GENDER AND SOCIETY

Dr. Severino M. Jocson, Jr.

Lesson 1: Sex, Gender, and Sexuality

Sex

Sex refers to biologically defined and genetically acquired differences between males and females, according to their
physiology and reproductive capabilities or potentialities. It is universal and mostly unchanging, without surgery.
Sex” refers to the physical differences between people who are male, female, or intersex. A person typically has their sex
assigned at birth based on physiological characteristics, including their genitalia and chromosome composition. This assigned sex is
called a person’s “natal sex.”
Sex assignment typically happens at birth based on anatomical and physiological markers. Male and female genitalia, both
internal and external, are different, and male and female bodies have distinct hormonal and chromosomal makeups. Doctors use these
factors to assign natal sex.
At birth, female-assigned people have higher levels of estrogen and progesterone, and while assigned males have higher
levels of testosterone. Assigned females typically have two copies of the X chromosome, and assigned males have one X and one Y
chromosome.
Society often sees maleness and femaleness as a biological binary. However, there are issues with this distinction. For
instance, the chromosomal markers are not always clear-cut. Some male babies are born with two or three X chromosomes, just as
some female babies are born with a Y chromosome.
Also, some babies are born with atypical genitalia due to a difference in sex development. This type of difference was once
called a “disorder of sex development,” but this term is problematic. In a 2015 survey most respondents perceived the term negatively.
A further review found that many people do not use it at all, and instead use “intersex.”
Being intersex can mean different things. For example, a person might have genitals or internal sex organs that fall outside of
typical binary categories. Or, a person might have a different combination of chromosomes. Some people do not know that they are
intersex until they reach puberty.
Biologists have started to discuss Trusted Source the idea that sex may be a spectrum. This is not a new concept but one that
has taken time to come into the public consciousness. For example, the idea of sex as a spectrum was discussed in a  1993
article published by the New York Academy of Sciences.

Gender
Gender refers to the economic, social, political, and cultural attributes and opportunities associated with being women and
men. The social definitions of what it means to be a woman or a man vary among cultures and change over time. Gender is a
sociocultural expression of particular characteristics and roles that are associated with certain groups of people with reference to their
sex and sexuality.
Gender, on the other hand, involves how a person identifies. Unlike natal sex, gender is not made up of binary forms. Instead,
gender is a broad spectrum. A person may identify at any point within this spectrum or outside of it entirely.
People may identify with genders that are different from their natal sex or with none at all. These identities may include transgender,
nonbinary, or gender-neutral. There are many other ways in which a person may define their own gender.
Gender also exists as social constructs — as gender “roles” or “norms.” These are defined as the socially constructed roles, behaviors,
and attributes that a society considers appropriate for men and women.
Gender is also a social construct. As the World Health Organization (WHO)Trusted Source explains:
“Gender refers to the socially constructed characteristics of women and men, such as norms, roles, and relationships of and between
groups of women and men. It varies from society to society and can be changed.”
Gender roles in some societies are more rigid than in others. However, these are not always set in stone, and roles and
stereotypes can shift over time. A 2018 meta-analysis of public opinion polls about gender stereotypes in the U.S. reflects this shift.

Gender Analysis is a methodology that both:

 Describes existing gender relations in a particular environment, ranging from within households or firms to a larger scale of
community, ethnic group, or nation. It involves collecting and analyzing sex-disaggregated data and other qualitative and
quantitative information.
  Organizes and interprets, in a systematic way, information about gender relations to make clear the importance of gender
differences for achieving development objectives.

Gender Assessment examines how a program or project addresses and responds to gender disparities and inequalities through its
objectives, activities, and policies. It responds to two key questions:
1. How will the different roles and status of women and men within the community, political sphere, workplace, and
household affect the work to be undertaken?
2. How will the anticipated results of the work affect women and men differently? And their relative status?

Gender Equity is the process of being fair to women and men. To ensure fairness, measures must be taken to compensate for
historical and social disadvantages that prevent women and men from operating on a level playing field.

Gender Equality is the state or condition that affords women and men equal enjoyment of human rights, socially valued goods,
opportunities, and resources.

Gender Integration refers to strategies applied in program assessment, design, implementation, and evaluation to take gender
norms into account and to compensate for gender-based inequalities.

Gender Mainstreaming is the process of incorporating a gender perspective into policies, strategies, programs, project
activities, and administrative functions, as well as into the institutional culture of an organization.

