The word "gender" is spelled with the letter "g" at the beginning, followed by the letters "e", "n", "d", "e", and "r". In IPA phonetic transcription, it is pronounced as /ˈdʒɛndər/. The "g" is pronounced with a soft "j" sound, and the emphasis is on the first syllable. This word refers to the social and cultural expectations associated with being male or female, as opposed to the biological distinctions of sex. The spelling of "gender" has remained constant throughout the English language's history.
Gender is a complex and multifaceted concept that refers to the societal and cultural roles, expectations, behaviors, identities, and characteristics attributed to individuals based on their perceived or assigned sex. It is important to distinguish between gender and sex, as sex typically refers to the biological attributes, such as reproductive organs, chromosomes, and hormones, that categorize individuals as male or female.
Gender encompasses a wide range of dimensions, including but not limited to, femininity, masculinity, and androgyny. These dimensions are socially constructed and can vary significantly across different societies and cultures. They influence how individuals perceive themselves, interact with others, and are perceived by others. Gender is not an inherent or fixed quality, but rather a fluid and dynamic social construct that is subject to change and can be influenced by factors such as cultural norms, socialization, and personal identity.
Gender identity refers to an individual's deeply felt sense of their own gender, which may or may not align with the sex assigned to them at birth. Transgender individuals, for example, have a gender identity that differs from their assigned sex. It is important to respect and validate individuals' gender identities and support their right to self-identify their own gender.
Gender roles are the expectations and behaviors that society assigns to individuals based on their perceived gender. These roles can include traditional stereotypes and expectations regarding appearance, behavior, interests, and occupations. Gender roles can have a significant impact on individuals, shaping their self-perception, opportunities, and interactions with others. Gender equality seeks to challenge and dismantle restrictive and discriminatory gender roles, advocating for the fair and equal treatment of individuals of all genders.
The difference in words expressing the distinction between male and female; sex.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "gender" has its roots in Latin. It comes from the Latin word "genus", which means "kind" or "type". In classical Latin, "genus" was used to refer to different categories, such as biological types or classes of individuals. In the 14th century, "gender" entered the English language and was initially used to describe grammatical categories for nouns, pronouns, and adjectives, reflecting the classification of words into masculine, feminine, and neuter genders. Over time, the term evolved to encompass broader concepts related to social and cultural distinctions between male and female.