Question

Why do sociologists find it important to differentiate between sex and gender ? What importance does the differentiation have in modern society ?

Answer 1

• To begin this argument, the discrepancy between the terms sex and gender was first proposed by feminist sociologists in the 1970’s, whereby many it was perceived as a conceptual breakthrough. This vital distinction has allowed sociologists to embrace gender, enabling them to emphasize the social over the biological.
• For instance, when we consider how males and females differentiate, ‘sex’ is normally the first thing to come to mind. Traditionally ‘sex’ is seen as a universal term based on nature. It is perceived as a biological entity, whereby its biological characteristics define humans as either male (XY) or female (XX).
• Such anatomical characteristics are typically taken to have the following six components; chromosome make-up, external genitals, internal genitals, hormonal states and secondary sex characteristics. The addition of all of these qualities forms the basis of which sex category most people fall under; female or male.
  
• In contrast to sex, the concept of ‘gender’ is not viewed as an inbuilt trait. Instead gender refers to the behaviours and attitudes a group consider appropriate for its males and females. Subsequently, gender is not fixed at any one time; it is susceptible to change over time and is culturally variable.
• Whereas sex refers to male or female, gender is associated with masculinity or femininity. Thus, this implies that our gender is learnt because we are socialized by our culture to assert certain behaviours and attitudes which are suitable for our sex.
• The ‘sex-gender distinction’ also provides sociologists with a means of observing the social determination of gender at different levels of experience. This process of gender socialization involves a number of key agents of socialization, such as family, the education system and the media.  
• One kind of gender socialization identified was canalization, whereby on the foundations of sex, children are given different toys by their parents which focus the child’s interests in certain ‘appropriate’ objects and activities.
• For instance, boys are given toy cars, trains and planes which are linked to active and technical connotations. Whereas, girls are more likely to be given dolls, teddy bears, prams and miniature, toy ovens which stimulate a rehearsal of female traditional roles such as cooking.  
• A further type of gender socialisation identified is verbal appellation. This refers to the content and style of language used by parents, which provides a further process of differentiation. For example boys are often described as ‘big strong lads’ whilst girls are frequently referred to as ‘sweet little angels’.
• The words and phrases parents use to praise or criticise their children help build up the child’s self-concept of what a boy and girl should be, thus contributing to the reinforcement of gender identity within the family.
• A further reason for the distinction between sex and gender has been argued by feminist sociologists, who have claimed that when sex and gender are interchangeable it is easily argued that certain experiences are an inevitable consequence of being male or female. This eventually leads to sexism (normally in relation to women rather than men).
• For example, traditionally it was often seen that women were naturally to do the housework and raise and care for the children rather than participate in paid work. However, nowadays in our modern industrialised culture, research has shown that this traditional view has now changed as statistics have revealed that today 60% of married couples depend on two incomes. This supports the idea that gender is susceptible to change over time.
• The ‘sex-gender distinction’ is therefore vital for feminists and other researchers as it enables them to investigate a males and females gendered experiences without having to revert back to biological determinism.
• This allows feminist sociologists to argue that there is nothing about a women’s biology that causes a women’s subordination. But instead, that the inequalities between the two sexes are socially determined phenomena that have the capacity for change. As a result, this allows women to drive a divide between what women are told they ‘should be’ and what they ‘actually are’.
• In conclusion, the ‘sex-gender distinction’ can be seen as important for sociologists for a number of reasons, as outlined above. However, the fact that the ‘sex-gender distinction’ is perceived as fixed and unchangeable leads too one if it’s major flaws; it’s too narrow. This means that many nuances of intricate social organisations are excluded.
• This acts a vital drawback and leads to the view that it may be more efficient for sociologists to consider the view that each of the two key concepts is dependent on the other; gender is influenced by sex and sex is influenced by gender.