GENDER AND SEXUALITY AS A SOCIAL REALITY

SEX, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY

LESSON 1

Lesson Objectives:

When you finish reading this chapter, you should be able to:

1.Differentiate sex, gender, and sexuality;

2. discuss the implication of these differences; and

3. contemplate about your own sexuality and on the importance of appreciating sexual diversity.

Definition of Terms:

Sex – the biological aspect of sex; maleness or femaleness

Gender – the social interpretation of sex; masculinity, femininity, etc.

Sexuality – the totality of our own experience of our sex and gender

Sex chromosomes – chromosomal markers that distinguish females (XX) from male (XY) species

Intersex – individuals with composite genitals (possessing some characteristics of both male and female
genitals)

Introduction

What does it mean to be a male or a female, to be feminine or masculine, or to be man or woman? The
human mind and body are so complex such that to answer this question, we have to trace our journey
from the moment we were born, and go back to the journey we humans have across the life span.

First thing you need to understand is the complexities of defining and differentiating sex, gender, and
sexuality Having a clear grasp of these concepts is crucial since we will be using these terms over and
over again in succeeding discussions. Likewise, there are nuances in the meanings of these terms, which
have an implication on at which context we can appropriately use them.

Moreover, as we start our discussion of gender and sexuality as social realities, we also want to
understand how a person’s gender is expressed from birth to adulthood. Our ultimate goal is to foster
understanding of the diversity of how humans experience and express their sexuality.
SEX

Sex is the biological dimension of your gender and sexuality. Also referred to as biological sex or physical
sex, the term generally pertains to your identity depending on your sexual anatomy and physiology-the
parts of your body that are relevant to reproduction and the function of these parts. Sex is typically
determined by examining your genitals- these are external organs that are associated with reproduction-
the process or the ability to create offspring. Among humans, sex is often assigned at birth. If at birth, a
child is observed to have a penis and testicles, then the child is categorized as male. If on the other hand,
a child

Is observed to have a vagina, then the child is categorized as female. However, there are cases when the
baby’s genitals appear to be a conglomerate of male and female organs such that it may be difficult to
classify the baby’s sex without further examination. In the past, this condition is referred to as
hermaphroditism (from Hermes, a male Greek god, and Aphrodite, a female Greek goddess). In modern
times, the term intersexuality is used to refer to this phenomenon. Hermaphroditism or intersexuality is
a naturally occurring variation in humans and animals (1 in 1,500 births) according to the American
Psychological Association (APA) (2006).

Since it may be difficult to distinguish biological sex by merely examining the genitals, there are other
biological markers used. For instance, your chromosomes-protein structures which contain your genetic
materials are also used to determine sex. There are specific chromosomes referred to as sex
chromosomes, which marks a person’s biological sex. An individual with a set of XY sex chromosomes is
said to be a male, while an individual with a set of XX sex chromosomes is said to be a female. The level
of some hormones- chemicals in our body that are responsible for sustaining bodily processes-are also
used as markers. For example, human males tend to have higher levels of testosterone, which is
associated to sex drive and aggressions. On the other hand, human females tend to have higher levels of
estrogen and progesterone, which are associated to lactation, menstruation. And other female
reproductive functions.

GENDER

However, humans are meaning-making organisms. Our ability for higher order thinking and our tendency
to create social norms, allow us to attach social and cultural meanings to things, including our sex. For
example, males are typically expected be masculine and females are expected to be feminine. Once
parents are aware of their child’s sex (male or female) during birth or through prenatal procedures such
as ultrasound, they automatically attach social and cultural meanings to their child’s sex and in doing so,
they already set an expectation in terms of how their child should behave and how they should treat
their child. This social dimension of one’s sexuality is referred to as gender. There are many ways through
which gender is manifested. As soon as a new baby arrives in the family, adults surrounding the baby
manifests their social interpretation of the baby’s sex by the colors assigned to the baby. For example, it
is common for families to buy blue apparels and toys when the baby is a male, as the color blue is
associated with boyhood. Conversely, female babies are often assigned the color pink, such that families
would buy clothes and toys that are color pink because the color is associated with girlhood. Remarkably,
the moment a baby is born, the name, toys, and apparels are picked by parents and relatives based on
their interpretation of the baby’s sex. Throughout childhood and adolescence, this assignment becomes
more complex as the expectations go beyond the kind of clothes worn, but also in terms of how the
person must or must not behave. There are set of behaviors that all female individuals must follow and
so with the male individuals, and all are expected to stick to these behaviors that are aligned with their
biological sex. This phenomenon of determining the normality of a behavior based on whether it
conforms or not to the expectations relative to one’s biological sex is referred to as heteronormativity.

