Male or Female? Essay

Blum consulted University of California at Berkeley behavioral endocrinologist Marc Breedlove about how hormones contribute to gender differences. Breedlove’s studies support the idea that there are biological differences between males and females that distinguish each gender’s behavior. This suggests that it’s worthwhile to look at human evolution to understand why these biological differences exist – what is the purpose of masculinity and why do masculine traits such as aggression develop predominantly in males?

Although Blum would agree with Devor’s point about the role society plays into shaping gender differences, it’s only to a certain extent as she focuses primarily on the idea of the biological relations that apply to gender identity. With personal reference to her young son, Blum explains how gender identity doesn’t necessary focus completely on societal views. She discusses the story involving her young son at the age of 2 who loved dinosaurs, but it was only the blood-swilling carnivores. The wimpy plant-eaters were none of his interest. As it stated in Blum’s piece, “I looked down at him one day, as he was snarling around my feet and doing his toddler best to gnaw off my right leg, and I thought: This goes a lot deeper than culture” Using this situation, you can conclude that young children is the best example to show that it doesn’t necessary take only society to shift gender behaviors. As Blum says, “Preliminary work shows that fetal boys are a little more active than fetal girls. It’s pretty difficult to argue socialization at that point”(Blum 682) Young children almost have no idea about how society works, furthermore it’s undetermined that they can be affected to act in order to fit in the standards that has been placed regarding the gender you fall under. This is the point Blum makes that counters Devor’s argument based on idea that

First, all three articles comment on male aggressiveness. Devor says, “Typical masculine body posture tends to be expansive and aggressive.”(509). He based his point on the masculine body that expresses the aggressiveness and gives fear to women. Also, he says “Masculinity exhibits the aura of aggression, violence, and daring” (508). He says that men are more aggressive than women. Blum agrees

Sociologists reject the idea that behavioural differences between men and women are biologically determined. Outline the key grounds for this rejection and discuss what this means for a sociological understanding of gender.

In her article “Sex Differences Are Not Hardwired,” Lesley Rogers claims that although genes do play a role when it comes to sex differences it is not the only factor that effects gender and it is impossible to not include interactive explanations when describing sex differences. The first topic is genetic determinist explanations for sex differences. In this section, Rogers discusses how popular media sources have now become involved in the conversation of genetic explanations for sex differences in behavior. The main message being spread throughout media is “genes cause behavior” and that it is “hardwired” in our brains at birth to be a certain way (28). Rogers emphasizes that this is not the case and that it’s more complexed, but this information

Blum challenges the widespread idea that sees the society as the decisive factor in determining human behavior, and in understanding gender differences. The author points out how nature plays a crucial role by leveraging on her experience as a parent of two boys by describing males as biologically more aggressive than females. Also, to support her position, Blum mentions a study of testosterone in the Caribbean, which found that genders might be later discovered to be different from the gender at birth—as the result of a genetic defect. I believe that we are shaped by both, nature and nurture. However, the “brainwashing” one undergoes at the hands of family and society plays the lion’s share particularly in those most susceptible to suggestion—how

The most commonly preached and accepted social path for an individual is to go through elementary and secondary school, and immediately follow that with some sort of a post-secondary education. We must take the skills we have learned in grade school and apply them, as we become adults. Schools where a student can receive a degree are regarded as the highest quality by society. We are lead to believe that the college or university campus is filled with equality and equal opportunity. In reality, college reaffirms the gender frames we have understood throughout our lives thus far and strengthens that reality even after we graduate. The gendered division of labor that we see in the workplace is

As the age old saying goes, “Men Are from Mars, Women are from Venus”. The conflicting views of men and women have been questioned for centuries, noting how men and women differ in emotion, affection, and communication.

First, all three articles comment on male aggressiveness. Devor says, “Typical masculine body posture tends to be expansive and aggressive.”(509). He based his point on the masculine body that expresses the aggressiveness and gives fear to women. Also, he says “Masculinity exhibits the aura of aggression, violence, and daring” (508). He says that men are more aggressive

Society should be more open minded with the topic of gender identity. Our society does not like rapid changes when they are publicly made; there is always a dispute or an opposition against those unexpected changes. The LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual) community is the “rapid change” that society finds difficult to deal with. Although, this community has always existed, but it has never been publicly recognized like it is today. Gender Identity is a very complicated topic to talk about because it has so many concepts that only those who find themselves as part of the LGBTQIA+ community can fully understand.

For example, females usually inherit an X chromosome form both parents. Social skills which are a typical female characteristics can be found in he x chromosome. From these findings it can be said that women are more comfortable in social settings. I can think of my husband in social settings where he does not know anyone he is less likely than me to introduce himself. I have no problem introducing myself and striking up a conversation with a stranger. Hormones also have an effect on gender determination. Men and women go through maturity as a result of hormones. Estrogen in women and Testosterone influence skills and tendencies associated with gender. Sex effects how the brain develops. According to our textbook, the force of biology is evident in cases where doctors try to change a child’s biological sex” (47). Doctors mistakenly amputated David’s penis to correct phimosis, a condition in which the foreskin of the penis interferes with urination. The child’s name was changed to Brenda and she did not take to being a girl. Later in life Brenda changed her name back into David and began living a life as a male eventually getting married and raising stepchildren. I believe that biological theory is accurate match for one’s gender.

In her paper on the biological differences in cognition between men and women, Doreen Kimura suggests that the social differences between genders arose out of biological necessity (Kimura 46). Even so, it is difficult to argue that social factors do play a large part in gender in society today. A closer look at both biological and social perspectives will reveal more about the processes that determine gender roles.

An incredibly sensitive subject that has only been silently amplified in the 21st century, is the topic of Sex, Gender, and Women vs. Men. We're living in the time of tiny cellular devices and electric cars, yet with all these technological advances, when it comes to gender equality it almost feels like we've been going around in a ridiculous merry-go-round.

As evident from the generalized patterns found in differences in behaviour and outlook observed between the sexes, it may be tempting, as has been done in the past, to conclude that gender is an unavoidable aspect of human existence as determined purely from one 's genes. Indeed, human physiology is subject to sexual dimorphism; statistically significant differences in brain size and rate of maturation of specific substructures in the brain exist between males and females (Giedd, Castellanos, Rajapakese, Vaituzis, & Rapoport, 1997), yet these physical differences fail to explain how individuals form their concept of their own gender, and why they tend to conform to their perceived gender roles as defined by the society in which they live, when these roles are ever-changing. Thus, it is important to differentiate between the physical and nonphysical traits, and how the labels of femininity and masculinity should not confuse the two aspects. As defined by Unger (1979), “sex” would be used to refer to the biological differences in males and females, while “gender” describes socioculturally determined, nonphysiological traits which are arbitrarily designated as being appropriate for either females or males. With more recent awareness and interest in matters of gender nonconformity and individual gender identity, new research now explains how these concepts of gender are shaped by social influences (Perry

When considering gender and sex, a layman’s idea of these terms might be very different than a sociologist’s. There is an important distinction: sex, in terms of being “male” or “female,” is purely the physical biological characteristic differences – primarily anatomical differences. (There are also rare cases of “intersexual” individuals as outlined in the Navarro article, “When Gender Isn’t a Given”.) Gender, on the other hand, is an often misconstrued concept that is commonly mistaken as synonymous with sex. A non-sociologist might surmise the following, “men act masculine and women act feminine, therefore, it must follow that gender is inherent to sex,” however, this is not necessarily the case.