Gender And Sex
"Gender is in your head, sex is in your pants."
Your gender, in general, is a self chosen identity. We live in a modern society where the individual gets to determine their own identity (more on this later). Whereas sex is determined at birth based on your sex organs. The two are not necessarily linked as gender is more fluidic than sex which requires medical intervention to alter.
One obvious problem with the determination of gender is that children are raised in societies where their sex determines their gender until they are old enough (and able enough) to express a contrary opinion.
The Gender Spectrum is a useful tool to demonstrate that each person may display 'Masculine' and "Feminine' qualities at different times. Boys could display 'socially feminine characteristics' such as cooking and sewing, and girls can display 'socially masculine characteristics' such as football and construction. This can also occur within the environment too.
We want to create an environment where children can work 'within the purple,' where their skills and interests are developed in spite of their gender but those who do display interests usually associated with their gender can do so in a supportive way which extends and deepens their learning.
Lise Eliot (2011) states there are very few differences between male and female brains at birth. These are amplified by society and environment.
We will go on to examine these influences shortly, however it is important to note that children learn much about their gender from those around them.
Boys in particular seems susceptible to being perceived as a girl and this influences what activities they choose to take part in.