Heteronormativity is the assumption that the “default,” or “correct” sexual orientation is straight
(heterosexual). It assumes that “normal” relationships exist only between a man and a woman. In a
heteronormative society, anything outside of these norms is considered abnormal or inferior

In the Filipino culture, girls are expected to have certain characteristics of being gentle, caring, and
loving while boys are encouraged to be strong, rough, and assertive. These expectations also extend to
how men and women are expected to behave, the college courses they take, and the jobs they apply to.

However, there are people who do not follow culturally-accepted standards of masculinity and femininity
like girls not wanting to wear dresses and boys not wanting to play rough sports. This is a natural
variation of the human gender expression. Social and cultural practices change through time. Just 60
years ago, women could not wear pants without social disapproval, and now wearing pants is already an
accepted fashion trend among people of different genders. How we express our gender is largely based
on our social and cultural setting. Most are comfortable with their sex and gender; men who are
masculine and women who are feminine. Each culture also has different standards on how to be a man
and a woman and how they should present themselves according to their sex and gender.

GENDER IDENTITY

One important aspect of our gender is our sense of who we are: Do we see and experience ourselves as
a man, a woman, or neither. This refers to our gender identity. Typically males are comfortable
identifying as a man and females are comfortable identifying as a woman.

However, there are cases wherein person’s biological sex does not align with one’s gender identity:
People with this experience are referred to as trans genders, such as a male who does not feel
comfortable identifying as a man (transgender woman) or a female who is not comfortable identifying as
a woman (transgender man). Transgender people may undergo gender reassignment surgery to align
their physical characteristics to their gender identity. However, due to many factors such as belief
systems, culture, and economics, some do not opt for surgery.

SEXUAL ORIENTATION

Another aspect of our gender pertains to our emotional and sexual attraction to a person. This aspect
refers to our sexual orientation. According to the Psychological Association of the Philippines, typically at
ages 6 or 8, we experience or develop attraction to other people. By adolescence, we already know who
we are attracted to and would experiment through dating and relationships.

Everyone’s sexuality is different and deeply personal. Our capacity for emotional and sexual attraction is
diverse and complex, but there are a few common terms or labels for us to use.

 People who are attracted to the opposite sex are called ‘heterosexuals’ or “straight.”
 People who are attracted to people of the same sex are called “homosexual,” “gay” or “lesbian.”
 “Bisexual” or “bi” people are attracted to both sexes, male or female.
  LGBT refers to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.

APPRECIATING DIVERSITY

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), nature and nurture play a complex role in
shaping our sexual orientation. Homosexuality and heterosexuality are part of the human sexuality and
is a large part of the human experience.

Identifying as a heterosexual, lesbian, bi ,gay or transgender is a deeply personal process so it may be

more difficult for others safe to “come out “ or for them to become comfortable enough with their
sexuality that they feel safe to share it with other people. For others it comes early in adolescence while
for some, it may take time to understand and discover themselves.

According the Psychological Association of the Philippines, “we can only truly tell if the person is gay,
lesbian, or bisexual if the person shares with us his or her experiences and feelings of attraction towards
them.” That is why it is important for everyone to feel safe as they share their sexuality since it is a
personal and sensitive topic. We can do that in an environment wherein we do not feel judged and
discriminated upon. People who experience prejudice and discrimination suffer negative psychological
effects (APA), so we must work towards an inclusive environment where everyone feels safe.

Summary

The complexities of the human sexuality can be quite overwhelming. We need to look at our own
experience on our journey of discovering our sense of being a man and a woman for us to understand
others. We also need to engage in conversations with others for us to appreciate the many different
faces of human sexuality.

A baby is born and is given an assigned sex based on its genitals. In toddler years they are raised to be a
man or a woman great an assigned sex based on accepted social and cultural standards. We know that
these standards change through time, what is not acceptable now maybe acceptable in the future.