Gender
A social, psychological, and cultural construct distinct from biological sex.
Gender refers to the social, psychological, cultural, and behavioral dimensions of being a man, woman, boy, girl, or someone who embodies a third gender. While gender often aligns with biological sex, a transgender person may identify with a gender different from the one they were assigned at birth. In most cultures, gender is organized around a binary system—two categories—and people are generally seen as belonging to one or the other. Those who don’t fit neatly into these groups are often described under the umbrella term non-binary. Some societies recognize additional genders, such as the hijras in South Asia or two-spirit people among Indigenous North American groups. Most researchers agree that gender is a fundamental way societies are structured, involving both social constructs like gender roles and personal expressions of gender.
The word “gender” has historically been used interchangeably with “sex,” and the balance between these meanings has changed over time. In the mid-20th century, a clear distinction between biological sex and gender emerged in fields like psychology, sociology, sexology, and feminism. Before that, “gender” mainly referred to grammatical categories. In the 1970s, feminist theory in the West adopted this distinction, treating gender as a social construct separate from sex. Today, most social scientists, behavioral scientists, biologists, legal systems, government bodies, and organizations like the WHO maintain this distinction. The experiences of intersex people further highlight the complexity of sex and gender, as people experience female, male, and other gender identities across a wide range of biological differences.
The social sciences include a dedicated field called gender studies. Other disciplines—such as psychology, sociology, sexology, and neuroscience—also examine gender. Social scientists often view gender as a social construct, especially within gender studies, while natural sciences investigate whether biological differences between females and males influence gender development. Both perspectives inform debates about how much biology shapes gender identity and gendered behavior. Biopsychosocial approaches combine biological, psychological, and social or cultural factors.
- field
- Social sciences, psychology, sociology, sexology, feminism, neuroscience
- known_for
- Distinction between biological sex and social construct of gender; central characteristic for social organization
- etymology
- From Middle English gender, gendre, from Anglo-Norman and Middle French gendre, from Latin genus, meaning 'kind', 'type', or 'sort'
Lore & Background
The modern English word gender comes from the Middle English gender, gendre, a loanword from Anglo-Norman and Middle French gendre, which in turn came from Latin genus. Both words mean 'kind', 'type', or 'sort', deriving ultimately from a Proto-Indo-European root *ǵénh₁- 'to beget'. The concept of gender, in the modern social science sense, is a recent invention in human history. The ancient world had no basis of understanding gender as it has been understood in the humanities and social sciences for the past few decades. The term gender had been associated with grammar for most of history and only started to move towards it being a malleable cultural construct in the 1950s and 1960s. Before the terminological distinction between biological sex and gender as a role developed, it was uncommon to use the word gender to refer to anything but grammatical categories. In the mid-20th century, a terminological distinction in modern English between biological sex and gender began to develop in the academic areas of psychology, sociology, sexology, and feminism. In the 1970s, feminist theory embraced the concept of a distinction between biological sex and the social construct of gender. The distinction between gender and sex is made by most contemporary social scientists in Western countries, behavioral scientists and biologists, many legal systems and government bodies, and intergovernmental agencies such as the WHO.
Reader's Guide
Gender is a central concept in the social sciences, with a branch devoted to gender studies, and is also studied in psychology, sociology, sexology, and neuroscience. The social sciences sometimes approach gender as a social construct, and gender studies particularly does, while research in the natural sciences investigates whether biological differences in females and males influence the development of gender in humans. Biopsychosocial approaches to gender include biological, psychological, and social/cultural aspects. The experiences of intersex people also testify to the complexity of sex and gender; female, male, and other gender identities are experienced across the many divergences of sexual difference. The term has been used as a synonym for sex, and the balance between these usages has shifted over time. In the 1970s, feminist scholars adopted the term gender as a way of distinguishing 'socially constructed' aspects of male–female differences from 'biologically determined' aspects. In legal contexts, courts have addressed discrimination on the basis of gender, noting a history of sex discrimination and the need for heightened scrutiny of gender-based classifications. The term's evolution reflects ongoing debates about the relationship between biological sex and social roles.
Did You Know?
- The word gender comes from Latin genus, meaning 'kind', 'type', or 'sort'.
- Before the mid-20th century, it was uncommon to use the word gender to refer to anything but grammatical categories.
- In the 1970s, feminist theory embraced the concept of a distinction between biological sex and the social construct of gender.
- Some societies have third genders, such as the hijras of South Asia and two-spirit persons native to North America.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Gender in this encyclopedia's context?
Gender encompasses the social, psychological, cultural, and behavioral dimensions through which people identify or express themselves as men, women, or third-gender categories. It is a concept examined across social sciences, psychology, sociology, sexology, feminism, and neuroscience.
How is Gender different from biological sex?
Sex refers to biological characteristics, whereas gender is understood as a social and cultural construct that shapes identity and self-presentation. A person's gender identity may diverge from the sex assigned at birth, as is the case for many transgender individuals.
What is the gender binary?
The gender binary is the framework most cultures use to sort gender into exactly two categories—man and woman—assigning every person to one or the other. Individuals whose identity falls outside those two groups are commonly described under the umbrella term non-binary.
Are there cultures that recognize more than two genders?
Yes, several societies historically acknowledge third, fourth, or additional gender categories beyond the standard binary. Examples include the hijras of South Asia and the two-spirit tradition among certain Indigenous North American peoples.
Where does the word 'Gender' come from?
The term traces back to Middle English 'gender' or 'gendre,' borrowed from Anglo-Norman and Middle French 'gendre,' which itself derives from the Latin 'genus' meaning kind, type, or sort.
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