Defining gender

The term gender is often used to classify the anatomy of a person's reproductive system as either male or female. In the social sciences, however, the concept of gender means much more than biological sex. It refers to socially constructed expectations regarding the ways in which one should think and behave, depending on sexual classification. These stereotypical expectations are commonly referred to as gender roles. Attitudes toward gender roles are thought to result from complex interactions among societal, cultural, familial, religious, ethnic, and political influences.

Gender affects many aspects of life, including access to resources, methods of coping with stress, styles of interacting with others, self-evaluation, spirituality, and expectations of others....