Social construct of gender

Question 1

Biological sex vs gender

Answer 1

Gender = social and cultural perceptions associated with sex differences - socially constructed as masculine and feminine

Biological sex = biological features of human bodies

Question 2

What is transcendence?

Answer 2

Signifies ways in which socially constructed gender identities can result in negation or distortion of biology

Question 3

Examples for why gender is a social construct

Answer 3

1 - Gendering of physical activity (report from Sport England 2019)

Girls aged 3-11 experienced less enjoyment being physically active and less confidence in their sporting ability

Children’s exposure to narrow gender norms and failure to adapt the types of sports can instil lack of enjoyment and body confidence > changes attitudes towards physical activity in adulthood

Boys were more likely to have participated in any type of formal sport in the last week

Long-term consequences in terms of poorer health outcomes for women later in life

> Longer life expectancy but higher levels of morbidity and women spend a lesser proportion of their lives free from disability than men

2- Gender differences in health outcomes

Higher masculinity scores = better overall health

Higher femininity scores = poorer health

^ This was not about biological sex and applies to both men and women, based on characteristics which are stereotypically masc or fem

Higher femininity scores in men were associated with lower risk of CHD death