Arrington Psychology of Human Sexuality. 210 Psych 210: Human Sexuality Reading Notes Set 2Chapter 8: Gender Identity & Gender Roles- Gender- The social construction of femininity and masculinity and is used to separate social/ cultural aspects of femininity and masculinity from biological aspects - Sex- is biological features (genitalia, reproductive organs, chromosomes etc.)- Gender Identity- One’s subjective sense of being a man (or boy) or a woman (girl). The sense is usually acquired by age 3. - Gender Role- A set of culturally specific norms concerning the expected behaviors and attitudes of men and women. o Includes everything you feel and think that conveys to yourself and others that you are a certain gender - Gender role and gender identity are two different aspects of the same thing. They are NOT two different things. - Biological Influences on Gender Identity - Role of Chromosomeso Chromosomes- rod-shapes structures containing the genetic material that determines a person’s inherited characteristics.  A person has 23 pairs of chromosomes  23 from mom and 23 from dad o eggs and sperm have half of the genetic material (23 chromosomes in egg and 23 chromosomes in sperm) o Girls are XXo Boys are XY o The sperm from the father determines the sex of the baby o SRY (Sex-determining region of the Y chromosome) determines maleness and is missing from XY girls’ Y and is present on XX boys’ X. o One or more genes on the X chromosome help determine femaleness- Role of Hormoneso A pair of primitive gonads develop during the 5th and 6th weeks that have the potential for developing into either ovaries or testeso Embryo at 5-6 week also have 2 duct systems  Wolffian Duct System- If allowed, will become the male structures Mullerian duct system - If allowed, will become the female structures o If the primitive gonads were removed at this stage the baby would be born anatomically a girl o If it is a boy the SRY gene will activate the testicles and they will secrete  Mullerian duct-inhibiting substance- which causes the ducts of the Mullerian system to shrink. 1Arrington Psychology of Human Sexuality. 210 o The absence of large testosterone levels results in shrinkage of the Wolffian system and the development of the Mullerian system o The development of the male and female structures begins at 7 weeks - Sexual Differentiation of the Braino The hypothalamus is different in male and female rats The difference is the differences in testosterone levels o Men and women also have different levels of testosterone in the hypothalamus  This is because of the testosterone levels during the 2nd half of pregnancy - Disorders of Sex o Disorders of Sex Development- individuals with a combination of maleand female anatomical features, or in which chromosomal sex is inconsistent with anatomical sex. - Chromosome Disorders o There are over 70 known disorders involving the sex chromosomeso Klinefelter’s Syndrome (XXY or XXXY) Biological men have both masculine characteristics because of the Y Have feminine characteristics because of the XX  Tall with long arms and have poor muscular development Enlarged breasts and hips Small penis and shrunken testicles and low sexual desire Some choose to live as boys and others live as girls  Caroline Cossey- famous case “James Bond Girl” o Turner’s Syndrome (X0)  Only one X chromosome Biologically a girl  Ovaries never develop properly Because no ovarian hormones they don’t menstruate or grow breasts at puberty- Hormonal Disorderso Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) or Adrenogenital syndrome (AGS)  Adrenal glands secrete too much masculinizing hormone during fetal development  Internal organs are normal Genitals are masculinized (the clitoris and labia are enlarged) Can be mistaken for boys at birth  Usually raised as girls but show increased male-typical gender roles o Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome  (testicular feminization syndrome)2Arrington Psychology of Human Sexuality. 210  testicles secrete the normal amounts of testosterone but the body tissues do not respond to it most common hormonal issue in men  a clitoris, short vagina, and labia develop  but the internal female structures never develop because the testicles still secrete the Mullerian duct inhibiting substance  raised as girls  develop breasts and hips at puberty because of estrogen o DHT deficiency syndrome  Type of androgen insensitivity syndrome when testosterone is not converted into dihydrotestosterone Boys’ external genitals don’t develop properly  Development occurs at puberty with the rise in testosterone Small penis that looks like a clitoris Incomplete scrotum that looks like labis Undescended testicles Short closed vaginal cavity - No direct relationship between sex and gender - 5 different sexes and that human sexuality is not a dichotomy but a continuum - Attempts to Reassign Sex in Infancy o Biology plays a much stronger role than thought before in determininggender identity o Bruce Brenda His penis was cut off during circumcision  Parents decided to raise him as a girl  This led to many other sex reassignment surgeries  Promoted that sex was dichotomous- a person was either a boyor girl  Brenda rejected girls’ clothes and toys as time went on  Preferred boys’ clothes and toys  Regarded as a tomboy  Became depressed and suicidal  Changed name to david  Later committed suicide o Penile agenesis When the testicles develop but the penis does not  Child was raised as a girl Thought of himself as a man  Reconstructive surgery to become a man and have a penis o Many individuals who underwent sex reassignment as infants have rejected the socialization process- Gender Incongruence in Children 3Arrington Psychology of Human Sexuality. 210 o Gender variant- engage in behaviors that are typical of the opposite sex o Gender dysphoria- a strong desire to be of the opposite gender or an insistence that he or she is the other gender Mismatch between gender identity and anatomy Occurs at an early age  Many therapists suggest the wait and see approach rather than having interventions designed to steer the child toward one gender identity- Gender Incongruence in Adults o Gender dysphoria persists into adulthood for some o Transgendered- an individual whose gender identity and gender roles are opposite of