These sets of biological characteristics are not mutually exclusive, as there are individuals who possess both, but these characteristics tend to differentiate humans as females or males.” “ Sex refers to the biological and physiological characteristics that define humans as female or male. The European Institute for Gender Equality, an autonomous body of the European Union, provides very extensive definitions of sex and gender: In Article 3, gender is defined as “ socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for women and men.” 18 The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence is the first international human rights document that contains a definition of gender. When individuals or groups do not “fit” established gender norms they often face stigma, discriminatory practices or social exclusion – all of which adversely affect health 17.” While most people are born either male or female, they are taught appropriate norms and behaviours – including how they should interact with others of the same or opposite sex within households, communities and work places. The concept of gender includes five important elements: relational, hierarchical, historical, contextual and institutional. It varies from society to society and can be changed. Gender refers to 'the socially constructed characteristics of women and men – such as norms, roles and relationships of and between groups of women and men. Sex refers to “ the different biological and physiological characteristics of males and females, such as reproductive organs, chromosomes, hormones, etc.” The World Health Organisation summarises the difference between sex and gender in the following way: They provide a useful starting point for discussion. However, even when the terms exist in the language, ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ are often used interchangeably.Ī number of definitions have been put forward by different organisations. In such cases, the word ‘ sex’ is normally used, and in order to distinguish between sex and gender, different terms may be employed, for example ‘biological sex’ may be used to refer to ‘sex’, and ‘cultural and social sex’ may be used to refer to ‘gender’. There are some languages which do not have a word for ‘gender’. These are examples of how gender can be misunderstood and politicised. Gender is a ‘heavy’ word: politicians and public figures often use it with negative connotations, for example in referring to ‘gender police’, or to ideologies that ‘threaten our kids’. Gender is also an important concept within a range of social and political debates and may influence these debates differently according to cultural context. Gender is an area that cuts across thinking about society, law, politics and culture, and it is frequently discussed in relation to other aspects of identity and social position, such as class, ethnicity, age and physical ability. It is important to be clear about the meanings of such terms. Different terms are regularly used in theories of sexuality and gender, for example sex, gender, gender identity, gender expressions, gender roles, sexual orientation.

Oversight synonyms