Gender and Sex Comparison - Assignment Example

Sex and gender Sex implies biological differences; hormonal profiles, chromosomes, external and internal organs. On the other hand, gender refers to the characteristics which a culture or society delineates as feminine or masculine. Therefore, while one may be a male or female is a biological fact which is similar in different cultures, what sex implies according to gender roles as ‘woman’ or ‘man’ in the society varies according to the different cultures in the world. In sociology ‘gender roles’ refers to attributes as well as behaviours in which various cultures give to sexes. In any culture, what it implies to be a ‘real man’ requires one to be male sex, as well as the various cultures, consider to be masculine attributes and behaviours. On the other hand, a real woman is supposed to be of a female sex as well as have feminine attributes (Nobelius, 2004). Sex is a biological paradigm that captures the genetic, physiological, anatomical as well as the hormonal variation that present in species. People’s understanding of sex has a changed since most individuals appreciate the diversity among populations. For instance, previous understanding of sex assumed the chromosomal arrangements XY and XX as the characteristic makeup of men and women, respectively, at the moment there are various chromosomal configurations XXX, XXY, XYY as well as XO exist as well as XY females and XX males. The presence of these chromosomal arrangements has resulted in greater comprehension of the genetic contributions of Y and X chromosomes in human phenotypic development as well as health and it shows the need for further research to increase narrow conceptualisations of sex to entail this kind of diversity (Johnson & Repta, 20, n.d, p.19). According to Gogus, Gogus & Gogus (2011, p. 16) understanding sex is very fundamental since it has a great impact on one’s health. There exists many sex differences that affect the development of diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, coronary heart disease, as well as lung cancer; however, the causal mechanisms that account for the differences are never clear (Johnson & Repta, 20, n.d, p.19). There is need of conceptualising sex more accurately in order to understand these mechanisms. Sex has an impact on health starting with the various chromosomal compositions in the sexes that lead to differences in blood chemistry, metabolism, as well as hormonal composition. For the same reasons, the impact of anaesthetics differs with sex. An individual’s risk of contracting myocardial infarction is mostly determined by the aestrogen levels he or she has, and this is a function of sex (Johnson & Repta, 20, n.d, p.19). According to Ferrante (2014, p. 200), in most cases, people consider sex to be biological and gender to be social the two conceptions are socially constructed and can change with time. The manner in which individuals parse the groups of female, male, intersex as well as other is never biologically inherent, but they are relative to time and place. Various cultures conceptualise sex variation through different approaches, and our comprehension of sex has shifted overtime (and is changing continuously) as more biological variations are discovered, and the measurement approaches become more refined. For instance, procedures used in assessing babies sex after birth have changed especially in the wake of intersex movement which advocates for individuals whose sexual or reproductive anatomy is not female or male can now include the chromosomal and genetic reviews in addition to the visual assessment of genitals. Additionally, treatment of intersex bodies has shifted; assignment surgery conducted after birth is not common as a result of the controversy regarding the emotional, physical as well as sexual harm it results (Johnson & Repta, 20, n.d, p.21). On the other hand, just like sex, gender refers to a multi-dimensional construct which refers to the various responsibilities, roles, experiences and limitations given to individuals basing on their presenting gender/sex (Mills, 2014, p. 100). Gender develops on biological sex; to give meaning to sex differences therefore grouping individuals with tags such as man, woman, hijra and transsexual among others is essential. The groups are socially constructed since man creates and assigns individuals to them. Therefore, just like sex ideas regarding gender are temporarily and culturally specific and are subject to change. Often gender is an amorphous notion. When gender is used in daily conversation, it is never clear what it is used to mean. In what follows we can explain the approaches to understanding gender: gender identity, gender roles, gender as a limited choice, institutionalised gender, gender performance, gender relations (Johnson & Repta, 20, n.d, p.21). Institutionalised gender Gender is produced and shaped by institutions such as religion, media, and medical, educational as well as other social and political systems developing a societal gender structure deep-seated and rarely questioned but greatly influential. Institutional gender activities are very far from being static; however, they are continuously reproduced through structures of practice that have continuous impact on the subsequent practices. Institutionalisation implies developing conditions that make