UNIT I

GENDER AND SEXUALITY AS A SOCIAL REALITY

LESSON 1

SEX, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY

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 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. Differentiating

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. 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 a person’s biological sex does not
align with one’s gender identity. People with this experience are referred
to as transgenders, such as a male who does not feel comfortable
identifying (transgender woman) or a as a man 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.

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 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’ based on
accepted social and cultural standards. We know that these standards
change through time, what is not acceptable now may be acceptable in
the future.