Sex & Gender
We often use “sex” and “gender” to label the 2 different kinds of humans, i.e. female and male. But why there are two words in defining it?
Sex generally refers to the biological differences between females and males. For example, we would say “sexual difference” when we refer to differences in reproductive organs, or biological differences like hormonal levels.
Gender generally talks about the differences between the two sexes on a cultural basis. For example, we would say “gender difference” when we refer to differences in behaviors, differences in social roles etc.
However, while some experts insist that we should differentiate the two words vividly, others propose that we should actually treat the two words as synonyms. This is based upon the belief that sex influences the shaping of gender in one while gender influences the shaping of sex in an evolutionary term.
In my opinion, since the majority have no idea about the precise definition of the two words, and have been using them interchangeably for so long; insisting to depart them is just like insisting to differentiate men and women (ha!). Why don’t we just follow the flow; there aren’t so many differences after all. Ask yourself, is men really from Mars and women are from Venus?
We are all from Earth =]
