial stages of gestation, our bodies all begin developing toward the female form, regardless of which chromosomes we have. This creates the basis for a lot of common structures in the male and female body, including the presence of nipples. It is not until later in development that the male and female bodies begin to differentiate physically and functionally, but by that point, the nipples have already become a permanent structure. For more on the science behind this, check out the short video below.
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