define gender. how does it differ from sex? course hero

What is the difference between sex and gender?

Men are sometimes taller and physically stronger than women, have more facial hair and they more often tend to go bald. In contrast to the biological concept of sex, gender is how masculine or feminine a person feels and how he or she expresses those traits to others. Some scientists state that gender is where you fit on the gender spectrum.

What is gender?

What is gender? Society has traditionally taught us that there are two genders: man and woman. We’re told that those who are assigned male at birth are men and those who are assigned female at birth are women. But gender isn’t an either/or scenario. It’s a spectrum.

What chapter of sociology is gender and sex and sexuality?

Chapter 12. Gender, Sex, and Sexuality – Introduction to Sociology – 1st Canadian Edition Chapter 12. Gender, Sex, and Sexuality Figure 12.1. Some children may learn at an early age that their gender does not correspond with their sex.

What do you need to know about sex and gender?

Sex and gender can be complicated topics. Learn about sex and gender in society, and explore differences, preferences, and characteristics. Understand non-traditional genders, as well as sexual orientation.

What is gender in biology?

In contrast to the biological concept of sex, gender is how masculine or feminine a person feels and how he or she expresses those traits to others. Some scientists state that gender is where you fit on the gender spectrum. Modern gender studies try to avoid defining gender based on gender stereotypes. For example, we used to have stereotypes about ...

What is sexual orientation?

Sexual orientation refers to whether you are sexually attracted to men, women or both. Most of the time, sexual orientation is divided into three possible categories. First, most people identify as heterosexual, which means that you are sexually attracted to people of the opposite sex.

What does it mean to enroll in a course?

Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams.

What is the first concept of intersex?

The first concept is that of people who are called intersexed. Intersexed people have an unusual biological makeup that doesn't match either a traditional male or female. For example, traditional men have a chromosome pair we call 'XY,' and traditional women have a chromosome pair we call 'XX.'.

Is transgender a male or female?

So a transgender person might be biologically male, but feel inside that they are really a female. This person might prefer to wear women's clothes, go by a woman's name and date men.

Is sexual orientation a scale?

So in summary, it's possible that sexual orientation is more like a scale that you could move up and down over your life and not a simple category where you're stuck forever. Note that this theory implies that most people are at least a little bit bisexual.

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What are the two genders?

What is gender? Society has traditionally taught us that there are two genders: man and woman. We’re told that those who are assigned male at birth are men and those who are assigned female at birth are women. But gender isn’t an either/or scenario.

What are the characteristics of a female?

In Western cultures, stereotypically feminine traits include nurturing or caring for others, emotional vulnerability, and an overall docile demeanor.

What is nonbinary gender?

Some people identify as nonbinary, an umbrella term for people whose gender identities don’t align with the man-woman binary.

Can a cisgender woman be a woman?

For example, a cisgender woman can have a more masculine gender expression but still identify as a woman.

Is gender identity respected?

For many cisgender people, gender identity is automatically respected.

Can a transgender person have a vagina?

For example, a transgender man — a person who was assigned female at birth and identifies as a man — may have a vagina but still identify as male.

Is gender expression a spectrum?

But as with gender identity, gender expression is a spectrum. Femininity and masculinity may be the bookmarks, but there are countless points in between — and they’re open to anyone.

What is the difference between gender and sexuality?

Gender is who you are , whereas sexuality or sexual orientation is who you are attracted to. Sexuality is a spectrum, not a series of distinct categories. Someone can identify as a lesbian, queer, straight, gay, heteroflexible, bisexual, pansexual, and more.

What is gender identity?

Simply put, gender identity refers to how a person sees themselves in terms of their gender.

How does gender affect identity?

While gender is how people identity, gender expression is how a person decides to present their gender externally. This can be through clothing, hair, interests, and other physical forms of expressing yourself. Someone's gender presentation doesn't dictate their gender identity.

What does it mean when you don't identify with your gender?

People who do not identify with the gender they they were assigned at birth typically identify as transgender, non-binary, or both. People who identify with the sex they were assigned at birth are cisgender. For example, a woman who was assigned female at birth is a cisgender woman.

How can people express their gender?

People can express their gender in ways that don't match the traditional expectations of the gender they are. For example, a woman can dress in a masculine way and still be a woman.

What is sexual orientation?

Sexuality, or sexual orientation, refers to what gender or genders of people you are attracted to, if any.

What is feminizing hormone therapy?

Feminizing hormone therapy: A guide to the medications, body effects, and health risks you should know about. What you should know about gender pronouns, how to use them, and why they're important. The earlier trans youth get care, the less likely they are to suffer depression and suicidal thoughts.

What is the difference between sex and gender?

Sex refers to the biological differences between males and females. Gender refers to the continuum of complex psychosocial self-perceptions, attitudes , and expectations people have about members of both sexes. Even the terms male and female, man and woman are not interchangeable. What it means to be male or female originates from physical ...

What does it mean to be a male?

What it means to be male or female origina tes from physical characteristics derived from sex chromosomes and genes that lead to certain gonads, internal and external genitalia, and physiological hormones. Being a man or a woman holds broader meaning, with cultural concepts of masculinity and femininity coming into play.

Is a child a miniature adult?

Just as it has long been known that children are not miniature adults, there is increasing focus on how the differences between the sexes affect how illnesses are diagnosed, run their course, and respond to treatment. First though, it is necessary to point out that the terms sex and gender are not synonyms.