1. Gender Development, Gender Roles, and Gender Identity
Chapter 4
Gender – refers to behavioral, psychological, and social characteristics of men and women
Sex – refers to the biological aspects of being male or female
Both nature and nurture are important in forming gender
Humans reproduce sexually and are made to be sexual beings
Each parent supplies a gamete, each with half of the genetic information (23 chromosomes), including a sex chromosome
Male: sperm (X or Y)
Female: egg/ovum (X)
Fertilization
Haploid egg + Haploid sperm = Diploid zygote
Sex is determined at conception
Development of female or male sexual characteristics, usually
Some developmental variations
Gestation: 9 months
4-6 weeks: gonads begin to develop and sexual differentiation starts 1-2 weeks later
Sex chromosomes control development of:
internal sex organs
external sex organs
the embryo’s hormonal environment
the brain’s sexual differentiation
Gender Development, Gender Roles, and Gender Identity

2. Sexual Differentiation in the Womb
Gestation: 9 months
4-6 weeks: gonads begin to develop and sexual differentiation starts 1-2 weeks later
Sex chromosomes control development of:
internal sex organs
external sex organs
the embryo’s hormonal environment
the brain’s sexual differentiation

3. Internal Sex Organs 5th – 6th week: primitive gonads form
7th – 8th week: gonads become testes with Y chromosome and the SRY gene
10th – 11th week: gonads become ovaries with absence of Y chromosome and SRY gene, and possibly the presence of ovarian hormones
“Default setting” is female

4. Internal Sex Organs (Cont.)
10th – 11th week: primitive duct systems appear
Müllerian duct (female)
Wolffian duct (male)
Their further development is hormonally controlled by the gonads

5. Internal Sex Organs (Cont.)
Female embryos:
Lack male hormones and Wolffian duct degenerates
Müllerian duct forms: uterus, inner third of vagina
Male embryos:
Müllerian inhibiting factor regresses the Müllerian duct
Testosterone stimulates the Wolffian duct

7. External Sex Organs
Homologous organs: developed from the same prenatal tissue
8th week: tubercle differentiates
Female: female hormones from mother and placenta promote development into female external genitalia
Male: androgen secreted by the testes stimulate development into male external genitalia

8. Figure 4.2 Development of the male and female external genitalia from the undifferentiated genital tubercle.

9. Hormonal Development and Influences
Ovaries produce:
Estrogen: female sexual characteristics
Progesterone: menstrual cycle and pregnancy
Testes produce:
Androgens: development of male-typical characteristics

10. Brain Differentiation
Hormones affect the development of the brain
The brain regulates secretion of hormones

11. Disorders of Sexual Development
Atypical sexual differentiation can occur with irregularities in:
Sex chromosomes
Sex hormones
Maternal hormone exposure

12. Chromosomal Disorders
Over 70 sex chromosome abnormalities
Extra or missing sex chromosomes
3 most common:
Klinefelter’s Syndrome
Turner’s Syndrome
XYY Syndrome and Triple X Syndrome

13. Klinefelter’s Syndrome
XXY – egg contained an extra X
1/700 live male births
Develops male genitalia, but not fully
Tall, feminized body
Low testosterone levels; low in sexual desires
Gynecomastia
Infertile
Testosterone therapy can enhance secondary sex characteristics
Often undiagnosed

14. Turner Syndrome XO – egg has no sex chromosome
1/2500 live female births
Ovaries aren’t fully developed
Amenorrhea
Infertile
Short stature
Immature breast development
Mental retardation
Estrogen and progesterone therapy
Health problems in adulthood

15. Female with Turner syndrome.

16. XYY Syndrome and Triple X Syndrome
XYY or XXX – sperm contains an extra sex chromosome, or egg has an extra X
May be normal male (XYY) or normal female (XXX)
May have slight mental retardation and/or fertility problems

17. Hormonal Disorders Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH)
Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS)

18. Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH)
XX girl exposed to excess androgen from adrenal glands prenatally
1/15,000 girls
Female internal organs; sometimes masculinized external genitalia
Similar syndrome develops from mother taking male hormones
Corrective surgery, drugs
Pregnancy possible in many CAH females
Higher rates of bisexuality and homosexuality

19. Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS)
XY – the body doesn’t respond to testosterone that is produced by the testes
1/20,000 boys born with AIS each year
No internal reproductive structure except two undescended testes
Shallow “vagina”
Breasts develop
Do not menstruate; infertile
Surgery can lengthen vagina
Genetically male, but fully feminized as female

21. Genitalia of a fetally androgenized female and an androgen-insensitive male with feminized genitals.

22. Gender Roles and Gender Traits
Gender roles – culturally defined behaviors, attitudes, emotions, traits, mannerisms, appearances and occupations that are seen by the culture as appropriate for females and males
Gender traits – biologically determined differences between males and females

23. Gender Role Theory Evolutionary biology Social learning
Cognitive development
Gender schema theory

24. Masculinity: The Hunter
Rights of passage in many societies
Contradictions in the male role:
Provide, but don’t solely focus on career
Be sexually successful, but not degrading to women
Be strong and stable, but be emotionally available
Do not be dependent on a woman
Men have a less flexible role than women

25. Femininity: The Nurturer
Typically viewed as the opposite of masculinity
Characterized by beauty, empathy, concern, softness, modesty
Contradictions in the female role:
Job fulfillment, but stay at home with kids
Not just for looks, but use makeup/be thin
Opportunities are available, on men’s terms

26. Androgyny: Feminine and Masculine
Rate high in femininity and masculinity
Flexibility in behaviors
This concept may be reinforcing gender roles

27. Transgenderism: Living as the Other Sex
10-15% of the population
Live the other gender’s role, full/part-time
Happy as their biological sex, but psychosocially pleasured by dressing as the other sex
Relaxing and peaceful to cross-dress
Billy Tipton

28. Transsexualism: When Gender and Biology Don’t Agree
Feel their gender identity does not match their biological sex (Gender Dysphoria)
“Trapped” in the wrong body
More males than females experience this
Sex reassignment surgery involves a long process: psychological counseling, live as the other sex, hormones, multiple surgeries
M2F: realistic results, orgasm
F2M: experimental stages

29. A completed male-to-female transsexual and a completed female-to-male transsexual.

30. Childhood: Learning by Playing
Children are greatly defined by their gender
Name, clothing, decorations, toys
Treatment by parents, teachers, others
Model behavior of same gender individuals
Rewarded for stereotypical behavior, punished for nonstereotypical behavior (especially boys)
Homosocial play beginning 2½ to 3-years old

31. Adolescence: Practice Being Female or Male
Trying roles to determine what it is to be a man or woman
Difficult time for transgendered, homosexual, bisexual youth

32. Adulthood: Careers and Families
Adults can revise their thoughts about gender roles
Women pursue careers out of desire and necessity, yet hold primary responsibility for home life
Women are breadwinners in 2/3 of low-income families

33. The Senior Years
Double standard: men viewed as “distinguished;” women as “old”
Media contributes to negative attitudes
Attitudes vary by race and sexual orientation
Many women experience “empty nest syndrome”
Negative attitudes about aging exist across cultures