SEX – “Sex refers to the biological and
physiological characteristics that define
humans as female or male. These sets of
biological characteristics are not mutually
exclusive, as there are individuals who
possess both, but these characteristics
tend to differentiate humans as females or
males.”
GENDER - “Gender refers to the social attributes and
opportunities associated with being
female and male and to the relationships
between women and men and girls and
boys, as well as to the relations between
women and those between men.
Sex refers to biological differences between males and
females (e.g. gonads, sexual organs, chromosomes,
hormones).
Sex is usually assigned at birth (there are examples
when it is assigned later, when sex characteristics do not
clearly indicate the sex of the baby, for example in the
case of 'intersex' people).
Sex can be changed: in the case of transsexual people,
who are born with the sex characteristics of one sex and
gender identity of the other, sex reassignment surgeries
are performed. This includes a change of sex organs and
the administration of hormones.
Gender is a social, psychological and cultural construct
and it is developed in the process of socialization.
Different societies and cultures may therefore have
different understandings of what is 'masculine' or
'feminine'. Societies create norms and expectations
related to gender, and these are learned in the course of
people's lives - including in the family, at school, through
the media. All of these influences impose certain roles
and patterns of behavior on everyone within society.
Gender norms - often limited to notions of masculinity
and femininity - change over time, but are usually based
on a heteronormative order which stipulates that there
are two sexes (genders) and they are attracted to each
other. People who do not appear to fall under this
binary notion of gender often suffer from exclusion,
discrimination and violence.
Gender is both an analytical category - a way of thinking
about how identities are constructed - and a political
idea which addresses the distribution of power in
society.
Gender norms are learned and internalized by all
members of society.
Gender norms vary across different cultures and over
time.
Traditional gender norms are hierarchical: they
presuppose an unequal power structure related to
gender that disadvantages mostly women.
Gender is not necessarily defined by biological sex: a
person's gender may or may not correspond to their
biological sex. Gender is more about identity and how
we feel about ourselves. People may self-identify as
male, female, transgender, other or none
(indeterminate/unspecified). People that do not identify
as male or female are often grouped under the umbrella
terms 'non-binary' or 'genderqueer, but the range of
gender identifications is in reality unlimited.
Gender is deeply personal to every individual: some
people recognize their gender identity early in
childhood, and some only later on.
Gender expression - can vary for an individual from day
to day or in different situations, but most people can
identify a range on the scale where they feel the most
comfortable. Some people are comfortable with a wider
range of gender expression than others.
SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONISM- theory of knowledge that
holds that characteristics typically thought to be
immutable and solely biological- such as gender, race,
class, ability, and sexuality-are products of human
definition and interpretation shaped by cultural and
historical contexts (Subramaniam 2010).
For example, by the one-drop rule regardless of their
appearance, individuals with any African ancestor are
considered black. In contrast, racial conceptualization
and thus racial categories are different in Brazil, where
many individuals with African ancestry are white.
The Social Construction of Heterosexuality
The Invention of Heterosexuality (1999), the word
"heterosexual" was originally coined by Dr. James
Kiernan in 1892, but its meaning and usage differed
drastically from contemporary understandings of the
term
Kiernan thought of "hetero- sexual" as not defined by
their attraction to the opposite sex, but by their
"inclinations to both sexes." Furthermore, Kiernan
thought of the heterosexual as someone who
""betrayed inclinations to 'abnormal methods of
gratification'" (Katz 1995).
Typically, in the United States in contemporary usage,
"heterosexuality" is thought to mean "normal" or
"good"-it is usually the invisible term defined by what is
thought to be its opposite, homosexuality.
SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONISM
1. How social construction occurs within institutions.
2. By seeing how Kiernan-and middle- class culture,
more broadly-defined.
3. Cultural and historical contexts shape our definition
and understanding of concepts.
4. Illustrates how categorization shapes human
experience, behavior and, interpretation of reality.
Social constructionist approaches to understanding the
world challenge the essentialist or biological determinist
understandings that typically underpin the "common
sense" ways in which we think about race, gender, and
sexuality.
ESSENTIALISM
the idea that the characteristics of persons or groups are
significantly influenced by biological factors and are
therefore largely similar in all human cultures and
historical periods.
"a given truth is a necessary natural part of the
individual and object in question" (Gordon and Abbott
2002
Biological determinism can be defined as a general
theory, which holds that a group's biological or genetic
makeup shapes its social, political, and economic
destiny (Subramaniam 2014).
feminist law professor Julie Greenberg (2002) writes
that in the late 19th century and early 20th century,
"when reproductive function was considered one of a
woman's essential characteristics, the medical
community decided that the presence or absence of
ovaries was the ultimate criterion of sex" (Greenberg
2002: 113)
