Is the sperm race metaphor true or not?

[BlameZeus]

I have to admit, I haven't had the most comprehensive sex education because of my sheltered religious background. However, I'm making an effort to be more open and catch up on what I've missed. Today, I came across some interesting information that challenged a common metaphor we often hear: the idea of sperm racing like Olympic swimmers to reach the egg. It turns out that the egg actually releases chemicals to guide which sperm will fertilize it. I found this quite intriguing, but I couldn't help wondering why some articles refer to the idea of millions of sperm racing to the egg as an impossible male sexual fantasy.

[Sofi]

Hi there, welcome to the boards!
You're absolutely correct that the whole sperm race narrative is an oversimplification, and in reality, it's less of a marathon and more of an obstacle course. On top of that, the sperm aren't the only ones working - the egg cells are doing a lot too, for example. I have my own opinion on why this rhetoric is so widespread, but I will let you come to your own opinions and stick to the facts. Although, yes, it's definitely "male-centered" from a cultural perspective.
Anyway, here's our piece about how reproduction works, it explains it in detail from the basics. Let me know if you have more questions about this/something else!
Human Reproduction: A Seafarer's Guide