cyclical activities probable (Johnson & Repta, 20, n.d, p.21). Gender orders are an aggregate of the gender regimes at macro-politics level. The association between state powers which have an impact on gender relations, cultural definitions as well as the historical likelihood of gender relations makes such orders (Johnson & Repta, 20, n.d, p.21). They are developed through different micro-and mesopractices that result in the reproduction of macro-political orders. Stabilised implies that the gender regimes, as well as orders, are sufficiently institutionalised, and this results from particular historic regimes of accumulation of capital. Gender regimes depict symbolic gender order that is an arena of power that the boundaries are part and parcel of the tussle between sexes to define the contours. In Consideration of the dynamic processes of the gender regimes as well as orders, there is a historical “masculinity” or static historical “femininity”. Femininities and masculinity flourish in their plurality according to both temporal and spatial contexts. Institutionalised gender implies the manner in which gender is rooted and expressed in large social systems, through various values, responses, roles, expectations as well as responsibilities given to groups and individuals based on gender. For instance, in most cases men earn more than women when they do the same work, and most places of work are gendered with particular departments and in some instances a whole occupation dominated by specific gender (Johnson & Repta, 20, n.d, p.21). Even though gender is usually context-specific as well as subject to change in most parts of the world men are highly regarded compared to women and they have more access, power, opportunities, money as well as presence in public arena. Since these differences are on a large scale, it illustrates the entrenchment of institutionalised gender. Additionally, institutionalised gender interacts with systems that relate to sexual identity, class, race as well as other social constructs that organise groups and individuals into groups of privilege(Johnson & Repta, 20, n.d, p. 21). Gender roles Gender roles refer to social norms, standards or rules that dictate behaviours, responsibilities, limitations, as well as opportunities for men and women (Sigelman & Rider, 2011, p. n.p). People learn the required or appropriate behaviour for gender through involving themselves actively in the social world. Even though individuals can resist or accept the traditional gender roles in the presentation of gender, self-roles are a strong means in social organisations that have an impact on various elements of the society. Consequently, inevitably individuals internalise stereotypically and gender roles, regardless of their specific gender and then develop a sense of gender. Gender roles determine as well as constrain individuals’ experiences; women, men, and other genders are considered in a different way and have different life trajectories because of the endorsed roles as well as level in which they adhere to (Johnson & Repta, 20, n.d, p.23). Conventional, dualistic comprehension of the gender roles is very problematic. The embedding of the dyadic gender roles present in the society contributes to discrimination of those who do not adhere to prescribed roles. Additionally, the concept of gender as a part obscures the distinctive and the performance nature of gender (Johnson & Repta, 20, n.d, p.23). Gender relations Relationally, gender operates through influencing individual’s expectations as well as understanding of others and the manner in which people relate and interact (Riley, 2012, p. 53; (Johnson & Repta, 20, n.d, p.27). For instance, in romantic relationships, ideas regarding who needs to initiate contact, pay for lunch among others is all gendered. Gender relations explain the manner in which relationships are controlled by expectations as well as understandings that can expand or limit our opportunities in various instances (Johnson & Repta, 20, n.d, p.27). Gender as performance Gender has been considered to be the performance that is constructed through individual’s practices. Gender is exhibited in the manner in which persons style their body and carry on themselves as well as how the move and speak (Johnson & Repta, 20, n.d, p.28).Not only is gender produced on specific bodies but also located in specific practices, behaviours, and activities. Through “stylized repetition” the gendered practice in which gender is done. Additionally, through engagement with the behaviours, gender and practices becomes accountable as well as assessed by others, and elements of gendered identity are legitimised. Consequently, gender is embodied. References Ferrante, J 2014,Sociology: A global perspective, Stamford, Cengage Learning. Johnson,S & Repta, R n.d, Sex and gender, available at http://www.sagepub.com/upm- data/40428_Chapter2.pdf Mills, M 2014, Gender and the work-family experience: an intersection of two domains, New York, Springer. Nobelius, A 2004, What is the difference between sex and gender? Available at http://www.med.monash.edu.au/gendermed/sexandgender.html Riley, N 2012,Gender, work and family in a Chinese economic zone: laboring in paradise, Brunswick, Springer Science & Business Media. Sigelman, C & Rider, E 2011,Life-span human development, Belmont, Cengage Learning. Read More