Historically, we have been assigned our genders at birth based on our biological sex with external anatomy being the determining factor. Those who argue in favor of strict gender norms often state that sex characteristics – including sex chromosomes and hormones are what makes a person a man or woman. At the opposite end of the ideological spectrum are those who understand gender as something socially constructed. They believe that any connections between sex and gender are entirely a human creation. Which one is correct?
Assigned Sex vs. Gender Identity
To understand the difference between gender identity and assigned sex it is important to look at exactly what the difference between the two is.
Assigned Sex
Assigned sex refers to the assumed biological sex of a person due to the physical appearance of their genitals. For example, a person who is born with a vagina is almost always given female as their assigned sex. Those who are given the female sex assignment are almost always assumed to have two x chromosomes. While a person who is born with a penis is almost always given male as their assigned sex. Those who are given the male sex assignment are almost always assumed to have both an x and a y chromosome.
However this is only the surface of what assigned sex and genders can take place. Human bodies are strange things and from time to time there are things that make gender assignment rather complicated
Sexual Orientation
Today, gender is what is used most of the time when referring to that part of the identity. However sexual orientation is also an incredibly important part of a person’s gender identity as sexual orientation is often influenced by a person’s gender. Sexual orientation lies on a spectrum, meaning there are many variations of potential sexualities a person can identify with. Of course many of these can be considered subcategories of other sexualities; it is important to have the language to describe them. Here are just a couple of the different sexual orientations a person can identify with.
Heterosexual
A person who identifies as being a man who is sexually attracted to people who identify as women. Or a person who identifies as woman who is attracted to people who identify as men.
Bisexual
A sexual orientation used to describe a person who experiences attraction to more than one sex or gender identity.
Homosexual
A person who is sexually attracted to people who identify as the same gender they identify as. This term usually refers to men, however it can be used to refer to women as well.
Lesbian
A person who identifies as being a woman who is sexually attracted to other people who identify as women.
Asexual
Any person who does not find sexual attraction towards anyone regardless of gender identity.
Intersex
Many people around the world are born who lack certain aspects that make a person recognized as the sex categories male or female. This can be anything from physically not having the genitalia form while in the womb, to lacking certain chromosomes or reproductive features. According to InterACT, an advocacy group for intersex people, there are over 30 terms that define different variations of being intersex. Following this are a few examples of these variations.
Complete AIS (CAIS)
A person born with this is usually someone who is born with a vulva and clitoris, a shorter than what is deemed to be normal vagina, and testicles that have not descended. During puberty they will develop breasts as their body will naturally begin to convert testosterone into estrogen through aromatization. However they will not be able to menstruate due to a lack of a uterus and ovaries.
Sex Chromosome Discordant Chimerism
This is the result of two separate zygotes combining into one fetus during pregnancy. This particular form of chimerism happens when a zygote with XX chromosome fuses with a zygote with XY chromosomes. This can lead to a wide variety of physical variations and other sexual characteristics. Some may develop both ovaries and testicles, some may also develop gonadal dysgenesis among many other physical and hormonal variations.
XXYY Syndrome
A person born with XXYY syndrome is born with an extra set of the XY chromosome. This leads to the testicles not descending, puberty starting at a later age than most people, as well as much less obvious secondary characteristics such as a lack of facial and body hair, and muscle tone. They may also start to develop feminine sexual characteristics such as breasts.
These are just a few examples of the many different intersex variations there are as well as why labeling a person as simple male or female is a bit more complicated, even when biology is concerned.
Gender Identity
Now that we understand assigned sex or assigned gender we can now focus on gender identity. Gender refers to a societal construct that refers to set characteristics and expectations that a person is expected to fill based on their assigned sex. This includes things such as the role a person plays in their lives, the toys they are expected to play with, and the relationships they might have as they grow up.
Gender identity aligns with how a person feels inside. This can be expressed through fashion choices, behavior, and other forms of appearance. There are many forms of gender identity, many of which follow along the male and female binary, while others are completely set apart from the binary. A person’s gender identity can align with their assigned sex, however they don’t always do.
