Why do Sociologists differentiate between sex and gender? What importance does this have in modern society? Do you remember “” expectations of your life activities and life choices by family or friends?
Sex and gender are distinct in sociology. Sociologists view sex as the biological traits used by the society to assign persons to categories of either male or female by genitalia, chromosomes or other physical ascriptions. Therefore, when people discuss sex, they do in regards to the differences existent between the men and women and not gender. On the other hand, gender is a more fluid phenomenon as it may not entirely be dependent on the biological attributes. Gender is a concept that helps determine as well as manage the categories of sex in the society. It involves a large sociological envelope comprising of positions of gender, social norms, attitudes, and activities that are deemed by society as appropriate of certain sexes.
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The sex of an individual does not always concur with their gender hence the difference between gender and sex as observed by sociologists. For instance, a boy is born with the male genitalia and is thus acknowledged as a man . However, the boy may associate and identify more with feminine aspects of his environment and culture. The characteristics of sex do not vary significantly between different societies of human beings because sex refers to the physical differences. A woman will menstruate regardless of the culture she identifies with in the society. On the other hand, the characteristics of gender may vary a great deal between societies . For instance, the culture in America suggests that the wearing of skirts and dresses is associated with female gender. However, the same does not hold in places like the Middle East where dresses called robes are affiliated with the male gender. The kilt worn by Scottish men do not make them female or feminine rather in their culture.
The dichotomous assessment of gender remains specific to certain cultures hence not universal. Gender is fluid in some cultures. The sociology of gender does well to study the manner in which the society influences the understanding and perception of people in regards to the difference existent between male and female.
Importance of gender and sex in society
Sex and gender are not always in line. The Cis-gender represents persons that have a biological body born to match their personal gender identities. The above is different from a transgender situation where the biological sex of a person does not align with their identity of gender. The transgender individuals can undergo a hormonal therapy to facilitate the process, but not all people that are transgender will undergo surgery . Gender and sexuality help give a proper distinction in the society because they are not simply just personal identities but rather social identities. The two emanate from the relationships of people and highly dependent on the social interaction and recognition of the people. Gender, as well as sex, is constructed socially. Sexual orientation implies the emotional attraction to a given sex.
Gender proceeds to shape the society in regards to roles. During growth, children are introduced to specific roles that have linkage to their sex. The roles are dependent on norms, and standards created by the society. For instance, the strength, dominance, and aggression are attributes associated with the masculine roles. On the other hand, passivity, subordination and nurturing are associated with the feminine roles. It all begins with the socialization at birth with persons giving particular colored garments to children depending on their sexes. It is common to have the boys given blue garments and the girls being given pink garments .
Gender roles are further promoted via play where the boys are given truck, superhero paraphernalia, and toy guns that are toys aimed at promoting their aggression, solitary play, and motor skills. The daughters, on the other hand, receive dolls and dress-up accessories to foster nurturing, role play and social proximity. Children will choose toys appropriate for their gender even in the presence of cross-gender toys because of the response their parents give them.
It is well to appreciate the many stereotypes that emanate from sexism. Sexism entails prejudiced beliefs that issue favor of a particular sex over another. It varies in level of severity but has the inevitable effect of making certain genders or sexes feel undervalued and not deserving of an absolute good . The society places an absolute emphasis on certain sexes to become groomed in a particular gender, and that explains a lot when examining amiss in the life of an individual. It is imperative to appreciate such attributes in a bid to understand the nature and perceptions of a person. Gender and sex do well to shape the society in this regards hence remain essential aspects of the society.
Expectations of family and friends
Growing up was similar to the stories of many other persons. As a male child, it was believed and firmly felt that I would grow up to be in a career that is more associated with the men like engineering, military, and firefighting. However, the insistent interest in photography made me an outcast in the eyes of both my family and friends.
Conclusion
Gender and sex are important concepts in the society that help shape and nurture the people in the community . The differences between the two come from their clear stance on an individual, as sex is attributable to the physical and biological stature of people while gender is based on norms and culture.
