gender differences

Differences between the sexes that are not anatomical or biological but are due to the influences of culture and society.

There are few, if any, differences in behaviour between baby boys and girls in the first weeks of life, but in nearly all societies and classes of society, the way a baby is regarded and handled by its parents and others varies according to its anatomical sex. Thus, gender roles are encouraged from an early age and, through contact with each other and society at large, most children soon become aware of gender stereotypes, which are important in the development of sexuality, especially during adolescence.

In adult life, gender differences manifest themselves in the extent to which the attitudes and behaviour of men and women diverge in public and private life, in their choice of occupation, their ambitions, and their aspirations. Male and female roles can also vary markedly from one society or period in history to another, pointing to the determining influence of culture on gender roles.

It has been reasonably argued, however, that gender differences are purely arbitrary (not fixed), that societies with different child-rearing practices have different attitudes toward men and women and their roles, and that in an ideal world gender differences could be abolished and many of the inequalities of present-day society eliminated.