Why does gender exist

Evidence that gender has some basis in biology, though, in no way implies a strict gender binary, nor negates the existence of transgender and non-binary identities. Many biology-based gender differences originate from the hormonal environment within the womb, which is very different on average for boys compared to girls.

The findings of this and other studies suggest biology influences gendered behavior. The biggest difference she found was in incidence of masturbation. Certainly the differences are not as stark as those reinforced by gendered cultural norms, and do not reinforce old-fashioned stereotypes about men being inherently better at math and more angry or arrogant than women. Differences that do exist , though, whether caused by social or biological factors, deserved to be studied from a scientific perspective rather than ignored for the sake of a political narrative.

Neurogeneticist Kevin Mitchell neatly sums up this argument in a tweet:. Eagly argues that policy should not influence science. We strive to find out how the biology of people works. Would we close our minds as scientists because it might be politically incorrect?

How the evidence could influence policy is not up to her, she adds. That said, these scientific findings can certainly be used to positive effect. In other words, nurture can be manipulated so that it more effectively interacts with nature to develop particular skills. But if humans are mosaics of features, why do men and women sometimes seem to be so distinct? The answer lies in the binary division itself.

Even though humans do not belong to two distinct sets in terms of their brains and behavior, the binary division of humans into two social categories is real, and it exerts a profound effect on the way we behave and the way we perceive ourselves and others. The gender binary assigns different roles, status and power to humans with male and female genitals, and different expectations from them in terms of their behaviors, preferences and psychological characteristics; it forces a population of human mosaics into a binary straitjacket.

It is time to get rid of the gender binary. It is time to start treating people according to their unique mosaics of characteristics rather than according to the form of their genitals. It is time for a world with no gender. Although it used to: not so long ago, left-handed people were considered less capable than those who are right-handed, and parents would force their left-handed children to use the right. Scientists, meanwhile, searched for the neural deficits responsible for left-handedness.

All these efforts have vanished, even though we are still left- or right-handed, and even though left-handed people are often frustrated that many tools and other objects are designed only for righties.

A world without gender does not mean there would be no differences, on a group level, between humans with female and male genitals. And why should we? If your child excels in math, or if you love poetry, does it really matter whether there are more people with female or male genitals among math wizards or poetry buffs?

But even if this were true, it would provide an even stronger argument for getting rid of the binary gender system. Because if the effects of sex are unavoidable, then there is surely no need for a complex social system to enforce them.

A world without gender is a world in which humans are encouraged to develop their full human potential. At the same time, children and adults possessing characteristics that are considered undesirable, such as aggressiveness, are helped in overcoming them, regardless of their cause. A very nice article..

I write about gender inequality a lot on this blog. For example start with these posts and also see my publications.

This is not a question but rather a compliment. Thank you for this article, it has lead me in the right direction with my work on Gender and Reproductive health.

I hope to continue engaging with your work further and maybe I might have some questions. Hi Rosalie. The answer to this question is that the joy of sociology is reading, synthesis and completing your own assignment. This is only surpassed by the sociological insights derived from reading my commenting policy. Good luck with your assignment! Hi Juan. Thanks very much for your comment. His case is also important for medical ethics, due to the doctors and psychologist who obscured facts about his medical history and profited from his experience.

For others reading along, if you read further into his case, Reimer died by suicide after a long battle with depression. I noticed that in an image explaining sex, gender, and sexuality, that intersex was listed as an example for gender. I believe that that is inaccurate, at least to some extent. I acknowledge that some intersex people may identify their gender as corresponding with being intersex, but I still believe that intersex should be used as an example of sex rather than gender.

Can I know your opinions on this? Hi Aeyrn, thanks for your question. Intersexuality is a gender identity. In fact, intersex people show that gender is a fluid social construction. This scientific definition emerges from a Western definition of sex. Hope that helps! I was hoping to use functionalist and marxist-feminist theories to compare, could you recommend any good names to read up on for any theories that will help me with this assignment?

