Sex and gender

• What is Sex?


  The biological determination of whether you are male or female (e.g. hormones, chromosomes, genitalia) - Nature
• What is Gender?


  The psychological determination of how male or female you feel (e.g. feeling masculine or feminine) - Nurture
• What is Gender dysphoria?


  A sense of ease that a person may have because of a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity
• What is sex-role stereotype?


  The shared expectations within a society or social group regarding what is appropriate behaviour for men and women
• Who would reinforce sex-role stereotypes?


  Parents, Peers and Media

  -> These may shape potential sexiest assumptions in society
• What is the role of Oestrogen?


  Produced in much greater quantities in females than males.

  • May explain female qualities in development.
  • Oestrogen can lead to premenstrual tension (PMT) which can leave some women emotional., irritable and aggressive.
  • This could explain crime in some women.
• What is the role of Testosterone?


  Produced in much greater qualities in males than females.

  • Influences brain development.
  • XX females exposed to more testosterone in utero develop more tomboy traits.
  • Sometimes bodies do not respond appropriately to testosterone and appear with no more genitalia at birth.
• What is the role of Oxytocin?

  Produced by both females and males.

  Hormone associated with bonding and attachment and with social recognition.

  • Oestrogen can influence response of the brain to oxytocin. It may have more of an effect on females and males.
  • Increased oxytocin males improved their ability to recognise whether they had seen a face before. It didn't improve recognition of non-social images.
• What happens if genes are passed on correctly?

  Sometimes genes are not passed on correctly, it leads to extra chromosomes, or an absence of a chromosomes.
• What are two sex-related disorder that influence how we present as either male or female?

  • Klinefelter's syndrome
  • Turner's syndrome
• What are Intersex babies?

  Intersex babies are children born with reproductive organs that may not look male or female.

  • Parents will be advised to approves surgery on the baby so that they look clearly male or female.
• What is Klinefelter's Syndrome?

  Its where males inherit an extra X chromosome.

  • Occurs in approx. 1/600 males.
  • Appears more male than female but less masculine due to reduce testoterone.
• What are the symptoms of Klinefelter's syndrome?


  • Breast development
  • Frontal baldness absence
  • Poor beard growth
  • Female type pubic hair
  • Small testicular size
  • Long arms + legs
  • Wide hips
  • Narrow shoulders

  ETC
• What are the complications for Klinefelter's syndrome?


  • Breast cancer in men
  • Depression
  • Learning disabilities - dyslexia
  • Lung disease - any problem in the lungs or that prevents the lungs from working properly

  ETC