Sociologist Abby Ferber (2009) argues that these two
aspects of the social construction of difference cannot
be separated but must be understood together.
Discussing the construction of racial difference, she
argues that inequality and oppression produce ideas of
essential racial difference.
Cultural Manifestation of - Gender Masculinities and
Femininities
Masculinities are those behaviors, languages and
practices, existing in specific cultural and organizational
locations, which are commonly associated with men,
thus culturally defined as not feminine.
There is no universal set of expectations around
masculinity: within societies, there are dominant codes
that exert pressure on, and create expectations around
men - with consequences for women, children and
society.
"Femininities" and "masculinities" describe gender
identities. They describe socio-cultural categories in
everyday language; these terms are used differently in
biology.
Points to keep in mind:
1. In everyday language, femininities and masculinities
do not map onto biological sex.
2. Femininities and masculinities are plural-there are
many forms of femininity and many forms of
masculinity.
3. Any one person-woman or man-engages in many
forms of femininity and masculinity, which she or he
adopts (consciously or unconsciously) depending on
context, the expectations of others, the life stage, and
so forth.
4. Cultural notions of "feminine" and "masculine"
behavior are shaped in part by observations about what
women and men do.
5. Femininities and masculinities are learned.
What is sexual orientation, gender orientation and
expression?
SOGIE is the abbreviation for sexual orientation, gender
identity, and (gender) expression. It's usually associated
with "LGBT" because, as Be Inclusive explained, "SOGIE
refers to characteristics common to all human beings
because everyone has a sexual orientation and a gender
identity. Everyone also expresses their gender, not just
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people."
THE GENDERBREAD PERSON
The gender bread person is a tool to identify the
different aspects of Human Gender and Sexuality
Though often reliable, it is not a universal tool for
determining gender, as one's gender can only be
determined by oneself.
 Assigned Sex at Birth
 Sexual Orientation
 Gender Identity
 Gender Expression
THE SOGIE SPECTRUM
The SOGIE Spectrum is another tool to identify the
different aspects of Human Gender and Sexuality,
People's identities can be fluid The spectrum shows how
people's identities can be fluid and is also not a
universal tool for determining gender, as one's gender
can only be determined by oneself.
FEMALE I ASSIGNED SEX AT BIRTH MALE
INTERSEX
HOMOSEXUAL SEXUAL ORIENTATION HETEROSEXUAL
BISEXUAL, PANSEXUAL, ASEXUAL
WOMAN (CIS) GENDER IDENTITY MAN (CIS)
GENDER-QUEER
TRANSGENDER
FEMININE GENDER EXPRESSION MASCULINE
ANDROGYNOUS
GENDER-NEUTRAL
What is Assigned Sex at Birth?
Assigned Sex at Birth is the sex that doctors assign to an
infant after checking his/her genitals. Attributes such as
chromosomes present, internal and external genital and
reproductive anatomy, as well as hormones influence
the doctors' assignment.
Female
A newborn with XX chromosomes and usually has
female sex and reproductive organs is assigned
biologically female.
Intersex
A newborn having a combination of both male and
female biological characteristics, either through
chromosomes or genitals, is assigned as being intersex.
Male
A newborn with XY chromosomes and usually has male
sex and reproductive organs is assigned biologically
male.
What is Sexual Orientation?
Refers to each person's capacity for profound
emotional, affectional and sexual attraction to, as well
as intimate and sexual relations with individuals of a
different gender, of the same gender, or more than one
gender.
Homosexual
A person who is sexually, physically, and romantically
attracted to members of the same sex.
Bisexual
An individual who is sexually, physically and romantically
attracted to individuals of more than one gender.
Pansexual
A person capable of sexual, physical, and romantic
attraction to others regardless of their gender identity
or biological sex.
Cisgender/Gender-binary
People who conform exclusively to feminine or
masculine identities exclusively. People who are not
transgender or gender-fluid.
Gender-queer
Umbrella term for individuals who denote themselves as
not having a fixed gender. Includes gender-fluid and
agender individuals.
Transgender
People whose gender identity and/or gender expression
differs from what is typically associated with the sex
they were assigned at birth.
What is Gender Expression?
External manifestations of gender, expressed through
one's name, pronouns, clothing, haircut, behavior, voice,
or body characteristics. Society identifies these cues as
masculine and feminine, although what is considered
masculine and feminine changes over time and varies by
culture.
Androgynous
Individuals who express their selves with the
combination of masculine and feminine characteristics.
Feminine
People who have qualities or appearance traditionally
associated with women.
Gender-Neutral
individuals whose gender expression is different from
conventional expectations of masculinity and femininity.
Masculine
People who have qualities or appearance traditionally
associated with men.

Asexual
A person who generally does not feel sexual attraction
or desire to any group of people. Take note that
asexuality is not the same as celibacy.

Heterosexual
A person who is only sexually, physically, and
romantically attracted to members of the opposite sex

What is Gender Identity?

Refers to each person's deeply felt internal and
individual experience of gender, which may or may not
correspond with the sex assigned at birth, including the
personal sense of the body (which may involve, if freely
chosen, modification of bodily appearance or function
by medical, surgical or other means) and other
expressions of gender, including clothing, speech and
mannerisms