Overview

Gender is the social performance of being male or female. It is distinct from biological sex.

Core Idea

The core idea is performativity. “One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman” (Simone de Beauvoir). We “do” gender every day through our clothes, speech, and behavior.

Formal Definition

  • Sex: Biological differences (Chromosomes, Hormones).
  • Gender: Social and cultural significance attached to those differences.

Intuition

  • Pink vs. Blue: 100 years ago, pink was for boys (strong color) and blue for girls (dainty). Society flipped it. This proves gender norms are arbitrary.
  • Patriarchy: A social system where men hold primary power.

Examples

  • The Pay Gap: Women earning less than men for similar work (or being steered into lower-paying fields).
  • Toxic Masculinity: Cultural norms that harm men (suppressing emotions, violence).
  • Non-Binary: Rejecting the strict male/female binary.

Common Misconceptions

  • Misconception: Gender is determined by biology.
    • Correction: Biology plays a role, but culture amplifies and enforces it.
  • Misconception: Feminism is about hating men.
    • Correction: It is the belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes.

Applications

  • Law: Title IX (Gender equality in education).
  • Workplace: Parental leave policies.

Criticism and Limitations

  • Biological Essentialism: The counter-argument that men and women are fundamentally wired differently (Evolutionary Psychology).

Further Reading

  • Gender Trouble by Judith Butler
  • The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir