Sex and gender

Question 1

What is sex?

Answer 1

• Sex refers to a persons biological status as either male or female
• This is determined by ones pair of sex chromosomes which are the 23rd pair
• These are either XX for female or XY for male
• These sex chromosomes influence hormonal differences as well as differences in anatomy

Question 2

What is gender?

Answer 2

• Gender refers to ones psychosocial status as either masculine or feminine
• These include their attitudes, roles and behaviours that we associate with either being masculine or feminine
• These are heavily influenced by social norms and cultural explanations
• Therefore sex is innate and can not be changed but gender is fluid and is partly determined by our environment (nurture)

Question 3

What is gender dsyphoria?

Answer 3

• Gender dsyphoria is when someones biological sex and gender identity do not correspond
• People who experience this may choose to undergo gender reassingment surgery and change their biological sex

Question 4

What are sex - role stereotypes?

Answer 4

• A set of shared expectations that people within a society or culture hold about what is acceptable or usual for a man and woman
• These expectations are communicated and transmitted in society and can be reinforced by parents, peers, media or other institutions
  -These can be true but can also lead to sexist assumptins such as women can not handle high responsibility jobs due to them being over emotional