Social Science 104 – Gender and Society

College of Public Administration

The Social
Construction
of Gender
MARC ADRIAN L. TABISULA, BPA
Faculty-in-Charge
OBJECTIVES
1. Differentiate sex, gender, and sexuality.
2. Discuss gender roles and how they have changed in the
modern times.
3. Interpret how gender roles influence the gender
perceptions of people.

Gender and Society

College of Public Administration
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A MALE
OR A
FEMALE, TO BE FEMININE OR
MASCULINE,
OR TO BE A MAN OR WOMAN?

Gender and Society

College of Public Administration
Gender is a
CONSTRUCT
• It means that it does not exist naturally,
but is instead a concept that is created
by cultural and societal norms.

Gender and Society

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SEX
• It refers to the biologically determined
differences between men and women.
• It is use whenever reference is made to women
and men as different physical categories
• physical identity of a person; genetic
• physiological characteristics of males, females,
and intersex persons
• attributes: ♂ maleness ; ♀ femaleness

Gender and Society

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GENDER
• refers to the social differences between men and
women that are learned, changeable over time and
have wide variations within and between cultures.
• refers to “the economic, social, political and cultural
attributes and opportunities” associated with being
male and female.
• is a socio-economic variable to analyze roles,
responsibilities, constraints, opportunities and needs of
men and women in any context.
Gender and Society
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GENDER
• since gender is a social construct, the particular socio-
economic and cultural/religious context
• cannot be ignored in determining women’s roles, needs,
priorities and activities.
• socially learned behaviors
• expectations associated with the two sexes
• attributes: masculinity; femininity

Gender and Society

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what is
SOGIE?
Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression

Gender and Society

College of Public Administration
GENDER IDENTITY
• Gender identity is how you identify yourself as either
as a man or a woman.
• Gender identity is about how we see ourselves in
terms of gender.
• Gender identity is a person's self-identified gender,
which may or may not correspond with their "sex
assigned at birth.
• Gender identity is how a person experiences and
expresses their gender.

Gender and Society

College of Public Administration
GENDER IDENTITY
Now, based on whether a person’s sexuality aligns with
the sex assigned on birth, there are three categories of
gender identities:
 Cisgender: Someone who identifies with the
gender assigned at birth
 Transgender: Someone who cannot relate to the
gender assigned at birth
 Gender fluid: Someone whose gender identity is
not fixed or changes depending on the situation

Gender and Society

College of Public Administration
GENDER
EXPRESSION
• Gender expression, or gender presentation, is a
person's behavior, mannerisms, and appearance that
are socially associated with gender,
namely femininity or masculinity.
• It refers to external appearance of one's gender
identity, usually expressed through behavior,
clothing, body characteristics or voice, and which
may or may not conform to socially defined behaviors
and characteristics typically associated with being
either masculine or feminine. Gender and Society
College of Public Administration
BIOLOGICAL SEX
• Biological sex is determined by genitals,
reproductive system, chromosomes, and
hormones.
• There is typical female and male, and then some
people are born “intersex”.
• Intersex happens when a baby is born with traits
of both male and female
• Sex is defined at birth. It is the sex of the physical
body.

Gender and Society

College of Public Administration
SEXUAL
ORIENTATION
• Sexual orientation is a part of individual identity
that includes “a person’s sexual and emotional
attraction to another person and the behavior and/or
social affiliation that may result from this attraction”
• Sexual orientation is about who you're attracted to
and who you feel drawn to romantically, emotionally,
and sexually.

Gender and Society

College of Public Administration
TYPES OF
SEXUAL
ORIENTATION
Gender and Society
College of Public Administration
Heterosexual
• People who are heterosexual are romantically and
physically attracted to members of the opposite sex:
Heterosexual males are attracted to females, and
heterosexual females are attracted to males.
• Heterosexuals are sometimes called "straight."

Gender and Society

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Homosexual
• People who are homosexual are romantically and
physically attracted to people of the same sex:
Females who are attracted to other females are
lesbian; males who are attracted to other males are
often known as gay.
• Homosexuality is a term describing those who are
emotionally and physically attracted to people of the
same gender.
Gender and Society
College of Public Administration
Bisexual
• People who are bisexual are romantically and
physically attracted to members of both sexes.
• A person who identifies as bisexual can be of any
gender.
• Bisexuality means that a person feels attraction
toward their own gender and other genders or
toward anyone regardless of their gender.

Gender and Society

College of Public Administration
Asexual
• People who are asexual may not be interested in sex,
but they still feel emotionally close to other people.
• A term used to describe someone who does not
experience sexual attraction toward individuals of
any gender.
• Asexual people — also known as “Ace” or “Aces” —
may experience little or no sexual attraction and/or
experience sexual attraction in a non-normative way.
Gender and Society
College of Public Administration
LGBTQ+
LGBTQIA+ is an inclusive term that includes people of all
sexual identities and gender identities. LGBTQIA+ stands
for:
• lesbian • questioning or
• gay queer
• bisexual • intersex
• transgender • asexual

The ‘+’ refers to members of other LGBTQIA+ communities

and allies.
Gender and Society
College of Public Administration
LGBTQ+
• Lesbian - Those who identify as lesbian are usually
women who feel sexual and romantic attraction toward
other women.
• Gay - A person who identifies as gay typically only feels
sexual attraction toward people of the same gender.
Socially, people use this term to refer to men who are
romantically and sexually attracted to men.
• Bisexual - It means that a person feels attraction toward
their own gender and other genders or toward anyone
regardless of their gender.

Gender and Society

College of Public Administration
LGBTQ+
• Transsexual - It refers specifically to people who have
transitioned (or are in the process of transitioning) through
medical means.
• Transgender - A transgender person is someone whose
gender identity differs from that typically associated with
the sex they were assigned at birth
• Queer or Questioning - Queer is often used as an
umbrella term for people who are not straight or who don't
identify with their assigned sex at birth. People may also
identify as queer if they don't feel that the terms lesbian,
gay, bisexual or trans fully represent them. The “Q” can
also stand for questioning. Gender and Society
College of Public Administration
“Gender expression does
not
necessarily connect to
sexuality”
Gender and Society
College of Public Administration
 “We can only truly tell if the person is
gay, lesbian, or bisexual if the person
shares with us his or her experiences
and feelings of attraction towards them”
—Psychological Associated of the Philippines

Gender and Society

College of Public Administration
Activity
Answer the following questions:

1. In your own understanding, define and

differentiate “sex” and “gender” in a Venn
diagram. (10 pts)
2. What is the importance of appreciating and
understanding sexual and gender diversity?
(10 pts)

Gender and Society

College of Public Administration
10-Point Essay Rubric
Criteria Points Description
4 points: Strong, well-developed argument with clear evidence and
reasoning.
Content/Argument 4 3 points: Adequate argument but lacks depth or clarity.
2 points: Weak argument, unclear or unsupported claims.
1 point: No clear argument or irrelevant content.
2 points: Excellent organization, logical flow of ideas with smooth
Organization 2 transitions.
1 point: Lacks clear organization, ideas are jumbled.
2 points: Clear and concise writing with effective expression of
Clarity and
2 ideas.
Coherence
1 point: Writing is unclear or difficult to follow.
Grammar and 1 point: Free of spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors.
1
Mechanics 0 points: Multiple errors that affect readability.
1 point: Strong conclusion that summarizes and reinforces the main
Conclusion 1 points.
0 points: Weak or missing conclusion. Gender and Society
College of Public Administration
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