Gender, Sexual, And Gender

Although men and women have significant biological differences, the question whether gender-specific labels stems from these biological differences or are gender constructed remains a polarised nature versus nurture debate. Whether it is through the process of socialisation or genetic make-up, “gender identity” is given from a person’s birth, determining how a person culturally interacts and the expectations society places on them. Along with a “gender identity” comes a whole set of “norms”, “values” and so-called “gender characteristics”, which are supposed to define the differences between a male and a female. According to the World Health Organisation (n.d.), the term “sex” is often used to define the biological and physiological

The sociology of gender is one of the largest subfields within sociology; sociological gender studies look at the social construction of gender and how gender interacts with other social structures within society (Crossman, 2016). It Is important that one understands the difference between sex and gender to understand the sociology of gender; unlike gender, sex is biologically determined and relates to the reproductive organs a person has. In order to separate gender and sex sociologists use different pronouns; when discussing gender, sociologists use the terms man/woman and when discussing sex sociologists will use the terms male/female (Crossman, 2016). Although most people fall into wither the category of male or female, some people are born with ‘sex organs’ that do not clearly fit into either of the two specific sex categories, these people are known as intersex (Ashley Crossman, 2016). Gender is described as a social classification based on one’s identity and how one presents themselves to the world; this identity relates to the way one behaves and interacts within society. Many sociologists view gender as a learned behaviour and look at gendered identities as being culturally produced which makes gendered identities socially constructed (Crossman,

A person’s sex is determined on the basis of three fundamental human physiognomies, chromosomes (XX for a female and XY for a male), gonads (ovaries for females and testes for males) and the obvious being genitals (vagina for a females and a penis for males). However socially, gender identity is formulated on the grounds of stereotypical roles from both

Gender is a complex socially constructed idea. Often people interchangeably use gender to refer to someone’s sex. This is not the case. Sex is the biological characteristics that makes someone a male, female or intersex. Gender however is made up of expression, identity, and sexual orientation. Gender identity is how one views themselves such as a woman, man or transgender. Gender identity does not correspond to the sex of that person. Gender expression is how one expresses their gender identity. This could be through a masculine , feminine or androgynous expression. In Western societies, although there has been a push for change in our gender system, the gender system as been a binary system. This binary system only believes that there are

Throughout the second season of ABC’s American Crime, there were an extreme amount of ways in which race, sexuality, gender, and ethnicity were depicted, troubled, and interrogated. While watching the second season of American Crime in class, it almost seemed as if the entire series was made just to explore each and every component of this course, Ethnics 1010. The series successfully explored through numerous situations with all of these important components that we have discussed throughout the semester. However, there happens to be three specific components that I would like to elaborate on throughout this essay.

Traditionally speaking, most people view sex and gender as interchangeable, synonymous, and biological. As more studies and research are done, more professionals are realizing the vital difference between the two terms. Sex, according to sociologist Doctor Zuleyka Zevallos, is the “biological traits that societies use to assign people into the category of either male or female, whether it be through a focus on chromosomes, genitalia, or some other physical ascription”. She goes on to say that the definition of gender is “the cultural meanings attached to men and women’s roles; and how individuals understand their identities including, but not limited to, being a man, woman, transgender, intersex, gender queer, and other gender identities” (Zeyallos, 2014). We see sex as something we are assigned at birth due to the body parts we are born with, and we see gender as the way one identifies with their assigned sex. In the majority of cases, assigned sex and gender identity line up, but less often it does not. In these cases, we see individuals who are transgender, gender queer, gender fluid, and more. More people are coming forward about these different ways they are experiencing gender, so many people assume these ways of experiencing gender are new.

Gender is considered an axis of social order. Its categorisation into masculinity and femininity is social constructed and maintained in everyday life (Clark and Page, 2005; Mackie, 1994). Gender identity is our innermost understanding of our self as ‘male’ or ‘female’. Most people develop a gender identity that matched their biological sex (their body). Gender identity can be affected by, and is different from one society to another, depending on the way the members of society evaluate the role of females and males. Our gender identity can be influenced from the ethnicity of the group, their cultural background, and family values. Gender like social class and race can be used to socially categorize people and even lead to prejudice and discrimination. From day –to-day, continuous production of gender has been called ‘doing gender’ (West and Zimmermann, 1987), meaning that gender is “made” by us in everyday lives in our interactions with others.