Examples of Gender Identity
To help us understand the many different genders here are just some of the ones that we know about today.
Cisgender
A cisgender person is someone whose gender identity aligns with the gender they were assigned at birth.
Transgender
Transgender individuals are anyone who identifies as any gender identity other than the one they were assigned.
Genderfluid
This is a gender identity in which someone’s gender can change or fluctuate. This change can happen over a matter of months, weeks, or even days.
Agender
A gender identity in which a person does not feel a strong connection towards any gender identity in particular. A person who is agender often considers themselves to be genderless, in fact a lot of intersex people identify as being agender.
Nonbinary
Nonbinary is essentially any gender identity that isn’t exclusively male or female. Agender, Gender fluid, and two spirits are just a few examples of non binary gender identities.
Let’s Talk About Gender Theory
We’ve covered some basic information about gender and biological sex. Now, let’s talk about gender theory or gender theories (there are several). These theories of gender development draw different conclusions on how a person arrives at their identified gender and what influences that development. Part of this is whether this is influenced at all by biology, and if so, how much? These theories are the result of extensive research, writing, and debate by people who have dedicated their careers to gender studies.
What is Gender Theory?
Gender theory is a multidisciplinary academic field where the concepts of gender and sexuality are studied, particularly in the context of their relationship to societies. This involves multiple fields including biology, sociology, anthropology, etc. People who study gender theory or gender studies often explore the ways in which socially constructed gender roles, biological differences, and other factors impact individual identities and social interplay.
The word term sex generally refers to how individuals are classified based on biological differences including their sex cells, chromosomes, hormone levels, sexual organs, and secondary sex traits including breast development or facial hair. These are important as sex differences influence medical and scientific perspectives on women’s health, LGBTQIA+ health, and other subjects.
For example, there has been scientific research that has shown that sex differences can impact healthcare outcomes and the efficacy of some medical treatments. The National Academies and other international journal publications frequently publish studies exploring this critical research.
At the same time, gender theory argues that gender is more complex that simple biological categorizations. It incorporates socially constructed roles and expectations that are driven by social structures and social institutions. While sex is frequently treated as a binary (male/female), with notable exceptions to the rule, gender is recognized as an umbrella term. It encompasses a range of identities, roles, and gender expressions. This is a perspective that challenges long standing social norms and highlights how gender is an evolving construct within the English language and societies around the world.
Traditionally, people determine sex at birth based on the reproductive anatomy they see. People are assigned male or female on birth certificates based on these observations. Often, there is legal status associated with this assignment as it is recognized as the person’s legal sex without accounting for their gender identity which may not emerge until they have had enough life experience to recognize their internal sense of gender.
The scholarship around gender studies also includes debate on gender equality. It’s important to understand how these topics intersect to influence our lives in the areas of education, policy, and healthcare. As long as there are gender-based inequalities, for example in women’s health where research and funding tend to be male-biased, rigid assignments of sex and gender will always be problematic. By tying these categories together we are essentially imposing inequality on a large portion of the population.
By studying gender, sex, and how those concepts impact society, we gain more understanding and can move towards achieving equity in health research. This is also how we can better address the needs of all people.
Gender studies also explores how rigid definitions of gender perpetuate the idea of two sexes as the only important factor while ignoring other definitions of identity. This provides insight into the ways that socially constructed roles can shape behaviors, perceptions, even opportunities. For example, facial hair is perceived as a generally male trait. However, it can be present in any person across the gender spectrum depending on hormonal and genetic factors. Women with facial hair may be perceived as less feminine regardless of how they identify.
To conclude, to fully understand sex and gender, we must move beyond simplistic binaries. Gender encompasses a range of identities that reflect how people experience and express themselves. When we consider insights that arise from scientific research along with lived experiences from many communities, we can use that information to create a more inclusive society.
