<p>According to the American Academy of Pediatrics the following is stated:</p>

<p><strong>Sex is a biological construct, what is real</strong>:<br>
Attributes that characterize biological maleness and femaleness including:<br>
Chromosomes<br>
Hormones<br>
Anatomy</p>

<p><strong>Gender is a social construct, or 'man-made'</strong>:<br>
Attitudes and feelings that a given culture associates with a persons biological sex such as:<br>
Gender expression<br>
Gender roles and behavioirs<br>
Gender identity<br>
This Varies by time and culture</p>

<p>I am not able to identify to what degree the AAP's views are accepted or rejected by other organizations.  </p>

<p>Source:
<a href="https://www.aap.org/en-us/Documents/solgbt_webinar_transition_garofalo.pdf" rel="noreferrer">PDF</a>, slide 7, from the AAP</p>

<h2>Reference (Best attempt available for now)</h2>

<p>Garofalo, R. (2013). Understanding Gender Nonconformity in Childhood and Adolescence<br>
<strong>Webinar Video</strong>: <a href="https://www.aamc.org/initiatives/diversity/449804/aap2.html" rel="noreferrer">https://www.aamc.org/initiatives/diversity/449804/aap2.html</a><br>
<strong>Free Original Source PDF</strong>: <a href="https://www.aap.org/en-us/Documents/solgbt_webinar_transition_garofalo.pdf" rel="noreferrer">https://www.aap.org/en-us/Documents/solgbt_webinar_transition_garofalo.pdf</a><br>
<strong>Source PDF Bibliography [Free PDF]</strong>: <a href="http://www.pedsuniversity.org/Portals/2/biblios/Garofalo_Gender_biblio.pdf" rel="noreferrer">http://www.pedsuniversity.org/Portals/2/biblios/Garofalo_Gender_biblio.pdf</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-24T04:14:48.293Z
I found a direct link on your answer [here](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/q/19795) so I edited to suit.  A full APA reference is still required please
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-24T05:06:40.850Z
For anyone interested, I found a video of the webinar in the pdf at https://www.aamc.org/initiatives/diversity/449804/aap2.html
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-24T14:41:21.677Z
I have been trying to find the original source of the PDF to help, but Google Scholar gives Garofalo, R. (2013). Understanding Gender Nonconformity in Childhood and Adolescence. *Pediatrics*, 132(1), e297-313. But, [Pediatrics, 132(1), e297-313](http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/132/1#node1763) is Levine, D. A. (2013). Office-based care for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. Which incidentally is referenced in [the bibliography for the PDF linked in the answer](http://www.pedsuniversity.org/Portals/2/biblios/Garofalo_Gender_biblio.pdf).  **Not Good**
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-10-21T13:45:04.577Z
One point I’ve been exploring is we often passively adopt the terms “objectively real” vs. “socially constructed” since they are a common, seemingly intuitive way of differentiating between tangible physical forms and abstract social concepts. But I have considered it lacks justification. Every thing, concept, entity, etc first and foremost exists in the mind. “Sex” and “gender” are both mental constructs: a human mind lumping together experiential data based on similarity of patterns, into classes with generalized characteristics. They are both mental constructs.
Julius Hamilton
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-10-21T13:48:11.940Z
The primary difference I think is that mental constructs evolve partially as approximations or mirrors of perceived reality, but also by human-to-human direct transmission, you could even call it “injection” to emphasize how bluntly a person acquires concepts from other people in their culture’s discourse, media, etc. Concepts are molded by experience but they also mold experience by acting as “frames”. Experience gets filtered and organized and perceived through concepts, so we perceive the objects, the bounded conceptual regions or entities, around us that we have installed in our heads.
Julius Hamilton
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-10-21T13:50:33.420Z
I think it could be more accurate to say that sex is a mental construct which classifies physical observations of the body, gender is a construct incorporating many socio-psychological categories in how it draws lines and creates definition.
Julius Hamilton
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-10-21T13:53:24.823Z
But the physical body, the conscious mind, and the interaction of multiple consciousnesses in a society, is a continuum, a single complex, self-transforming, and reactive system. You can draw a line between parts of a color continuum to create discrete colors if you want to, but  a category is more predictively accurate when it maps as accurately as possible to external reality. “Gender” and “sex” aren’t independent or decoupled, they have bidirectional interrelationships.
Julius Hamilton
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-23T12:22:36.333Z
2018-05-24T14:47:48.727Z
2018-05-24T14:47:48.727Z
Adam Heeg
<p>Gender is often loosely described as the psychological parallel of sex. But this is more like a simile than a description. It is also often noted as being in the mind e.g. <a href="http://itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Genderbread-Person-3.3.jpg" rel="noreferrer">the genderbread man</a>.</p>

