Sex and gender are not the same
. In general terms, sex refers to a person's physical characteristics at birth, and gender encompasses a person's identities, expressions, and societal roles. A person may identify with a gender that is different from their natal sex or with no gender at all.
Is there a correlation between sex and gender?
Sex and gender are not the same
. In general terms, sex refers to a person's physical characteristics at birth, and gender encompasses a person's identities, expressions, and societal roles. A person may identify with a gender that is different from their natal sex or with no gender at all.
Is gender male or female?
The word ‘gender' has acquired the new and useful connotation of cultural or attitudinal characteristics (as opposed to physical characteristics) distinctive to the sexes. That is to say, gender is
to sex as feminine is to female
and masculine is to male.
Is gender identity biologically determined?
Biological factors that influence gender identity include
pre- and post-natal hormone levels
. While genetic makeup also influences gender identity, it does not inflexibly determine it.
The differentiation between gender and sex did not arise until
the late 1970s
, when researchers began using “gender” and “sex” as two separate terms, with “gender” referring to one's self-identity and “sex” referring to one's chromosomal makeup and sex organs.
Can you change your gender?
Sex change may occur naturally
, as in the case of the sequential hermaphroditism observed in some species. Most commonly, however, the term is used for sex reassignment therapy, including sex reassignment surgery, carried out on humans.
How does feminism affect society?
The feminist movement has effected change in Western society, including
women's suffrage
; greater access to education; more equitable pay with men; the right to initiate divorce proceedings; the right of women to make individual decisions regarding pregnancy (including access to contraceptives and abortion); and the …
Who are the third gender?
Third gender, or third sex, is a concept in which individuals are categorized, either by themselves or by society,
as neither man nor woman
. It is also a social category present in societies that recognize three or more genders.
What are the factors that influence gender roles?
Gender roles are influenced by
the media, family, environment, and society
. A child's understanding of gender roles impacts how they socialize with their peers and form relationships.
What is gender performativity theory?
Gender performativity is a term first used by the feminist philosopher Judith Butler in her 1990 book Gender Trouble. She
argues that being born male or female does not determine behavior
. Instead, people learn to behave in particular ways to fit into society. The idea of gender is an act, or performance.
Masculinity as a social process is
similarly socially constructed based
on a man and his race, class, age, gender identity, and so on.
Simply put, social constructs do not have inherent meaning. The only meaning they have is the meaning given to them by people. For example, the idea that
pink is for girls and blue is for boys
is an example of a social construct related to gender and the color of items.
How can I change my gender?
For transgender and transsexual people, this process commonly involves
reassignment therapy
(which may include hormone replacement therapy and sex reassignment surgery), with their gender identity being opposite that of their birth-assigned sex and gender.
Can you legally change your gender in the US?
Most states permit the name and sex to be changed on a birth certificate
, either by amending the existing birth certificate or by issuing a new one, although some require medical proof of sex reassignment surgery to do so.
What's it called when an animal can change sexes?
Summary: Most animals, like humans, have separate sexes — they are born, live out their lives and reproduce as one sex or the other. However, some animals live as one sex in part of their lifetime and then switch to the other sex, a phenomenon called
sequential hermaphroditism
.
What are feminist fighting for?
Activists fought for
gender issues, women's sexual liberation, reproductive rights, job opportunities for women, violence against women, and changes in custody and divorce laws
. It is believed the feminist movement gained attention in 1963, when Betty Friedan published her novel, The Feminine Mystique.
