The Difference Between Sex And Gender Essay

, Research Paper

In today’s society sex and gender seem

to have two separate connotative meanings. Sex is a more scientific term

that explains physical traits and sexual preferences. Gender carries a

more social tone. Meaning that it refers to the different clothing, activities,

career choices, and positions people hold in society. A person’s social

status helps separate or classify the two sexes.

Sex is the total sum of physical characteristics

that distinguish males and females from each other. The most distinctive

difference in characteristics is that man and women have different reproductive

organs. This is pretty obvious and so are other traits like facial hair,

deep voices, and muscular builds. It is not often that you see a six foot

five inch bearded lady who sounds like Barry White walking around. Women

are smaller and feminine. They normally walk with a switch and speak with

soft voices. These descriptions may not apply to all men and women but

they are pretty good examples of what to look for if confused.

That brings me to my other definition of

sex. Sex is also known as the preference of sexual partner or mate that

one desires. A person’s preference determines their sexual identity. There

are three types of preferences. First there are heterosexual people who

like people of the opposite sex. There are homosexual people who prefer

partners of the same sex. And then there are bisexual people who like to

have partners who are either male or female.

The environments that some people are raised

in contribute to confusion about their sexual identity. Some people say

that these preferences were present the day that they were born. I feel

that it is one’s own choice what preference they choose. No person is born

straight or gay. Certain traits may get mixed up when dealing with people

who like to cross dress. Those are people who like to dress like the opposite

sex. Some people get sex change operations and become transsexuals. There

are even people who are born with both a male organ and female organs.

They are called hermaphrodites. I feel sorry for them because they didn’t

ask to be born with such a deformity.

Gender consists of social classifications

that help determine sex. With the rapid changes in gender equality it is

not as easy to separate sex by what a person does for a living. What position

they hold in society or a household is not a good indication either. Years

ago I could have said that if a person is a police officer, a soldier,

a fireman, a politician, a lawyer, a doctor or any type of highly paid

professional than that person must be a man. Back then this would have

been a pretty good hypothesis. The father was the man of the house. The

minister was always male and there was no such thing as women in sports.

I could have probably also said that if

a person was a secretary, a grade school teacher, a receptionist, a nurse,

a maid, or a homemaker then that person must be a woman. People in the

female group or gender worked lower paying less demanding jobs because

It was believed that a woman could not handle the pressures that a “man’s

job’ required.

With the absence of the father figure in

many American homes women have taken over as head of the house. They juggle

home life and work to keep their families together so that they can properly

raise their children.

Women have broken the gender barrier in

almost every sport except for football and hockey. Some women’s sports

are pretty interesting to watch. I like to look at women’s track, basketball,

and boxing every now and then. Women have proven themselves as good athletes.

I notice that women have gained prominent

positions in society. Women like Rosa Parks and Hilary Clinton are highly

respected figures. There are women in almost every professional field.

There are women politicians, lawyers, doctors, ministers, etc.

Gender is a tricky term to define. I think

that gender should be left up to people to interpret for themselves. The

term gender is a little sexist because it associates sex with social status.

As for me I think that gender is a little out dated. Sex is a sufficient

enough classification to separate men, women, and the people who are confused

about what they are.