Since the beginning of time, gender has always been divided into two categories, either male or female, with few instances that have stepped in between. As civilization has evolved, it has began to learn that this division is a lie, and that it is disgusting, disgraceful, hurtful and untrue at its rotten core. This is because this “division” has never counted for anything but a label and a set of roles as a stereotype, which was unjustly assigned at birth in a societal attempt to conform each and every unique soul into a shape that they cannot fully fit. There should not exist such standards and expectations that do not account for anything besides what one's body has to say, without asking the mind of the thoughtless vessel known as the body.

Sex/sexual orientation and race/ethnicity are perplexing attributes that are especially valuable and imperative on the grounds that each incorporates the social measurements essential for comprehension its effect on well-being and each has hereditary underpinnings; to shifting degrees. Sex is an arrangement taking into account biological contrasts—for instance, contrasts in the middle of guys and females established in their life systems or physiology. By complexity, sexual orientation is an arrangement in light of the social development (and upkeep) of social qualifications in the middle of guys and females. Sex alludes to "a social build with respect to culture-bound traditions, parts, and practices for, and in addition relations between and among, ladies and men, young men and young ladies" Class is a relative social status regarding salary, riches, training, status/position, and/or influence. A class comprises of a substantial gathering of individuals who offer a comparative monetary and/or social position in the public eye taking into account their wage, riches, property possession, work status, instruction, aptitudes, or influence in the financial and political circle. Our class character influences us on the individual and enthusiastic level, not simply in monetary terms, since it impacts how we feel about ourselves as well as other people. There is no exact definition or outline of class gatherings. The most usually utilized class personalities are: high society (or

It is a common belief that a person’s gender is biologically determined, where in fact, gender does not occur naturally from the body (Butler 1999). Rather, gender is a social construct (Hansot & Tyack, 1988). It is a set of expectations and behavioural norms that individuals learn and perform (Butler 1999). Depending on time and culture, every society sets out what is considered appropriate behaviour for a man or a woman, based on concepts of ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ practices (Holmes, 2013). It is through socialisation that we learn these expectations (Holmes, 2013). We then shape our behaviour to fit the gender that is assigned to us at birth, according to our sex category (Butler, 1999). West and Zimmerman (1987), discuss the idea that gender is a “routine, methodical and recurring accomplishment” (p. 126) and that one can never not ‘do’ gender, as every activity, attitude and behaviour is

I never really put much thought into the difference between gender and sex. I, like most people, would have assumed that they were the same thing. After reading Multiple Choice: Gender, Orientation, and Sexual identity by Heather Corina, it made me think about my perception of these two words. I also now believe that they are in fact different. This article put sex and gender in a different perspective to me. Gender is characteristic of a person that they choose to identify as. This may or may not be different then their actual sex, which is the anatomical characteristic of people that we were born with (Corina, 2007). The broader aspect of this article challenged my way of thinking rather than just one small aspect of it.

When It comes to gender spectrum, most people believe that when the sex is determined for a baby, they come up with a preconceived notion of the child’s gender. However, gender is not just based on the sex of the child, there are a few more qualities that are to be taking into consideration. How one identifies themselves, the emotions and experience one goes through in their own body, and also gender expression all play a role and how one can identify their gender. Gender is the state of being male or female but is also considered a social and psychological reflection of one’s self-image that cross references with one’s sexual nature.

Are lesbian more accepted by society than gay men? Acceptance amongst lesbian more so than gay men is one of the few of many discriminating factors that occur amongst the homosexual community. When it comes to homosexuality women has a better chance of being accepted by society than gay men. In most cases lesbians are taken less serious, people do not react to lesbians the same way they react to gay men. Studies have shown that gay men are more victimized by society than lesbians. It does not take much to notice the different ways society treats lesbians and gay men. Although, they have both encountered struggles from being rejected by friends to physical attacks or threats by people who do not believe in homosexuality at all, no matter if you are a lesbian or a gay man (Schulman, Sarah). In the perspective of society, two men being together is much more repulsive than seeing two women being together. According to the Pew Research sample of LGBT 19% adults describe themselves as lesbian and 36% describe themselves as gay men. A large percentage of the LGBT community is gay men (A Survey of LGBT Americans).

In all the questions concerning gender identity it is important to acknowledge that gender identity and the biological sex are completely independent notions. Gender identity is more of an experience, an intuitive feeling that concerns not physical, but, first and foremost, emotional and psychologic state of a person. For many years, the problem of gender identity was dichotomic: male and female genders were the only recognized ones (Deogracias, 2007).

The words ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ are commonly confused with each other in regular, everyday conversations when the two have very different meanings. The term ‘sex’ refers to the biological and physiological characteristics of a person, such as male or female; ‘gender’ is a social construction that refers to masculine or feminine roles in society ( Nordqvist). For