Many people use sex and gender interchangeably but have different meanings. Sex refers to the biological characteristics we are born with like chromosomes, anatomy, hormones, and other physical and physiological attributes. These attributes influence a person’s behavior, for example, shaving beards, wearing bras, etc. does not show us how we think or feel. Whether a person sees themselves feminine or masculine depends on gender. Gender refers to learned attitudes and behaviors that characterize women or men. Gender is based on social and cultural expectations rather than physical traits. Most people are born either male or female, but then learn to be women or men. In many societies, women are expected to look young, thin, and attractive and men are expected to look muscular and be the breadwinners. These physical characteristics such as breasts and a man’s genitals indicate whether someone is male or female, but a number of people are living with both sexes. Intersexuals are people whose medical classification at birth isn’t clearly either male or female. Since they are born with both male and female genitals or incomplete development of internal reproductive organs. Some parents seek surgery or wait until the child is of age or is old enough to decide what they want to do. As society has become acceptable there’s no reason why they shouldn’t live a normal life as the rest.
In society, gender roles are the characteristics, attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that society expects of females and males. Nowadays people are more likely to pursue jobs and other activities based on their ability and interests rather than their sex. However certain societies are still gendered stereotyping. Gender stereotypes are expectations about how people will look, act, think, and feel based on their sex. Women are stereotypically characterized as being weak and men are associated with being strong. Certain behavior is described differently when it comes to a woman and men, for example, he’s firm; she’s stubborn, he’s careful about details; she’s picky, he’s honest; she’s opinionated, he’s raising good pints; she’s “bitching”, and he’s a man of the world; she’s “been around”.
Throughout the year’s women have made substantial educational progress. Women across all racial and ethnic groups are more likely to finish college. Women have surpassed men in earning associates, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees, but earn only 37 percent of professional and doctoral degrees. Even when a woman earns a doctoral degree in a male-dominated STEM field, they are less likely than men to be hired. But once a woman is hired, they are less likely to be promoted due to stereotyping. Women also face a gender pay gap for every dollar paid to their male counterparts; a woman earns 77 to 78 cents. An average woman who works full-time year-round for 47 years loses a significant amount of money because of the gender gap. This affects women in the long run since lower wages and salaries reduce women’s savings, purchasing power, and bring them to lower social security income after retirement.
