GENDER AND SEX
Gender and sex are believed to be synonymous concepts in the modern West.
But according to indigenous wisdom, and surely, as innumerable transgenders who are inconvenienced by the western invalidation of gender as a valid human trait different from 'sex' would vouch, 'Gender' and 'sex' are two totally different concepts.
SEX
Sex refers to our outer sexual organs. There are three kinds of sexes in humans:
1. Male
2. Female
3. Hermaphrodite
GENDER
Gender refers to our inner sex, irrespective of our outer-sex. Thus one can be a female from the outside, yet have a predominant 'male' identity. A male inner sex identity is called "masculinity" and a female inner sex identity is called 'femininity'.
We all have both masculinity and femininity inside of us. However, one of these we experience so strongly that it becomes our predominant identity.
Our gender is more important to us personally as our 'sex identity' than our outer sex. Thus a male who strongly feels he is a female will see himself as a female and relate to this world as a female, not as a male.
To the world too, our gender matters almost as much as our sex identity (except when we limit our view of sex identity to what role we play in reproduction). People will not relate to a male with a female identity the same way they relate to men. Eg, women will see that male as partly female and may feel a lot more comfortable with him.
There are two main kinds of gender:
- Masculine
- Feminine
SEX AND GENDER IDENTITY
Our sex identity in the society is based both on our outer as well as our inner sex.
There are about 6 human gender identities, based on various combinations. And many ancient tribes still have them.
Source:
Most contemporary societies group gender identities as follows:
1. Man: A male with a predominant masculine gender
2. Woman: A female of any gender, although some societies have a different class for masculine gendered females.
3. Third gender: A combined group for those who have both male and female sex or gender. This includes, males with a feminine gender, hermaphrodites, eunuchs, females with a male identity, etc.
Sources for Third gender:
The third gender:, Scientific American: Transsexuals are illuminating the biology and psychology of sex—and revealing just how diverse the human species really is
By Jesse Bering
Eunuchs to move court for 'third gender' status, The Times of India, Mar 25, 2004
Third gender, Wikipedia
In the West however, there is confusion. The society invalidates gender as a valid human trait distinct from one's sex. This is because of Christian influence.
West confuses the third gender with 'homosexuals,' and so there is a separate western category for 'homosexuals' just on the pattern of the traditional 'third gender' identity. Even the stigma and stereotypes of 'homosexuals' are the same as that of the third gender.