It's a boy! A bouncing baby boy! He may grow up to be a star football player, fireman, or even President of the United States. Or maybe a more feminine profession such as an interior decorator or secretary. As that child grows up, his gender, masculine or feminine, will influence the lifestyle he chooses to live. Although parents may believe they have some control over their child?s decision, it is their child?s gender that has the final say and that gender is determined genetically.
The correct definition of gender is often confused with that of sex. Sex is the literal meaning of being male or female. Gender, on the other hand, is one?s sexual identity in regards to his social behavior and culture. Simply because a person was born female does not dictate that she should behave as one.
Nevertheless, many people argue that gender is learned. They believe parents must teach their children how boys and girls are supposed to act.
Masculine Feminine
English: Gender symbols, sexual orientation: heter...
Sexuality confusion crossedThe teaching process begins at birth by wrapping the infant son in a blue blanket and a daughter in a pink one. As gifts, girls get dolls and cooking sets and boys get toy trucks and action figures. Another argument for the learned theory can be viewed when considering other cultures such as Egyptian. There, women must dress and act as a man to be a shop owner or executive (Lorber 110). A third dispute with the biology theory pertains to transvestites and transsexuals. This theory, assumes they must learn how the opposite sex acts, how they dress, and how they are seen overall before they can change their gender (Lorber 108).
Although these few arguments do have some substance, there is plenty of evidence proving the opposition wrong. First and most of all, genetics determine gender. According...