Your article does a great job showing that gender norms vary across cultures and are therefore socially constructed. Do you think biology influences the construction of such roles? For instance the fact that women give birth and produce milk may have made them more likely to take on a more active role in raising children, whereas the advantage in a fight that men have from being stronger on average than women may have made them more likely to take on a more active role in pre-gun, melee warfare.

Hi Inertia. Biology has no influence on the social construction of gender. When we talk about this concept in sociology, we are showing how social meaning is ascribed to certain biological characteristics. Also in many cultures, including in Western European cultures until the advent of the industrial revolution, women either did not lactate if they were rich, or they would swaddle their babies to keep them restrained while they worked long hours of demanding physical labour.

The differences emerge due to cultural, historical and social context. This was such thorough and helpful information. Thank you so much for your dedication and expertise when gathering all this information!

When people come to me with arguments about sex vs gender, I always have to search through all these not-so-quite-what-I-need articles on google, and then I found this!

Absolutely great, thanks again! Hi Pamela. Hi there, Thanks for the article. They say gender is not something you feel, but something imposed on you by society.

Am I missing a key detail? Is it a strawman argument? Is there actually no conflict between gender as identity and gender as social construct? What am I missing here? Cheers, Sarah. Hi Sarah. Gender is a personal identity because it cannot be dictated to you. It is about your understanding of your social experiences, including socialisation, cultural norms, behaviours, embodied preferences, and other ideas.

Transgender women, are women. Anyone who disagrees is contributing to gender inequality. Certain things can not be argued against, such as the fact that only the woman is able to breastfeed. Yes inequality does exist, but sometimes people seem to exaggerate this inequality by trying to defy nature.

Hi Luca. You are entitled to your beliefs, but unfortunately not to your facts. Another fact is that not all women breastfeed. Other women may not breastfeed because they are transgender, while others simply choose not to breastfeed. In fact, across time and in many cultures, entire groups of women would not breastfeed, such as aristocracy in England or slaveowners in Australia and the USA who used nursemaids.

These are complex examples of how nature does not dictate gender inequality; instead, social organisation of gender reproduces class, racial and other gender inequalities. Hi again Luca. No men are not physically more dominant. Good luck with your journey out of patriarchy! So I found this article while looking for resources about gender being a social construct.

Hi Emily. You might try having a conversation about why your friend feels so upset over the fluidity of gender and ask them to reflect on the gaps in their knowledge about how gender is organised in different societies.

You asked a commenter to reflect on why the idea of other cultures practicing different beliefs causes them so much discomfort, have you asked yourself the same? You use countries in your argument that are overrun by rape, murder, and a callous disregard for human life. I am for absolute freedom, and I will call someone whatever they prefer if it means that much to them.

However, gender is not socially constructed. Hi Turnur. You seem upset that other people have different gender experiences. Becoming better educated about your prejudices and unfounded fears is the first step to letting go of this angst.

Second, the nations that impose a binary do so due to centuries of colonialism, where narrow gender categories and other social hierarchies were introduced to enslave minorities, strip them of their existing social structures, and to justify and maintain inequality.

Nigeria is a beautiful nation; like many countries it has problems with same-sex acceptance. No better than say, the USA, where violence is an everyday occurance for LGBTQIA people , and where a mass-murderer specifically targeted and killed 50 people and injured a further 58 people, for nothing other than masculine violence fuelled by homophobic rage.

Anonymous men often make up valiant scenarios that are meant to shield them from critique. Things will improve when you better understand and work to overcome your prejudices of gender minorities.

Hi there! Im writing an original oratory about the difference between sex and gender. I was wondering as a professional what you think the problems of people thinking that sex and gender are the same thing and what that is causing in society? Also, what we at home can do to stop this from happening? Love the article! As usual. People are allowed to disagree with your hypothesis that gender is not merely a social construct!

Hi William, Fascism is a political system that uses autocratic rule, violence and censorship of public dialogue to restrict individual freedom. This is a sociology blog. Now days we should give opportunity the women because they are important in our society by teach youth on how to live in their society something called self determination which is important to all human being in specific society.

