Gender
Gender refers to the social, psychological, cultural, and behavioral aspects of being a man, woman, or other gender identity. It includes the socially constructed roles, behaviors, expressions, and identities of girls, women, boys, men, and gender-diverse people. Gender is not confined to a binary (girl/woman, boy/man) and exists along a continuum, and it can change over time. It influences how people perceive themselves and each other, how they act and interact, and the distribution of power and resources in society.
Gender is a social construct that varies from society to society and can change over time. It is hierarchical and produces inequalities that intersect with other social and economic inequalities. Gender-based discrimination intersects with other factors of discrimination, such as ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability, age, geographic location, gender identity, and sexual orientation, among others. Gender interacts with but is different from sex, which refers to the different biological and physiological characteristics of females, males, and intersex persons, such as chromosomes, hormones, and reproductive organs. Gender and sex are related to but different from gender identity, which refers to a person’s deeply felt, internal, and individual experience of gender, which may or may not correspond to the person’s physiology or designated sex at birth.
Gender expression is how individuals choose to express their gender identity through their name, pronouns, clothing, hairstyle, behavior, voice, or body features. It includes using facilities that match up with ones own sense of gender. Gender expression is not confined to what is traditionally considered masculine or feminine and can change over time and within different cultures.
In summary, gender encompasses a wide range of social, psychological, cultural, and behavioral aspects that influence how individuals perceive themselves and each other, how they act and interact, and the distribution of power and resources in society. It is a complex and multifaceted concept that is deeply intertwined with social, economic, and cultural factors.
