The difference between sex and gender explained
Learn about the difference between sex and gender.
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Transcript
Did You Know? The Difference Between Sex and Gender
Although often used interchangeably, sex and gender refer to two distinct concepts.
Sex is a biological classification that divides a species into two complementary categories based on physiological characteristics, including chromosomes and reproductive organs.
In mammals—including humans—and in flies, during sexual reproduction, usually a sperm cell carrying either an X or Y chromosome fuses with an egg carrying an X chromosome, resulting in a combination of either XX for females or XY for males.
By contrast, gender is a social construct and refers to society’s expectations for the characteristics, behaviors, and norms that go along with each sex.
As social constructs, the norms for women, men, girls, boys, and others vary across cultures and can change over time. An individual’s internal sense of their gender is called their gender identity and is generally established in children by the age of three.
For some people, gender identity may fluctuate over time.
Typically, one’s biological sex and gender identity line up—but not always.
Transgender individuals may identify with the gender quote-unquote “opposite” of their biological sex. Other people may identify as nonbinary, neither female nor male—or something else and prefer to use another term.
Because one’s sex and gender identity may not always correspond, it’s important to distinguish between the two in order to create appropriate health care, programs, and policies for all people.
Although often used interchangeably, sex and gender refer to two distinct concepts.
Sex is a biological classification that divides a species into two complementary categories based on physiological characteristics, including chromosomes and reproductive organs.
In mammals—including humans—and in flies, during sexual reproduction, usually a sperm cell carrying either an X or Y chromosome fuses with an egg carrying an X chromosome, resulting in a combination of either XX for females or XY for males.
By contrast, gender is a social construct and refers to society’s expectations for the characteristics, behaviors, and norms that go along with each sex.
As social constructs, the norms for women, men, girls, boys, and others vary across cultures and can change over time. An individual’s internal sense of their gender is called their gender identity and is generally established in children by the age of three.
For some people, gender identity may fluctuate over time.
Typically, one’s biological sex and gender identity line up—but not always.
Transgender individuals may identify with the gender quote-unquote “opposite” of their biological sex. Other people may identify as nonbinary, neither female nor male—or something else and prefer to use another term.
Because one’s sex and gender identity may not always correspond, it’s important to distinguish between the two in order to create appropriate health care, programs, and policies for all people.
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