Sociology of

Gender
Sociology of Gender

Cultural meanings attached to men and women’s roles;

and how individuals understand their identities including,
but not limited to, being a man, woman, transgender,
intersex, gender queer and other gender Orientations
Sociology of Gender

One of the largest subfields within

sociology and features theory and
research that critically interrogates
the social construction of gender, how
gender interacts with other social
forces in society, and how gender
relates to social structure overall.
Attributes of Sex Attributes of Gender

Maleness and Masculinity and

Femaleness Femininity
 Sexuality

This is about sexual

attraction, sexual
practices and identity.
 Young people often begin to explore and understand
their sexuality throughout their adolescent and
childhood years

Regardless of when a person begins to explore their

sexuality, this can be a confusing and challenging
time, with gay, lesbian and bisexual young people
in particular often experiencing an especially
difficult time “coming out” to family and friends.
 Gender and
Sexuality
Gender and sexuality are not
just personal identities; they
are social identities. 
They arise from our
relationships to other people,
and they depend upon social
interaction and social
recognition. As
such, they influence how we
understand ourselves in relation
to others
 Gender and
Sexuality
People identifying as lesbian,
gay, bisexual, transpeople or
intersex (LGBTI) often face
discrimination, bullying or
violence and experience
much higher incidents of
mental health issues as a
result.
For many young people their
gender identity may differ from
their sex