Part 1: Consider the differences between the words "sex" and "gender" - think how you would

define them. Now discuss how the concept of gender and masculinity are specifically changing?
You should have a minimum of 3 pieces of evidence from 3 different sources.

Sex and gender are often depicted as the same thing when they in fact, they hold
different definitions. Sex defines itself toward the biological state of men and women,
where as gender goes toward a more societal and cultural matter such as gender roles
or gender idenitiy. In the essays Women’s Brains, Professions for Women, and Letters
the connection of sex and gender roles is present by using the concept of mens
superiority over women. In Women’s Brains, Gould talks about Broca’s study of women's
brains compared to men. In this study Broca found that “Women, like it or not, had
smaller brains than men and, therefore, could not equal them in intelligence.” (pg 350)
Broca tries to tie in the biological components of females to relate to their inferior role
in society. Due to their biological makeup, women simply could not perform as well as
men. The study further explains the societal perspective of inferiority put on women and
deems them to be correct. Gould later disputes this by explaining how Broca did not
take other things into question such as the brain's weight increasing with height, and
decreasing with age. By including this information, Gould concludes that there is no
direct connection between gender and sex. Mens dominant hold over women is also
explained in Professions for Women. Woolf goes into her experience of being a female
writer. While the outside world thinks of her profession as easy, she explains how males
dominance affects her way of thinking. “My dear, you are a young woman. You are
writing about a book that has been written by a man. Be sympathetic...Never let
anybody guess that you have a mind of your own.” (pg 357) Due to males having a
superior role, women are left to cater to how males want things to be done. Woolf
explains how her profession requires her to give her own opinion when reviewing a book
but she constantly finds herself limited on what she has to say due to men. She worries
that men will discredit her simply because she is a woman and they do not like what she
says. Woolf uses these examples from her personal life to show the fight that women
go through in order to be heard and decide things for themselves. This fight is included
in Letters, where Abigail Adams talks on behalf of women to John Adams. “I desire you
would remember the Ladies, and be more generous to them than your ancestors. Do not
put such unlimited power into the hand of the Husbands.” (pg 364) As Abigail writes to
John she asks for him to give women more freedom and independence as they have
been under the control of men in the past years. Her letter suggests that women had
little to no voice in politics and wanted a change. Abigail states that men have ruling
tendencies and have become accustomed to being superior. As of today, gender roles
are continuously changing as more women are employed in what was considered as ``a
man's job” and the list of gender identity expands. Vice versa, men are seen doing roles
that were considered meant for women like staying at home with the children. The
restrictions on sex has also been changing as same sex mariage has been legalized in
24 nations.