Gender Stereotypes are ideas that people have on masculinity and femininity: what men and women of all generations should
be like and are capable of doing. (e.g., girls should be obedient and cute, are allowed to cry, and boys are expected to be brave and
not cry, women are better housekeepers and men are better with machines, or boys are better at mathematics and girls more suited to
nursing).

Gender-Based Violence is violence derived from gender norms and roles as well as from unequal power relations between
women and men. Violence is specifically targeted against a person because of his or her gender, and it affects women
disproportionately. It includes, but is not limited to, physical, sexual, and psychological harm (including intimidation, suffering, coercion,
and/or deprivation of liberty within the family or within the general community). It includes violence perpetuated by the state.

Agency is a person’s capacity to set goals and act on them. It may entail bargaining, negotiation, and resistance (Adapted
from Naila Kabeer’s definition of agency).

Empowerment refers to the expansion of people’s capacity to make and act upon decisions (agency) and to transform those
decisions into desired outcomes, affecting all aspects of their lives, including decisions related to health. It entails overcoming
socioeconomic and other power inequalities in a context where this ability was previously denied. Programmatic interventions often
focus specifically on empowering women because of the inequalities in their socioeconomic status. (Adapted from Naila Kabeer’s and
Ruth Alsop’s definition of empowerment.)

Homophobia is the irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuals or homosexual behavior or cultures.
Homophobia also refers to self-loathing by homosexuals, as well as the fear of men or women who do not live up to society’s standards
of what it is to be a “true man” or “true woman.”

Heterosexism is the presumption that everyone is heterosexual and/or the belief that heterosexual people are naturally
superior to homosexual and bisexual people.

Men’s Engagement is a programmatic approach that involves men and boys a) as clients and beneficiaries, b) as partners and
c) as agents of change, in actively promoting gender equality, women’s empowerment and the transformation of inequitable definitions
of masculinity. In the health context, this comprises engaging men and boys in addressing their own, and supporting their partners’
reproductive, sexual and other health needs. Men’s engagement also includes broader efforts to promote equality with respect to
caregiving, fatherhood, and division of labor, and ending gender-based violence.

Sexual orientation refers to one’s sexual or romantic attractions, and includes sexual identity, sexual behaviors and sexual
desires.
 Transgender is an umbrella term referring to individuals who do not identify with the sex category assigned to them at birth or
whose identity or behavior falls outside of stereotypical gender norms. The term “transgender” encompasses a diverse array of gender
identities and expressions, including identities that fit within a female/male classification and those that do not. Transgender is not the
same as intersex, which refers to biological variation in sex characteristics, including chromosomes, gonads and/or genitals that do not
allow an individual to be distinctly identified as female/ male at birth.

Gender Identity and Gender Role

Gender identity is defined as a personal conception of oneself as male or female (or rarely, both or neither). This concept is
intimately related to the concept of gender role, which is defined as the outward manifestations of personality that reflect the gender
identity. Gender identity, in nearly all instances, is self-identified, as a result of a combination of inherent and extrinsic or environmental
factors; gender role, on the other hand, is manifested within society by observable factors such as behavior and appearance. For
example, if a person considers himself a male and is most comfortable referring to his personal gender in masculine terms, then his
gender identity is male. However, his gender role is male only if he demonstrates typically male characteristics in behavior, dress,
and/or mannerisms.
Thus, gender role is often an outward expression of gender identity, but not necessarily so. In most individuals, gender identity and
gender role are congruous.

What are some different types of gender identity?

Gender is different than sex. Although genetic factors typically define a person’s sex, gender refers to how they identify on the
inside. Only the person themselves can determine what their gender identity is.

What is gender identity?

The term gender identity refers to the personal sense of an individual’s own gender. Because a person’s sex and gender
identity do not have to be the same, it is important to know the difference between them.

Gender
A person’s gender is how they identify internally and how they express this externally. People may use clothing, appearances,
and behaviors to express the gender that they identify with. The World Health Organization (WHO)Trusted Source note that gender is a
social construction that people typically describe in terms of femininity and masculinity. In Western cultures, people associate femininity
with women and masculinity with men, but this social construction varies across cultures. However, gender is not neatly divided along
the binary lines of “man” and “woman.”

Sex
A person’s sex is typically based on certain biological factors, such as their reproductive organs, genes, and hormones. Like
gender, sex is not binary. A person may have the genes that people may associate with being male or female, but their reproductive
organs, genitals, or both may look different. This is called differences in sex development. People may also refer to differences in sex
development as intersex. People typically use the terms “male,” “female,” or “intersex” to refer to a person’s sex.
A person’s gender identity is not restricted to being either a man or a woman. Some people do not identify with any gender,
while others identify with multiple genders. According to The Trevor Project, a person’s gender can consist of the following.

