Question

There are a number of indicators of biological sex and gender. Define biological sex. Define gender. Explain how they are the same or not, and your response must include at least two (2) examples or indicators of biological sex and gender.

Answer 1

Let's first note that there actually is a "biological sex" concept, but the term "gender" doesn't exist in biology, it is a social science term.

The biological sex is defined as the reproductive role each individual is given by natural processes. The sex can be female, if you ere designated to carry the gamete known as egg, or male of the gamete designated for you are the sperm cells. Biological sex is basically determined by just that in general, the gametes and their respective gonad (testicles or ovaries), but each particular species may develop secondary traits that indicate their sex, like striking plumage in male birds or larger sizes in female spiders. For humans, some indicators could be the mammary glands development (positive for female and negative for male), propensity to develop more body hair in males, and even the karyotype (sexual pair as XX in females and XY in males).

Note that some diseases and conditions may lead to some indicators to fail, but those are exceptions.

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The term of gender refers to the social behaviors and functions acquired and related to each biological sex. The gender specifics are very unstable, as such behaviors and functions tend to have a lot of variation depending on the social culture. There is some truth about some of those behaviors and functions being based in actual and real physical differences between biological sexes. The typical genders are the male and the female, in our occidental culture we can find some common indicators associated to each gender. Sensitivite, soothing, fearful, submissive, more careful way of behavior is normally in the female gender, while a more brave, insensitive, careless, authoritarian, protective behavior is normally in the male gender. Remember we aer talking about gender, not about biological sex, so the female and male genders description will not synch with the female and male biological sexes.