Sex and Gender

Introduction

• Topic: Difference between sex and gender.
• Importance: Fascinating area, especially for young adults.

Key Differences

• Sex: Biological, determined by chromosomes.
• Gender: Social and cultural roles, behaviors, and attributes.

Terms Explained

Gender Expression

• Definition: How one expresses their gender externally (e.g., clothing, hairstyle, makeup).
• Example: Long hair, makeup, jewelry to express femininity.

Gender Identity

• Definition: Internal sense of one’s own gender.
• Example: Feeling internally as female.

Sexual Orientation

• Definition: Who one is attracted to. (To be covered later)

Biological Sex

• Definition: Chromosomal make-up (e.g., XX for female, XY for male).
• Determination: Decided by 23rd pair of chromosomes contributed by parents.
  • Mom: Always contributes X chromosome.
  • Dad: Contributes either X (for female) or Y (for male).

Concept of Dichotomy

• Common Belief: Only male and female sexes exist (societal shorthand).
• Reality: Not binary; existence of intersex conditions.

Intersex Conditions

• Terminology: Disorders/Differences of Sexual Development (DSD).
• Causes: Genetic influences among other reasons.
• Range: From mild (noticed at puberty) to severe (mixed genitalia at birth).

Sex vs. Gender

• Sex: Primarily genetic but modifiable by environmental factors (e.g., chemical exposure, hormones in womb).
• Gender: Primarily a social construct with some biological elements.

Social Constructs in Gender

• Cultural Norms: Examples of arbitrary norms (e.g., boys wear pants, girls wear skirts; boys like blue, girls like pink).
• Flexibility: These norms could have been the opposite.

Conclusion

• Future Discussions: More on theories of gender development in upcoming lectures.
• Main Point: Both sex and gender are complex, with sex being more biological and gender being a mix of social and biological factors.