According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), gender encompasses the roles, interactions, and relationships between women and men, both in how they are perceived and in their real-world implications. Rather than stemming from biological traits, gender is shaped by societal influences. It functions as a key framework through which societies are structured, influencing activities such as production, reproduction, consumption, and distribution (FAO, 1997).
In simpler terms, gender refers to the commonly accepted social norms and expectations that define how men and women are supposed to behave, think, and interact. It is a concept born out of cultural and social practices that distinguish males from females, guiding behavior, roles, and interactions. These norms are not static — they evolve over time and differ across cultures and communities.
Distinguishing Gender from Sex
While closely related, the concepts of sex and gender are fundamentally different. This distinction was first clearly outlined by Robert Stoller in the 1960s. He argued that “sex” should be reserved for discussing the biological traits of males and females, while “gender” refers to the learned behaviors and roles shaped by culture and society.
Sex is used to describe the biological attributes that differentiate men from women — such as reproductive organs and chromosomes. These physical traits are fixed at birth and determine whether a person is classified as male or female. Historically, the idea that women’s lower social status is a natural consequence of biology has been widely accepted.
Gender, on the other hand, refers to the societal framework that defines and teaches different roles and behaviors for men and women. These are not innate, but learned through socialization and shaped by cultural expectations. The power dynamics associated with gender are rooted in social structures and are not biologically determined. Since gender roles and identities are shaped by society, they can vary significantly between cultures and can shift over time.
Key Differences Between Sex and Gender
| Attribute | Sex (Biological Traits) | Gender (Social Constructs) |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Inherent physical or biological differences | Differences shaped by social and cultural norms |
| Nature | Inborn and determined by biology | Constructed through societal expectations |
| Changeability | Generally unchangeable; fixed at birth | Flexible and subject to change based on cultural context |
| Roles | Roles based on biological differences are consistent across history | Roles vary widely depending on time and society |
| Policy Focus | Addresses physical and biological needs | Targets gender stereotypes and inequality in roles |