<p>When you look for a more complete description results vary. It is sometimes described as:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>A person's expectation of their physical sex. This implies that we know in our heads what our secondary sexual characteristics ought to be, in the same way that we have an awareness of where our arms and legs are. This relates strongly to gender dysphoria. Under this definition of gender transgender people are defined by their feelings of gender dysphoria, which is to feel that your secondary sexual characteristics are somehow incorrect.</p></li>
<li><p>Gender is also sometimes described as a personality label. Under this definition we associate different genders with different averaged personality. No real personality exactly fits a gender, but like the difference between a feminine face and a masculine face we identify ourselves by that which we are closer to. So for example having a larger nose is generally a masculine face trait but there would still be predominantly female faces with large noses, just as attention to detail is predominantly a female trait but there will still be male personalities that incorporate high attention to detail.</p></li>
<li><p>Gender is also described as a set of socially constructed roles. There are behavior patterns and activities that are associated with different genders. The behavior of an individual defines their gender. This would make gender entirely a social construct.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>This is probably not a complete list. I also suspect that multiple items might be 'true' (or perhaps useful is a better word) simultaneously. The word gender clearly has many different meanings to different people. I would like to know what meanings are out there and who uses each meaning. Please feel free to only add one definition.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-25T21:49:18.007Z
@nocomprende when we say a persons 'sex' we really are abrevating the words "[secondary sexual characteristics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_sex_characteristic)". There is normaly little chance of confusing this meaning with the activity.
Jekowl
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-26T15:15:02.457Z
Physical gender is sort of a contridiction in terms. As mentioned in the question gender is psychological, (or possibly social) but never physical. [This](http://itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Genderbread-Person-3.3.jpg) is quite a good summary. Over the last year my own understading of this has developed so I will update the question now.
Jekowl
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-30T20:39:54.190Z
http://cogsci.stackexchange.com/q/10751/8698
Vakalate
<social-psychology><terminology><gender>
What are the meanings of the word 'gender'?
Jekowl
# What are the meanings of the word 'gender'?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-12-09)

Gender is often loosely described as the psychological parallel of sex. But this is more like a simile than a description. It is also often noted as being in the mind e.g. [the genderbread man](http://itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Genderbread-Person-3.3.jpg).

When you look for a more complete description results vary. It is sometimes described as:

1. A person's expectation of their physical sex. This implies that we know in our heads what our secondary sexual characteristics ought to be, in the same way that we have an awareness of where our arms and legs are. This relates strongly to gender dysphoria. Under this definition of gender transgender people are defined by their feelings of gender dysphoria, which is to feel that your secondary sexual characteristics are somehow incorrect.
2. Gender is also sometimes described as a personality label. Under this definition we associate different genders with different averaged personality. No real personality exactly fits a gender, but like the difference between a feminine face and a masculine face we identify ourselves by that which we are closer to. So for example having a larger nose is generally a masculine face trait but there would still be predominantly female faces with large noses, just as attention to detail is predominantly a female trait but there will still be male personalities that incorporate high attention to detail.
3. Gender is also described as a set of socially constructed roles. There are behavior patterns and activities that are associated with different genders. The behavior of an individual defines their gender. This would make gender entirely a social construct.

This is probably not a complete list. I also suspect that multiple items might be 'true' (or perhaps useful is a better word) simultaneously. The word gender clearly has many different meanings to different people. I would like to know what meanings are out there and who uses each meaning. Please feel free to only add one definition.

