Sex and Gender

• What is SEX?

  • The biological difference between males and females
  • Dictated through hormones, chromosomes and anatomical structures
  • Biological fact, and cannot be changed
• What is GENDER?

  Psychological, social and cultural differences between boys and girls, men and women

  Dictated by social attitudes, behaviours and roles

  Social construct, rather than biological fact
• What is GENDER DYSPHORIA?

  Most biological men (sex), feel masculine and therefore identify as men (gender) and the same for women

  Some people feel a disconnect between the sex they are assigned at birth and their gender that they want to identify as : they do not align

  E.g a biological male may feel more comfortable identifying as a woman

  This means their biological sex does not reflect how they feel inside, hence the word dysphoria
• What are SEX ROLE STEREOTYPES?

  • A set of beliefs one holds about how men and women should carry out their social roles according to their gender
  • These stereotypes are transmitted through society, and reinforced by figures around us e.g parents, teachers, guardians, peers, etc.
  • Can lead to prejudice e.g a woman cannot hold a higher positioned job because she is ‘too emotional’