Gender vs Gender Identity
Both gender and gender identity are associated with an individual’s femininity or masculinity. Gender refers to one’s male or female roles and differentiates males from females based on various features like biological sex, social gender roles, societal structures, and gender identity. In contrast, gender identity is an individual’s awareness and private sense of being a man or a woman.
Key Takeaways
- Gender is acquired by children based on social expectations and by observing their surroundings, while gender identity is formed as a result of social influence and personal interests.
- Accepting one’s gender depends on factors like biological sex, social expectations, and gender identity, while accepting gender identity is mostly influenced by external factors and personal choice.
- Gender is not about biological differences but social differences between the two sexes, while gender identity is a person’s private sense of being a man or a woman.
What is Gender?
Gender assigns individuals roles in society and differentiates females from males. It identifies tasks specific to different sexes, which vary depending on the values and beliefs of a particular society. Almost all societies have distinct social and cultural roles for males and females. Children acquire gender by observing their environment, following elders, and learning from punishments and rewards related to different behavior patterns.
Although the term “sex” is predominantly associated with biology, gender is used in social sciences. Thus, gender is not about biological differences but social differences between the two sexes. However, an individual’s sex does influence their gender characteristics and socially defined gender roles.
What is Gender Identity?
Gender identity is a person’s private sense of being a man or a woman. By accepting socially defined gender roles and behaviors, a person develops a specific gender identity. This forms the basis of an individual’s social identity. It is believed that a child forms their gender identity between three to five years, and once formed, it is generally rigid and challenging to change. A child’s identification of gender can be affected by the influence of others, social expectations, and personal interests.
A young child may identify themselves as a girl or a boy, but they may not be fully aware of the social implications of gender and gender roles. There are cases of gender identity disorders where a person’s biological sex does not conform to socially defined gender roles or identities. However, gender identity helps a person adapt to their society and adjust accordingly.
What is the difference between Gender and Gender Identity?
Definitions of Gender and Gender Identity:
- Gender: Gender is one’s identification of socially expected roles and differentiating oneself as male or female based on those features.
- Gender Identity: Gender identity is one’s awareness of being a man or a woman, biologically and socially.
Formation of the Concept Gender and Gender Identity:
- Gender: Gender is acquired by children depending on social expectations and by observing their surroundings.
- Gender Identity: Gender identity is formed as a result of social influence and personal interests.
Acceptance of the Concept Gender and Gender Identity:
- Gender: Accepting one’s gender depends on factors like biological sex, social expectations, and gender identity.
- Gender Identity: Accepting gender identity mostly happens with external influence, and the individual may have their own choice whether to form the identity as it is or not.