**Tags:** social-psychology, terminology, gender

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: @nocomprende when we say a persons 'sex' we really are abrevating the words "[secondary sexual characteristics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_sex_characteristic)". There is normaly little chance of confusing this meaning with the activity.  
> **username_0**: Physical gender is sort of a contridiction in terms. As mentioned in the question gender is psychological, (or possibly social) but never physical. [This](http://itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Genderbread-Person-3.3.jpg) is quite a good summary. Over the last year my own understading of this has developed so I will update the question now.  
> **username_1**: http://cogsci.stackexchange.com/q/10751/8698  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-05-23. Score: 6

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics the following is stated:

**Sex is a biological construct, what is real**:  
Attributes that characterize biological maleness and femaleness including:  
Chromosomes  
Hormones  
Anatomy

**Gender is a social construct, or 'man-made'**:  
Attitudes and feelings that a given culture associates with a persons biological sex such as:  
Gender expression  
Gender roles and behavioirs  
Gender identity  
This Varies by time and culture

I am not able to identify to what degree the AAP's views are accepted or rejected by other organizations.

Source:
[PDF](https://www.aap.org/en-us/Documents/solgbt_webinar_transition_garofalo.pdf), slide 7, from the AAP

## Reference (Best attempt available for now)

Garofalo, R. (2013). Understanding Gender Nonconformity in Childhood and Adolescence  
**Webinar Video**: <https://www.aamc.org/initiatives/diversity/449804/aap2.html>  
**Free Original Source PDF**: <https://www.aap.org/en-us/Documents/solgbt_webinar_transition_garofalo.pdf>  
**Source PDF Bibliography [Free PDF]**: <http://www.pedsuniversity.org/Portals/2/biblios/Garofalo_Gender_biblio.pdf>

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: I found a direct link on your answer [here](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/q/19795) so I edited to suit.  A full APA reference is still required please  
> **username_3**: For anyone interested, I found a video of the webinar in the pdf at https://www.aamc.org/initiatives/diversity/449804/aap2.html  
> **username_3**: I have been trying to find the original source of the PDF to help, but Google Scholar gives Garofalo, R. (2013). Understanding Gender Nonconformity in Childhood and Adolescence. *Pediatrics*, 132(1), e297-313. But, [Pediatrics, 132(1), e297-313](http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/132/1#node1763) is Levine, D. A. (2013). Office-based care for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. Which incidentally is referenced in [the bibliography for the PDF linked in the answer](http://www.pedsuniversity.org/Portals/2/biblios/Garofalo_Gender_biblio.pdf).  **Not Good**  
> **username_4**: One point I’ve been exploring is we often passively adopt the terms “objectively real” vs. “socially constructed” since they are a common, seemingly intuitive way of differentiating between tangible physical forms and abstract social concepts. But I have considered it lacks justification. Every thing, concept, entity, etc first and foremost exists in the mind. “Sex” and “gender” are both mental constructs: a human mind lumping together experiential data based on similarity of patterns, into classes with generalized characteristics. They are both mental constructs.  
> **username_4**: The primary difference I think is that mental constructs evolve partially as approximations or mirrors of perceived reality, but also by human-to-human direct transmission, you could even call it “injection” to emphasize how bluntly a person acquires concepts from other people in their culture’s discourse, media, etc. Concepts are molded by experience but they also mold experience by acting as “frames”. Experience gets filtered and organized and perceived through concepts, so we perceive the objects, the bounded conceptual regions or entities, around us that we have installed in our heads.  
> **username_4**: I think it could be more accurate to say that sex is a mental construct which classifies physical observations of the body, gender is a construct incorporating many socio-psychological categories in how it draws lines and creates definition.  
> **username_4**: But the physical body, the conscious mind, and the interaction of multiple consciousnesses in a society, is a continuum, a single complex, self-transforming, and reactive system. You can draw a line between parts of a color continuum to create discrete colors if you want to, but  a category is more predictively accurate when it maps as accurately as possible to external reality. “Gender” and “sex” aren’t independent or decoupled, they have bidirectional interrelationships.  

---