Gender identity
This term refers to the personal sense of an individual’s own gender. Some people identify as a man, while others identify as a
woman. Others may identify as neither, both, or somewhere in-between.

Gender expression and presentation

This refers to how a person expresses themselves to others and how they want the world to see them. A person may present
themselves as wholly masculine or wholly feminine. Or, a person may present themselves as androgynous or nonbinary. Gender
expression and presentation involve aspects such as mannerisms, clothing styles, names, and pronoun choices, to name a few.

Sexual Orientation
Sexual orientation is about who you’re attracted to and want to have relationships with. Sexual orientations include gay,
lesbian, straight, bisexual, and asexual.
Sexual orientation is different from gender and gender identity.
Sexual orientation is about who you’re attracted to and who you feel drawn to romantically, emotionally, and sexually. It’s
different than gender identity. Gender identity isn’t about who you’re attracted to, but about who you ARE — male, female,
genderqueer, etc.
This means that being transgender (feeling like your assigned sex is very different from the gender you identify with) isn’t the
same thing as being gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Sexual orientation is about who you want to be with. Gender identity is about who you
are.
There are a bunch of identities associated with sexual orientation:
 People who’re attracted to a different gender (for example, women who are attracted to men or men who are attracted to
women) often call themselves straight or heterosexual.
 People who’re attracted to people of the same gender often call themselves gay or homosexual. Gay women may prefer the
term lesbian.
 People who’re attracted to both men and women often call themselves bisexual.
 People whose attractions span across many different gender identities (male, female, transgender, genderqueer, intersex,
etc.) may call themselves pansexual or queer.
 People who’re unsure about their sexual orientation may call themselves questioning or curious.
 People who don't experience any sexual attraction for anyone often call themselves asexual.
It’s also important to note that some people don't think any of these labels describe them accurately. Some people don't like the
idea of labels at all. Other people feel comfortable with certain labels and not others. It's up to you to decide how you want to label
yourself, if at all.

What does queer mean?

The term queer can include a variety of sexual identities and gender identities that are anything other than straight
and cisgender. In the past, “queer” was a word used to hurt and insult people. Some people still find it offensive, particularly those who
remember when that word was used in a painful way. Others now use the word with pride to identify themselves.
You may not want to refer to someone as “queer” unless you know that’s how they identify themselves. When talking to
someone about their sexual orientation, use the terms that they use. It’s okay (and often encouraged!) to ask what labels folks prefer.

What’s asexuality?
People who identify as asexual don’t really feel sexual attraction towards anyone. They may think other people are physically
attractive, or they may want to be in romantic relationships with people — but they’re not interested in having sex or doing sexual things
with other people. Asexual people sometimes use the word “ace” for short.  
Asexuality has nothing to do with romantic attraction. Many asexual people feel romantically attracted to people — so they
may identify as asexual, and also as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or straight. They just don’t feel any desire to act on these feelings in a
sexual way.
Asexual people have emotional needs just like everyone else. Some asexual people have romantic relationships, and others aren’t
interested in that. They get close to people or experience intimacy through ways other than sex.
There are also people who don’t feel romantic attraction or want to be in romantic relationships — they may identify as
aromantic. Being aromantic and being asexual are two separate things. Some asexual people do get aroused (turned on), but they
don’t feel the desire to be sexual with other people. And some asexual people masturbate. But others may not feel arousal at all.
It’s totally normal to go through times when you don’t want to have sex, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re asexual. And
asexuality is not the same thing as being celibate. Celibacy is a choice you make, and asexuality is a sexual identity — who you
naturally are. Like other sexual orientations, asexuality isn’t always black and white. There’s a spectrum between being sexual (having
sexual attraction) and being asexual. Different people fall into different places on that spectrum. Some people who have very little
sexual attraction to other people identify as gray-a. Some people who are only sexually attracted to people they’re in relationships with
identify as demisexual. Want to know how someone identifies? Ask them.
There is nothing “wrong” with people who are asexual, and there’s no evidence to support that people are asexual because of
any kind of mental health or trauma. It’s actually kind of common — some research says that 1 out of 100 adults is asexual.

What if I don’t want to be labeled?