10 Theories of Gender
There is not a single theory to explicitly define the term gender or the concept of gender identity. There are at least ten.
1. Essentialist Theory
This is a theory that is largely embraced by gender critical feminists and social conservatives. It asserts that gender roles are based on biological differences between the female sex and male sex categories. It uses sex characteristics like sex traits, visible anatomy, and sex chromosomes (i.e., the X or Y chromosome) as the determining factors defining someone’s gender. Critics of essentialist theory say that this ignores the complexities of the relationship between gender and sex.
2. Social Constructivist Theory
This theory asserts that gender is a social construct. It is shaped by societal and cultural norms, not biology. This theory highlights the ways in which institutions create and enforce gender norms, dictating which behaviors are appropriate for men and women. This theory also posits that gender includes diverse identities beyond the man/woman binary. It challenges the notion of one sex/one gender that is immutable the moment a birth-based designation is assigned.
3. Intersectional Theory
This theory emerged from critical race and feminist studies. It examines how gender roles interact with race, class, legal, social status, or other aspects of one’s identity. This theory emphasizes how systems that are based on power and oppression lead to groups of people having widely varying experiences. For example the different life experiences for assigned male and female individuals.
4. Queer Theory
Queer theory challenges older notions of understanding sex and gender as binary male or female categories, instead viewing them as fluid. It criticizes the use of gender norms and legal status as tools for compulsory heterosexuality that marginalize members of the queer community.
5. Performative Theory
Judith Butler proposed this theory that states that gender is not something that people are, but rather something they do. Performative theory describes how people perform their gender roles in their daily lives through the way they speak, act, and interact. Gender norms are repeated over time which can make it appear as though there is a natural connection between sex and gender.
6. Biosocial Theory
This theory integrates social and biological factors to suggest that while sex refers to sex chromosomes and sex traits, our social environments influence how we express them. For example health research might look at both the social and biological influences on outcomes when measuring the impacts of gender equality.
7. One-Sex Model
The one sex model theory stated that women were essentially an inverted version of men who just had similar sex characteristics – just rearranged. This theory has been debunked. However, it highlights how misconceptions and lack of understanding can influence ideas about gender and sex.
8. Feminist Theory
Feminist theory holds patriarchal structures to light to advocate for gender equality. This theory focuses on the need to dismantle systems that disadvantage large portions of the population. For example there are systems that are foundational in areas like labor and health research where women have been disadvantaged due to their sex differences.
9. Legal and Institutional Theory
According to this theory, binary gender norms are reinforced by legal status. For example, gender markers on certificates make it difficult for someone if their identity doesn’t align with what they were assigned at birth. Legal and institutional theory advocates for reforms to recognize diversity, and accommodate people with identities that don’t align with only male or female.
10. Umbrella Term Approaches
This is more an inclusive framework than gender theory. Here, gender is seen as an umbrella term that includes many identities. It challenges narrow definitions that determine sex by birth-based sex characteristics or visible anatomy.
These theories have emerged through study and research done with the goal of understanding how the concept of gender includes influence from culture, sex, social hierarchies, legal definitions, relationships, and more. They also show that even today, our understanding of this topic is always evolving.
Presentation and Gender Expression
There are many ways a person can present their gender identity. Each individual’s gender presentation can differ in a variety of ways. For example a trans man will most likely present their gender identity by wearing masculine looking fashions, cut their hair short, and speak with a low tone of voice. While a trans woman will choose more feminine appearing fashions, longer hair, or a more feminine short hair style, as well as delve into makeup. Many do this in order to ensure that they match the physical characteristics of the gender they identify as even if they don’t possess the biological characteristics of that gender identity.
However this example doesn’t even cover a small fraction of the variations that gender presentation can take. Whether or not they are trans of cisgender, many people actually feel comfortable showcasing themselves through a wide range of gender expressions. Many cis women actually feel comfort in masculine fashions, many cis men feel comfort wearing feminine fashions. There are some transgender people who will dress in-between feminine and masculine, as well as those who completely forgot gender assignment for clothing all together.
