Question

1. Define and explain the difference between sex and gender. What does it mean to say that someone is “outside the binary”? What does it mean to say that gender is a “social construction”? Give examples of ways that people socially construct gender, ideally from your own life and observations.
2. Define and explain androgyny. What advantages does androgyny bring in modern Western urban-industrial society? Would these same advantages apply to non-Western societies or those at lower levels of development? Why or why not?

Answer 1

• The difference between sex and gender is that,sex is biologically determined and gender is socially constructed.Sex refers to the biological differences between males and females, such as the genitalia and genetic differences.For instance, male and female genitalia, both internal and external are different. Similarly, the levels and types of hormones present in male and female bodies are different.
• Gender is more difficult to define, but it can refer to the role of a male or female in society, known as a gender role, or an individual's concept of themselves, or gender identity.
• Gender tends to denote the social and cultural role of each sex within a given society. Rather than being purely assigned by genetics, as sex differences generally are, people often develop their gender roles in response to their environment, including family interactions, the media, peers, and education.
• Sometimes, a person's genetically assigned sex does not line up with their gender identity. These individuals might refer to themselves as transgender, non-binary, or gender-nonconforming.
• Someone who is outside of binary or non-binary means that a person is neither male or female.Non-binary,refers to someone who does not fit into rigid gender categories.They can identify with aspects of either gender, or have an identity completely outside the binary. Their gender identity can also change and evolve over time.
• Non-binary is also an umbrella term that refers to a multitude of identities that aren’t strictly male or female, including agender (without a gender or a specific gender identity), demiboy (someone who is a boy, sometimes), demigirl (someone who is a girl, sometimes) and genderqueer, which is often used interchangeably with non-binary, and can mean someone with a gender outside a male-female binary.
• Gender refers to the socially constructed characteristics of women and men, such as norms, roles, and relationships of and between groups of women and men. It varies from society to society and can be changed.
• The degree of decision-making and financial responsibility expected of each gender and the time that women or men are expected to spend on homemaking and rearing children varies between cultures.
• The gender stereotypical roles are created through the process of socialization,especially during childhood.Our parents,teachers,media all influence are perceptions of being a male or a female.Parents bring up their daughters and sons differently,tell them to behave in accordance with their gender.For instance,as a child I remember,I was taught to clean my room,help my mother in the kitchen,and my brother was taught to help my father going to the market for shopping,helping him fix small thing in the house.
• This differentiation clearly shows,that girls are taught to be nurturers,home makers,taking care of the family,sensitive and boys are taught to be breadwinners of the family,strong,assertive and being the head of the family.
• Because of this kind of socialization,gender stereotypes have been created,which has lead to an inferior status of women in the society today.Women are independent today,financially strong,but they still inferiority coompared to the male gender.For instance,the problem of pay gap still exists,wherein women are paid far less than men for the same amount of work.They also find it difficult to acquire higher positions,which comes more easily to men.
• Women also suffer from second shift phenomenon,wherein after being donw with their paid 9-5 job,they return home to do house hold chores,which is unpaid labour,indicating their second shift.Women are still expected to take care of the house,cook food etc. even after they are working outside,in contrast to men.
• The socialization through media,also created women as objects of desire in contrast to women.In advertisments,we see gender differences.Women are mostly seen in a detergent ad,and men in a car advertisement.
• This explains gender to be a social construct,wherein roles have been created which are expected of a male or female according to the social norms.We are not born with these roles,we are given these roles as we grow older.
• Due to time limit,remaining question can be asked as another question,they will be answered,thankyou for your cooperation