Lecture Notes

Is being male or female solely biological? No. Gender is the characteristics associated with being male or female. It may be difficult for some people to imagine that culture has anything to do with gender, but the possession of certain male or female genitalia does not always make a person a man or a woman. Transsexual and transgendered persons are people whose genitals and identities are discoordinate. In some cultures, men who assume female dress, gender roles, and status are referred to as two-spirits. This is inclusive of references in our culture of transsexuality, transvestitism, as well as a form of same-sex relationships.