Just like gender and sexual orientation, gender expression is also a spectrum that can be showcased in a number of ways.
Common Misconceptions and Stereotypes
There are many misconceptions and misunderstandings when it comes to understanding the difference between sex and gender.
Sex and Gender are the Same Thing
When one thinks in terms of biological sex or sex assigned and then sees phrases such as gender identity it’s easy to see how this misconception comes about. However these phrases do have different meanings depending on how they are used.
Sex can refer to a person’s biological sex. However this only means that the person possesses the physical attribute of that label. A person who is born with the female sex is likely to develop breasts, and have a vagina.
Sex can also refer to the act of intercourse, in which a person has sex with another. In this example biological sex does not matter as almost everyone regardless of identity is capable of doing this.
Gender unlike sex exclusively refers to a person’s state of being or identity. In this case biological sex or the sex assigned to a person at birth doesn’t matter much. But what does hold weight is the person’s gender expression, or how they express their identity to others.
Gender is All About Biology
Gender is a social construct in which a person chooses how they live based on the gender roles and expectations society places on people. Regardless of sex and gender many people are expected to fill out traditional roles based on the reproductive organs they either have or are believed to have. Some of the most common gender roles include having men work outside of the home, play sports, and work to become strong. While women are often expected to stay home, raise children, as well as cook and clean. Although sex is determined as the physical or biological features a person has, gender refers to the expectations a person has based on that assumed or perceived biology.
Biological Sex is Unimportant
While a person’s identity and chosen gender are important it’s also important to understand that regardless of a person’s sex and gender that biology does play an important role in the health and wellbeing of many people. For example a trans man who was assigned female at birth may live their life as a man, however they still likely possess the reproductive organs of someone who is biologically female. Or that a trans woman may possess the reproductive organs of someone who is biologically male.
Because of these factors and the way different diseases can affect those with certain biological traits differently it is important to look after the health and wellbeing of those parts by accepting the fact that as part of the body they are important even if they don’t completely match up with their identity.
Stereotypes Make Men, Men, and Women, Women, Yet they continue to be damaging.
Society tends to paint men and women in different ways with men being expected to be tough and emotionless, while women are expected to be caretakers and homemakers. While many people feel comfortable falling into these roles it does paint a narrative in which one group is seen as more favorable than the other.
Those who are male will often refuse to partake in any form of housekeeping, or refuse to watch or care for their own children as they feel it puts their perceived identity at risk. These tasks are often referred to as “women’s work”. Women often refuse to learn how to do things such as carpentry, plumbing, or even how to work on their vehicles, as they don’t want to be viewed as being masculine.
Because of these factors many people develop unhealthy codependent relationships with one another in which many start to become resentful of the other due to the perception that they have to fit into the stereotypical box. This can limit growth and development which is just one reason as to why it is so important to challenge these stereotypes
Using Language to Understand the Difference
Sometimes the best way to help yourself understand exactly how gender and sex differ from each other is by using and eliminating certain phrases from one’s vocabulary.
Instead of using boys and girls, or ladies and gentlemen, use phrases such as everyone, you guys, y’all, friends, as well as many other terms that can be used to refer to a group and will include everyone while also recognizing that their identities in gender can be more than just male or female.
You can also start to include phrases such as identifies as, biological sex, and gender identity in order to help clarify exactly where the difference between sex and gender may lie. There are many other ways that language can help a person understand the difference between sex and gender. As you continue to learn about the differences you can create a more inclusive environment for everyone around you.
Other Ways You Can Make a More Inclusive Environment
Language is just the first step in becoming more inclusive to others. For example respecting and recognizing any individual’s identity and expression, providing and advocating for gender neutral restrooms and other spaces, welcoming people is stereotypical activities regardless of gender identity (IE welcoming a man who wants to join a quilting club, or a woman who wants to learn how to restore a vehicle). By creating more inclusive environments you help to promote the well being of others as well as reduce the discrimination one might face.
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