General Article What’s the difference between sex and gender?

Topic Selected: Sexuality and Gender Book Volume: 369
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Sex and gender identity can be a complicated subject. Here is our (very) basic introduction to the difference between sex and gender.

Have you ever wondered about the difference between sex and gender? They’re two very different things, but people often get them mixed up or find them confusing. There are lots of different terms that relate to sex and gender, but this article is about an easy-to-understand introduction to this complex question.

What is sex?

For once, we’re not talking about intercourse. When you were born, a doctor or a nurse will have assigned you a ‘sex’ by examining which biological reproductive organs you have, what sex chromosomes are inside your body, or even by measuring your hormone levels. These sexes are:

Male – The sex assigned to a boy or man who produces sperm cells via the testes. They have an XY sex chromosome, and often higher levels of the testosterone hormone.

Female – The sex assigned to a girl or woman who produces egg cells via the ovaries, which...

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