07/06/2023

GEN2202: GENETICS Genetics, Sex and Gender

Prepared by:
John Albert P. Lachica, Msc.

Human Sex and Gender Sex spectrum

● Sex - a category comprising of femaleness or maleness which relates to the ● Nuclear Sex
biological attributes of an individual ● Chromosomal Sex
● Gender - a social construct of roles, behaviours, expressions and identities of an ● Genetic Sex
individual ● Gonadal Sex
● Endocrinologic Sex
● Internal Genitital Sex
● External Genital Sex
● Sex and gender is not the same, while sex is biological it is a spectrum as much as ● Social Sex
gender is a spectrum ● Psychological Sex

Nuclear Sex Nuclear Sex

● sexual assignment base on ● These barr bodies adds an
the presence of an additional X chromosome
inactivated X chromosome but is inactivated through
called barr bodies. the process of lyonization
in humans.
● Lyonization - the normal
phenomenon in which one
● These inactive X of the two X chromosomes
chromosomes contains in every cell of a female
inactivated genes individual is inactivated
associated with female during embryonic
characteristics development.

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Chromosomal Sex
● sex determined by the
sexual constitution. During
pregnancy, all individuals
are female by default.
● Once the Y chromosome is
active, the genes present in
it affects the development
of the external genitalia.
Chromosomal Sex
Gonadal Sex
● Sex determined by the gonadal
structure, either testicular, ovarian or
in between.
● With various genetic conditions, one
may not fully develop a testicle with a
penis or an ovary with a vagina, some
may develop both structures and
some may not develop any.
07/06/2023
Chromosomal Sex
● Sex determined by the sexual constitution. During pregnancy, all individuals are
female by default.
● Once the Y chromosome is active, the genes present in it affects the development
of the external genitalia.
○ XY for males
○ XX for female
● There are individuals who have different chromosomal assignment: XO females,
XX males etc.
Genetic Sex
● Sex based on genes that direct the
development of genitals.
● The sex-determining region Y (SRY)
switches gonad from ovarian to
testicular development.
● XX individuals with fragment of the
Y chromosome with SRY may
develop as males.
● WNT4 promotes female sex and
represses male sex development.
Endocrinologic Sex
● Sex determined by
hormones released by the
gonads resulting to genital
development and
secondary sexual
characteristics.
● Ovaries produce estrogen
and testosterone while
estradiol is needed by
males for sexual function.
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Endocrinologic Sex
● base on environment
and other factors,
hormonal production
may vary from people to
people hence woman can
have male characteristics
and vice versa.
External Genital Sex
● sex identified through external
genitalia developed from common
precursors during the fetal stage.
● The external genitalia may be
different from other sexual
components hence it is hard to
assume complete maleness and
femaleness.
● Rather it is a spectrum.
Social Sex
● Sex is a social construct, it is assigned
and conditioned by our society.
● Before colonial times, Babaylans or
individuals that embody spirituality
are either female or males with
feminine expression.
● After colonial period, we are
conditioned to believe that males
should embody spirituality and that
males should not be feminine.
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Internal Genital Sex
● The Müllerian ducts forms the uterus
and Fallopian tubes in the absence of
Anti-Müllerian hormone.
● The Wolffian ducts forms the
epididymis, vas deferens and seminal
vesicles in the presence of AMH
External Genital Sex
Psychological Sex
● this involves one's perception of
himself/herself/themselves as defined
by he/she/they.
● Gender identity is the gender a
person believe/feel/intuit themselves
to be without judgement and
coercion
○ Cis - a person born with external genitalia
representing his/her/their psychological
sex
○ Trans - a person born with external
genitalia representing the opposite of
his/her/their psychological sex
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Genderbread person
● Gender identity - Maleness or femaleness of a person based on his/her/their
psychological sex.
● Gender expression - expression, behavior, preferences of a person based on
his/her/their psychological sex
● Biological sex - spectrum of sex based on the nuclear to external genital sex.
● Sexuality - attraction to a specific gender/sex to have sexual relationship
● Romantics - attraction to a specific gender/sex to have a romantic relationship

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