Difference Between Gender and Sex

Running head: DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GENDER AND SEX
Difference between Gender and Sex
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1DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GENDER AND SEX
The terms ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ are often used in a same context as something that means
similar, however, both of these terms are different in their meaning (Eckert). It may seem that the
meanings of gender and sex may overlap but sex is something that refers to the biological
attributes in both animals and humans; whereas, gender is something that refers to the socially
constructed identities of human.
Sex is mainly associated with physiological and physical features that include gene
expression, chromosomes, and reproductive anatomy and hormone levels. The primary
categorization that sex brings forth is that of male and female but there is a variation in the
biological attributes which comprises the concept of sex and it is also important to note how
those attributes are expressed.
The primary characteristic with which sex is defined is that in females there is the
predominance of estrogens and in the males there is the predominance of testosterone. However,
it must be kept in mind that every person has both of these hormones in them. For transgender
and non-conforming people, there is an option of hormone replacement therapy. The secondary
characteristic of sex is something which is easily identified since it includes facial hair, vocal
range, and breast tissue and so on.
When it comes to the point of defining gender, society plays a vital role. Since birth,
society has taught every human being that there are two genders which are of man and woman.
We are led to believe that the human who are assigned male at birth are men whilst those who
are assigned female are female in the eyes of the society. Even though majority of the people in
society identify themselves as either men or women, yet there is a possibility beyond and
between the two (Butler). There are bi-gender people who identify themselves as both man and