How is Gender Determined?

No single factor absolutely determines gender and, ultimately, the answer to how gender is determined depends on how gender is defined. Though the term is commonly used interchangeably with"sex" in referring to biological attributes, in social science, and more correctly, gender refers to social roles, attitudes, and behaviors deemed acceptable for men and women. In this sense, gender is almost entirely a cultural product and is determined by the interaction between an individual and their society.

Biological Determinants

Sex is typically determined at the moment of fertilization depending on the genetic material of the sperm, but even here some variation occurs. Female eggs contain only so-called "X" chromosomes, and an X chromosome sperm will create an XX, or genetically female, embryo. An XY embryo, produced through fertilization by a "Y" chromosome sperm, is genetically male. The Y chromosome triggers the production of testosterone, which causes the undifferentiated embryonic sexual organs to develop into the male gonads. Disruption of testosterone production during this stage could lead the genetically male embryo to nonetheless develop a nonfunctioning female reproductive system. The development of primary and secondary sexual characteristics is one factor contributing to an individual's self image and the determination of gender.

Transcending Biology and Cultural Norms

Legal institutions recognize the distinction between sex, which is usually indicated on identification such as passports or driver licenses, and gender, which is not. Though it is possible to legally change sexual assignment, usually through undergoing a permanent reassignment surgery and petitioning a court, gender is always far more fluid, including the economic, social and cultural attributes and opportunities associated with being a man or a woman. In most societies, men and women have different standards about acceptable employment, fashion and behavior, though it's likely there have always been individuals existing outside norms in various iterations of transex and transgender.

While it's relatively difficult to alter sexual and gender assignment, neither is absolutely fixed. The presidential campaign of Hillary Rodham Clinton in 2007-2008 was seen as a groundbreaking development for women, who'd never come so close to the most powerful position in American politics. In the twenty-first century, sexual reassignment surgery is safer and more readily available than ever, and transgendered individuals increasingly seek legal and cultural recognition to various degrees of success. Changes in the legal status of women, which over centuries has come to include ownership or property and the right to vote, and the prevalence of sexual reassignment are proof that gender and sex can and do change.

The increasing presence of women in the workforce during the twentieth century and the more recent stay-at-home dad are other signs of shifting gender norms and suggest a certain willingness to redefining traditional roles. The moving tides of gender will continue to be influenced by economic, technological, cultural and political factors which all contribute to the formation of societal roles for men and women and individual self-identification with them.