The field of evolutionary ecology in general and behavioural ecology in particular is often regarded as an androcentric science where sexual stereotypes pervade. In this article we review some of the evidence for this notion and suggest that behavioural ecology still is suffering from such gender bias. The criticism so far has mainly been centred on how these problems affect the understanding of humans. Here focus on how it can produce misconceptions of animals and animal behaviour. In particular we discuss why gender perspectives are relevant to theory production, experiment design and the choice of study species. We also suggest that sexual stereotypes and androcentrism are not a necessary part of behavioural ecology, and that the field has the potential of producing knowledge that could revolutionize some of the thinking around sex and gender.