Article 1
Will Ross
5/21/15
Reflective Tag
Commonly seen as interchangeable, ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ are distinctly different. Scientific vs socially constructed, both phrases refer to different aspects of human sexuality and the role of men and women in society. It is paramount to understand their inherent differences and recognize the existence of a distinct dichotomy.
Essay
Sex has its origin within the realm of science. Used to differentiate between the male and female variants in countless species, sex is also a reference to the acts of reproduction responsible for procreation. Sex is determined via two separate avenues, genetic and non-genetic. Genetic determination relies on the number or typology of the chromosomes present in an organism. Non-genetic determinations, while uncommon, is seen in marine organisms and is determined by environmental factors such as temperature and size.
The biological components of ‘sex’ consist of both the reproductive organs and the acts of reproductions responsible for procreation. Different hormonal configurations and organs are the principal biological factors behind ‘sex’ differentiation. The acts of procreation are equally important yet are direct results from the former biological factors as the factors encourage attraction between the sexes.
In contrast to ‘sex’, ‘gender’ is primarily defined based on cultural and societal factors rather than biological ones. Traditionally it is commonly seen as the socio-cultural roles and attributes a specific society holds men and women to. However, the recent progress in LGBT rights have initiated a change in the definition of gender, now seen as the institutional reactions towards the presentation of one’s gender, whether male, female, or other.
In order to truly understand ‘gender’, it is imperative to have a proper definition of both culture and society and their differences. Culture consists of the characteristic of a society, mainly its beliefs, behaviors, food, technology, norms, values, language, tradition, and institutions. Institutions in this context refers to the rules associated with a particular society along with its institutions of religion, health care, and education. Society, while interrelated to culture, is the group of people that interact in such a way as to share a common culture among themselves. While the two are interdependent, they are by no means the same, much like ‘sex’ and ‘gender’.