Gender

• Definition of sex?


  Refers to biological status - male or female

  Determined in the first instance by chromosomes

  These then influence hormonal differences as well as differences in anatomy (such as reproductive organs, body shape, hair growth)
• What do chromosomes influence?

  Hormonal differences and differences in anatomy, such as reproductive organs, body shape and hair growth
• Definition of gender?


  Refers to a person's psychological status - masculine or feminine

  Includes all the attitudes, roles and behaviours we associate with 'being male' or 'being female'.

  Heavily influenced by social norms and cultural expectations

  Sex would be classed as nature whereas gender would be classed as nurture
• Is Gender more fluid than sex?

  Yes - for example the case of the Batista Boys
• Who studied the Batista Boys?


  Julianne Imperato McGinley et al
• Who were the Batista Boys?

  Part of a unique family

  Lived in Dominican Republic

  4 of the children identified as girls at birth - raised as such until puberty

  Changed into males - vaginas closed over, testicles appeared, grew normal sized penises
• What were the Batista Boys affected by?

  A very rare genetic disorder - meant male genitalia not external at birth despite being normal XY males. During prenatal development, crucial chemical step (introduction of dihydrotestosterone) was missed.
• What chemical stage was missed?

  Introduction of dihydrotestosterone (would usually externalise the male genitalia)
• What was the effect of missing the introduction of dihydrotestosterone?

  Appeared as girls at birth, although their biological sex was male

  Raised as girls and adopted a female gender identity until the change at puberty
• Due to the onset of hormonal changes at puberty, the dihydrotestosterone absent in the womb was produced and the boy's true biological sex was revealed.
• What happened when the boys true biological sex was revealed?

  The boys abandoned their female gender identity with very few problems of adjustment and quickly adapted to their new roles as boys and men - suggests gender indentity may be fluid rather than fixed.
• Although this study appears to support the idea that gender identity can change, critics have suggested these findings should be interpreted with caution - Dominican Republic was a highly patriarchal society when the boys grew up. Males were valued over women to the extent that the boys were called 'little miracles' by members of local community.
• What nickname were the boys given?

  Little miracles
• Why might the patriarchal society have helped the boys to adjust to their newly-acquired gender roles?

  May have already been raised with quite masculine traits

  If the condition was the other way around, people may not be so willing to give up elevated status