Essentials Of Sociology: A Down-To-Earth Approach

Sex, Gender and Gender Roles

From the moment we were conceived sex and gender have been an important part our lives. It determines the colors for the baby shower, the toys we will receive on holidays, the roles we will take on as adults and even the inequalities we will endure in life. In chapter 10 of “ Essentials of Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach, Eleventh Edition” Jim Henslin discusses the factors that make up a person’s sex and gender, and gender roles. Sex pertains to an individual’s reproductive characteristics, in contrast, gender is the expected behavior based on the sex of an individual.

First, Henslin refers to the term sex as being the “biological characteristics that distinguish males and females” (2015). These include our

Gender is the “behaviors and attitudes a group considers proper for its males and females” (Henslin 2015). These behaviors differ in cultures and around the world. Gender is based on masculinity and femininity not male and female (Henslin 2015). For example, one of the first things I bought my 11 month old daughter was earrings. I took her to get her ears pierced when she was 6 months old because it makes her look feminine. However, if you travel to a remote part of Africa I assure you will find a tribe where males with the most piercings are consider masculine. Why? This behavior is consider appropriate with in their culture because, as mentioned before, gender differs with every

Gender roles are expectations set by society based on society’s beliefs and values about gender and sex (Henslin 2015). My mother used to tell me when I was a little girl that being a women was hard work, she would look down to me and tell me how much easier life would have been if I was born a little boy. At the time I did not understand what she meant but as I grew I realized the meaning behind our conversation. My mother is an old fashion Mexican lady and in Mexico the role of a women is to be a house wife, care for the children and household, listen to your husband obey his rules, and keep quite even when he is unfaithful or beats you. My father’s role was to be the breadwinner, he had no rules. He was not affectionate maybe because he had to fulfill his role which was to be fearless, strong and masculine. My mom, on the other hand, was always caring, nurturing, and loving.

Gender roles can also be a factor in inequality. Many women today still face inequality. It has been proven over and over again in studies that females are paid less than males in most job occupations. There was a time when women were not allowed to vote or buy property. In some cultures women still have inequality issues. For example, the Muslim community has very strict rules for women’s attire and marriage arrangements. Females are seen as property with no authority. Women there are not considered providers of their