Sex gender and sexuality
Chapter 10
Sex gender and sexuality
Jo-Anne D. Petrie, M.Ed. Psychology 260 Fall 2018
Big Questions How does biology make us male or female? Why do we act masculine or feminine? How do we vary in sexual orientation? What motivates us to have sexual relations (or not to)?
How does biology make us male or female?
Biological sex refers to physical factors that determine the sex of a person
Sex chromosomes-xx Female/ xy male
Sex glands-ovaries (F) release more estrogen and develop mature eggs
Males testes (M) release more androgens (testosterone) and develop mature sperm cells.
Biological sex
Refers to physical factors that determine one’s sex as male or female
NOT the same as gender
Social differences between being male or female
Humans are more than just male or female
Gender nonconformity
Some people don’t feel especially male or female
Some may feel more male in some situations and more female in other situations (i.e., gender nonconformity)
Secondary Sex characteristics
Female
increased release of estradiol
defining in the waist
increase in fat
breast development
body hair (arm pits)
pubic hair
Secondary Sex characteristics
Male
Greater muscle mass
Facial hair
Deepening voice
Angular jaw
Body hair (armpits and chest)
Pubic hair
Primary Sex Characteristics
Female-
Mature internal organs (uterus and ovaries with egg cells)
Mature genitals (vagina)
Menarche- woman’s first menstrual period
Males
Mature internal organs (testes with sperm cells)
Mature genitals (penis)
Spermarche -is the beginning of development of sperm in boys’ testicles at puberty.
Brains
Female
Less reactive amygdala –(a roughly almond-shaped mass of gray matter inside each cerebral hemisphere, involved with the experiencing of emotions) – larger and more reactive orbito-frontal cortex create a tendency toward less physical aggression
Male
More reactive amygdala smaller obrito-frontal cortex and reduced coupling of amygdala and prefrontal cortex create a tendency toward physical aggression.
Biological sex
Sex chromosomes
Genetic material determined at conception by the 23rd pair of chromosomes in fertilized egg
Mother’s egg cell always donates X chromosome
Father’s sperm cell either donates X or Y chromosome
Female XX sex chromosomes
Male XY sex chromosomes
Sex determined by whether a sperm that fertilizes egg carries X or Y chromosome
What happens as in the case of Coy Mathis?
Gender is not the same as biological sex.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJZYquakPkk
What happens when children’s genitals are not fully developed and their parents decide the sex for them?
Hormonal abnormalities 1 in every 1,500 children are born with no clarity of either a vagina or penis
Reason being maybe exposed to androgens in utero.
Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS)
-body doesn’t respond to testosterone -not fully developed penis, testes don’t descend -may have what looks like a vagina
Let’s discuss what can happen in this case?
Nature
chromosomes and hormones
Nurture
environnent, parents/peers/society/media influences
XXY Klinefelter Syndrome
Boys born with 3 chromosomes
Symptoms: Birth-small testes and penis, misplaced/delayed speech
Puberty-don’t have normal development of secondary sex characteristics, develops some fat on breasts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9ne4Cwy9T4
X0
Turner Syndrome
Girls missing a chromosome Symptoms: Birth- no abnormalities externally Puberty- lack of 2nd sex characteristics, shorter, never menstruate due to undeveloped ovaries
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aowhL33lTDs
ancy or in early childhood. Occasionally, in females with mild signs and symptoms of Turner syndrome, the diagnosis is delayed until the teen or young adult year
Intersexuality
Physical doesn’t match chromosomal makeup
Variety of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male.
For example, a person might be born appearing to be female on the outside, but having mostly male-typical anatomy on the inside.
Or a person may be born with genitals that seem to be in-between the usual male and female types—for example, a girl may be born with a noticeably large clitoris, or lacking a vaginal opening, or a boy may be born with a notably small penis, or with a scrotum that is divided so that it has formed more like labia.
Or a person may be born with mosaic genetics, so that some of her cells have XX chromosomes and some of them have XY.
Gender
Social, cultural, psychological aspects of masculinity and femininity
How has what we explored thus far or your knowledge differ from the stereotypical “gender” stereotypes?
Gender Schemas
cognitive model about being male/female and masculine/feminine
Gender Stereotypes
commonly held beliefs about what males/females are like and what they do
Gender Roles
position/characteristic/interest expected based on gender
Gender Identity
How you identify in terms of male or female regardless of anything else
Transgender
Gender identity differs from biological sex
Transgender
gender identity differs from biological sex
Transitioning
Transgender
gender identity differs from biological sex
Transitioning
Gender Dysphoria
Experiencing depression/ stress/ anxiety related to being transgender, go one for 6+ months, interferes with day to day function
Sexual Orientation
Has to deal with who you are attracted to sexually/romantically/emotionally
Heterosexual
Heterosexual
Attracted to other sex
Homosexual
Attracted to same sex
Bi-sexual
attracted to all sexes
Asexual
attracted to neither men or women
Transitioning
Discovery/Research Therapy Coming Out Hormones Passing Name Change Surgery
