Gender vs Sex

The dictionary defines Gender as: the behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits typically associated with one sex.

I didn't realize that gender was so indefinite. I thought it was synonymous with Sex. What behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits define one's gender? It seems like Feelers and Thinkers have more in common with each other than men and women.

You could be a heterogendered homosexual or a homogendered heterosexual or a heterogendered heterosexual or a homogendered homosexual.

Your gender could change throughout your life if your psychological and/or behavioral traits change.

Your gender could change if you enter another culture with different gender roles.

Originally Posted by Spooky

The dictionary defines Gender as: the behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits typically associated with one sex.
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I like this "typically associated with one sex", associated or assumed?!!!
It's funny to note that when a baby is born the sex is physically obvious well nine times out of ten and the gender is assumed to be the same as the sex, sure like nine times out of ten it is but it's still an assumption! :P
I have an equality funny assumption ready? One out of every ten doctors are just glorified janitors ^_^

Originally Posted by Spooky

Your gender could change throughout your life if your psychological and/or behavioral traits change.

Your gender could change if you enter another culture with different gender roles.

I've read that gender is fixed, hard wired and can not change.
It's also like sexual orientation doesn't change but sexual preference can.
I've heard a lot of famous men claiming to be male lesbians. I'm sure that fits into one of your gender/sex combinations :P

I think there's a large number of possible genders, far more than the male-female binary we're used to. There's people who don't even consider themselves to have a gender, or people who believe that they are both,a dn others believe that they are a third gender.

Sex is biological, Gender isn't.

Thanks for this post, Spooky.

I have trouble relating to the idea of feeling like a certain gender. To me, it's always been the biological penis = male vagina = female, and gender was just sex roles imposed by people. I've never felt like a girl, I just, by cirumstance, have the right pieces to be one. I may be weird, I never thought sex meant much. I don't identify with being a girl, nor do I fit the gender role for it (I'm not a tomboy, either). I hope I'm not delving off topic here, but I'm curious about the mindsets that claim to feel like a certain gender or a third gender or nongender or whatever other labels apply.
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Spartan soldiers are often regarded as the epitome of strength, aggression, and masculinity. Their entire culture encompassed the military. One might say that it was a masculine society. They wanted their women to be masculine and used them primarily for reproducing new soldiers. The men often engaged in homosexuality, and it was common among women as well.

Sparta - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Spartan men were required to marry at age 30, after completing the Krypteia. Plutarch reports the peculiar customs associated with the Spartan wedding night:

The custom was to capture women for marriage(...)The so-called 'bridesmaid' took charge of the captured girl. She first shaved her head to the scalp, then dressed her in a man's cloak and sandals, and laid her down alone on a mattress in the dark. The bridegroom—who was not drunk and thus not impotent, but was sober as always—first had dinner in the messes, then would slip in, undo her belt, lift her and carry her to the bed.

The husband continued to visit his wife in secret for some time after the marriage. These customs, unique to the Spartans, have been interpreted in various ways. The "abduction" may have served to ward off the evil eye, and the cutting of the wife's hair was perhaps part of a rite of passage that signalled her entrance into a new life.

Sparta: The City That Was Better Than Athens

Homosexuality was very common in Sparta. Many believe that this was the same case for all of Greece, but it was only widely spread in a small number of Greek states. The men of ancient Sparta were largely homosexual, or bisexual. This may be because men grew up with the same group of males throughout their life. From when they started training at the age of 7, to when they died alongside of them in war. Bisexuality was also fairly common between women. Females would commonly have affairs with unmarried, young women.

Bisexuality is in the blood, so don't fight it boys!!
Shake of those socially conditioned shackles and live it up! lol!

Originally Posted by Shannonline

Bisexuality is in the blood, so don't fight it boys!!
Shake of those socially conditioned shackles and live it up! lol!

I have no sexual attraction to men whatsoever. I'm just disappointed by some of the roles that society has chosen men to fill in order to meet its criteria of masculinity.

Originally Posted by Psilo

I have trouble relating to the idea of feeling like a certain gender. To me, it's always been the biological penis = male vagina = female, and gender was just sex roles imposed by people. I've never felt like a girl, I just, by cirumstance, have the right pieces to be one. I may be weird, I never thought sex meant much. I don't identify with being a girl, nor do I fit the gender role for it (I'm not a tomboy, either). I hope I'm not delving off topic here, but I'm curious about the mindsets that claim to feel like a certain gender or a third gender or nongender or whatever other labels apply.
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I definitely agree.

Originally Posted by Spooky

Spartan soldiers are often regarded as the epitome of strength, aggression, and masculinity. Their entire culture encompassed the military. One might say that it was a masculine society. They wanted their women to be masculine and used them primarily for reproducing new soldiers. The men often engaged in homosexuality, and it was common among women as well.

This paragraph, particularly the second to last sentence, is phrased in a somewhat misleading way. (I'm kind of nitpicking here, but bear with me.) The passage uses "masculine" as if it had an absolute, universal meaning. However, what we regard as masculine may not match the Spartans' concept of masculinity.
Also, the point of gender roles is that they pare up necessary functions and assign each to one sex or the other. That is, they differentiate between the sexes, telling each what their duties and functions in the culture are. Therefore, if someone deems something feminine or masculine, it means that it is expected to be a role primarily for one sex.

Originally Posted by Spooky

I have no sexual attraction to men whatsoever. I'm just disappointed by some of the roles that society has chosen men to fill in order to meet its criteria of masculinity.

Are roles necessary (I'm referring solely to the social/cultural dimension of behavior, not any biological dimension)? Why or why not? Why is it necessary for a man to be "masculine" or a woman "feminine," however those terms may be defined?

I think this guy is interesting to watch.