It’s okay if you don’t want to be labeled. Only you can decide what sexual identity best describes you. But some people may
feel that none of the common labels feel right to them. Your sexual orientation and identity can remain the same throughout your life.
Or it can vary depending on who you’re attracted to, or romantically partnered or sexually active with. This is completely normal. Once
you claim a label, there’s no reason why it can’t change as you change. Changing how you identify doesn’t mean that you’re
“confused.” Many folks, old and young, experience changes in who they’re attracted to and how they identify. This is called “fluidity.”
What causes sexual orientation?
Sexual orientation is a natural part of who you are — it’s not a choice. Your sexual orientation can change over your lifetime.

What causes sexual orientation?

It’s not completely known why someone might be lesbian, gay, straight, or bisexual. But research shows that sexual
orientation is likely caused partly by biological factors that start before birth. People don’t decide who they’re attracted to, and therapy,
treatment, or persuasion won’t change a person’s sexual orientation. You also can’t “turn” a person gay. For example, exposing a boy
to toys traditionally made for girls, such as dolls, won’t cause him to be gay.
You probably started to become aware of who you’re attracted to at a very young age. This doesn’t mean that you had sexual
feelings, just that you could identify people you found attractive or liked. Many people say that they knew they were lesbian, gay, or
bisexual even before puberty.
Although sexual orientation is usually set early in life, it isn’t at all uncommon for your desires and attractions to shift
throughout your life. This is called “fluidity.” Many people, including sex researchers and scientists, believe that sexual orientation is like
a scale with entirely gay on one end and entirely straight on the other. Lots of people would be not on the far ends, but somewhere in
the middle.

How many people are LGBTQ?

LGBTQ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning.
Although researchers try to study how many people are LGBTQ, it’s very difficult to get an accurate number. This is because gender
identity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, and sexual behavior are complicated for people. Let’s break it down:
 Gender identity is who you feel you are inside and how you express those feelings through how you act, talk, dress, etc.
 Sexual attraction is the romantic or sexual feelings you have toward others.
 Sexual identity is how you label yourself (for example, using labels such as queer, gay, lesbian, straight, or bisexual).
 Sexual behavior is who you have sex with and what kinds of sex you like to have.
Sometimes all of these things are in line for a person. For example, a woman may feel attracted only to women, identify as a
lesbian, and have sexual relationships with only women. But these things don’t always line up. Not everyone who has sexual feelings or
attractions to the same gender will act on them. Some people may engage in same gender sexual behavior but not identify themselves
as bisexual, lesbian, or gay. In some situations, coming out as LGBTQ can provoke fear and discrimination, and not everyone is
comfortable coming out. For some people, sexual orientation can shift at different periods in their lives and the labels they use for
themselves may shift, too.
So it’s difficult to measure how many people are LGBTQ when sexual orientation and gender are so complex for so many people. And
not everyone feels safe or comfortable telling someone else that they’re LGBTQ.
Recent research suggests that 11% of American adults acknowledge at least some same-sex attraction, 8.2% report that
they’ve engaged in same-sex behavior, but only 3.5% identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. This shows that what people feel or do is not
always the same as how they identify themselves.

How do I know my sexual orientation?

Not everyone knows their sexual orientation or how to label themselves. If you feel this way, know that it’s common and you’re
not alone.

What if I’m unsure about my sexual orientation?

This is really common, and it doesn’t mean that anything is wrong with you. For some people, understanding their sexual
orientation can take years, or even a lifetime. Often, people find that they're “questioning" for a while, or that none of the labels used to
describe sexual orientation fit them. Some people may try a label to see if it fits, and then change it to another one if it doesn’t. This is
okay, too. You don’t have to decide on one label, and it’s okay if someday in the future you feel differently from how you feel now.
Some people struggle with coming out to others or even themselves because they’re afraid of homophobia and sexual orientation
discrimination. These are very real issues that many LGBTQ people face.
If you’ve ever asked yourself “Am I gay/bisexual?” you’re not alone. Talking with a trusted friend or family member may help
you figure it out.

Can other people tell what my sexual orientation is?

No. A person only knows your sexual orientation if you tell them. Sexual orientation describes how you feel inside, and only
you know what it’s like to be you.  
Some people may think they can guess if a person is lesbian, gay, or bisexual based on superficial factors like how they look,
dress, or behave. These are stereotypes, or very simplified judgments, about how lesbian, gay, and bisexual people act. But just like
heterosexuals, there are many different ways that homosexual and bisexual people look, dress, and behave. Using stereotypes to label
someone else’s sexual orientation can be inaccurate and hurtful.

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