Traditionally, sex and gender have been considered the same issues. However, the further development of society and specific shifts in peoples mentalities resulted in the emergence of significant divergences between these two phenomena. Thus, sex could be determined as the biological differences between males and females such as genitalia, genomes, etc. (Hubbard 158). At the same time, gender is now a social construct that implies sophisticated relations between individuals and the way they accept one or another person (Lorber 65). In other words, the concept of gender depends on the way human beings “do gender” and how communities elaborate new desired behaviors (Lorber 65).
These definitions indicate that sex and gender are not the same as they refer to different aspects of the human society. In this regard, genitals might predetermine individuals sex but not gender as it is also associated with culture (Jolly 5). For instance, we could now observe a significant shift in traditional female and male roles and the redistribution of duties and responsibilities. Activities traditionally associated with men could now be related to women. The same goes with sexuality. The central aspect which determines this issue is not sex or genitals; however, it is the gender of a person, his/her set of perspectives, beliefs, and ideas that stipulate the emergence of particular behavioral patterns and responses (Hubbard 159). These differences between the conceptions mentioned above stipulate the appearance of a new environment and communities characterized by the significant divergence between these central ideas. Moreover, it is possible to predict the further increase in the gap between the concepts of sex and gender because of sophisticated social relations and growing differences in perspectives on sexuality and stereotypical behavioral patterns associated with biological peculiarities of individuals.
Works Cited
Hubbard, Ruth. “Gender and Genitals. Constructs of Sex and Gender.” Social Text, vol. 14, no. 1, 1996, pp. 74-165.
Jolly, Susie. “Gender and Cultural Change. Overview Report.” GSDRC, 2002. Web.
Lorber, Judith. “The Social Construction of Gender.” IEAS, 1994. Web.