Gender Development

Gender Development

1. Sex - The biological aspects of an individual which makes them male or female. This refers to a number of factors including...

   • Chromosomes: normal female chromosomes, one from each parent (XX). Normal males inherit one X-chromosome from the mother and one Y-chromosome from the father (XY). The two combinations of chromosomes are required for the complete development of both internal and external structures in females and males
   • Hormones: The male sex hormones are called androgens, the most important being testosterone (secreted by the testes) The female sex hormones are oestrogen and progesterone (secreted by the ovaries).
   • Internal Reproductive structures - internal reproductive structures in males consist of testes, sperm ducts and prostate glands. Internal reproductive structure in females consists of ovaries, fallopian tubes and womb.
   • External genitals: In males, the external genital is the penis and in females, the external genital is the vagina

2. Gender - refers to the social and cultural aspects of being male or female

   • Gender is a concept that refers to ideas, whcih we hold about the behaviour, personality and attitudes of males and females within a given society
   • Babies are born as male or female (biology) but they are assignedd their gender by those around them (culture/society). This is evident in a number of areas, for example, the nursery colour scheme we choose, clothes and toys we bu as well as our behaviour tomards them.
     • Because concepts are ideas and not facts, concepts and change over time and vary both within and between cultures. Therfore, our ideas about gender vary between different societies and cultures and also change over time
       • For example women in Modern society can leave the home and work whereas in Victorian Britain a woman's job was in the home.

3. Androgyny: a term used to describe an individual who possesses similar amounts of characteristics regarded as both typically masculin and feminine

   • People who are androgynous have no problem in accepting their sexual identity but accept that both masculine and feminine traits form their personality.