Hi Zuleyka. Can you write a conclusion of this essay please. There are many brilliant information in your essay, but can you make a conclusion.

I found your article while searching for a credible study of one of my apparently controversial beliefs that gender is a social construct, as is also sexuality, ethnicity, nationality, and a myriad of labels concerning identity. One thing I am having trouble understanding is how people choose to apply this information in regards to social progress and combating discrimination.

I see these social constructs as being obsolete and the root of the problem—as the foundation that gives rise to social injustice, and often in a vain attempt to address it. Do you believe education can eliminate the notion of gender, and other such social constructs?

Do you see it as desirable, or even a possible solution? Skip to content Sociology of Gender. Sociology of Gender In sociology, we make a distinction between sex and gender. Sex, Gender and Sexuality — Sociology Definitions. By OtherSociology. A Hijra protest in Islamabad, May Via Wikimedia For example, in early, India legally recognised the hijra , the traditional third gender who had been previously accepted prior to colonialism. Social Construction of Gender Gender, like all social identities, is socially constructed.

Share this: Tweet. Like this: Like Loading By Dr Zuleyka Zevallos. Thanks for your question! How would you cite this article for a report? Hi there On the topic of gender identity, im very curious as to how experiences of sexual trauma affect the development of gender identity.

The answer to this question is in my commenting policy above. Hi Ciara, To cite this article: Zevallos, Z. Hi Kaden, Thanks for your lovely comment. Hi Rahime, Thanks for your comment. Hi Jb, To cite this article: Zevallos, Z. Thanks for stopping by! Pingback: Channelling my Anschauung ishita vedamuthu. Your transphobia is noted and you are therefore not further welcome on my blog. Pingback: bathroom signs are basically useless — bullshit binaries. Pingback: Gender Identity notes — Diem Lynne.

How do cases of intersex and transgender individuals, challenge the contemporary gender order? Why is personality equal to gender in ? Beautifully explained, thank you! Thank you for reading and commenting, Before They Say! Hi Calvin, It must be very scary to live in a world where reading the science showing that the rigid laws about gender you hold dear are not, in fact, real.

I have learnt so much. Very interesting Dr. Z Like Like. Wow so true.! Hi Passerby, Thanks for your comment. Thanks for passing by! Jaiden Raimondi Like Like. Hi Jaiden.

This is a sociology blog for the public. See my About Me page. Greetings Dr. Zevallos, I am trying to understand the differing perspectives on gender and sex in academia.

Hi Lucas, Gender is indeed a social construction because it varies across time, place and cultures. Thank you Collin! I hope to continue engaging with your work further and maybe I might have some questions Like Like.

Thanks for stopping by, Ntokozo! How do cultural ideas about gender shape our understanding of the reproductive body?

If not you should. TW: suicide and depression. Hi Becky. My commenting policy has all the answers you seek. Truly intriguing to read as I apply a lot of what you write here to how i view myself. Hi Tarnished Soul, Glad that this resource has resonated with you!

Best wishes, Zuleyka. Thank you Paulina. Appreciate the feedback. Hie How and why does gender affect health Like Like.

Cheers, Sarah Like Like. Pingback: Confused about non-binary identities? Check out these helpful videos — The Gay Power Couple. Check out these helpful videos gaytourism. Hi Payton. Check out my commenting policy for your answer. Pingback: Growing up a girl — Site Title.

Hello my question is how is gender inequality analyzed in various social institutions? Hi Dezion, Homosexuality is not gender.

It is sexuality. Pingback: EP. Pingback: men are from mars, women are from venus - Femme Fatale. Thrifty Momma Ramblings.

Hi Dr Zevallos, I found your article while searching for a credible study of one of my apparently controversial beliefs that gender is a social construct, as is also sexuality, ethnicity, nationality, and a myriad of labels concerning identity. Pingback: Thinking critically about gender and personal identity — Pursuing Truth. Pingback: The evolution of gender as a social construct and performative theory — Theories of Media and Communication: Blog 4. Pingback: Quarantine Dreams vs. Follow Following.