Introduction
Sex and gender are differentiated because of the social aspect and biological aspect. Sex is biological thus enables people to be differentiated by their physical appearance of either being male or female (Sterling). Gender is social because it defines men and women either emotionally and psychologically through their roles in the society, personality, sex type interest, their appearance and their manners. The difference in gender can be said that it is nurture because one learns of their roles as they grow up in the society. While for sex this is simply the nature because one is either born male or female. There have been many questions about how biology makes up gender identity but for sociologist gender is not only biological but is also socially.
In the social society, gender is determined by the expectations required from people according to their sex. This affects people's behavior sexually, relationships, political attitudes and a person's self esteem. Behavior has both nature and nurture this means it combines both sex and gender. This also means that a person's sex can be changed especially in the modern western culture where they undergo sex change surgery and thus can change women to men or men to women. This brings about questions such as does sex really define whether a man is a man or a woman is woman especially in our modern society. It is considered that the sex of humans defines their sexual behavior. This is because according to the research that has been conducted men are said to be more sexual than women are.
Men are more willing to engage in a sexual relationship with even strangers while women are more emotional thus, they engage in sexual relationship because of their feelings (Marston, & King). Sexual behaviors include masturbation, abstinence, coitus, anal intercourse and prostitution. In western societies, some accept prostitution unlike other countries in the world. This is because they accept their professionalism of a person practicing prostitution will be able to go for HIV/AIDS testing as well as STDs treatments. Men commonly practice masturbation compared to women in the society. Masturbation is a safe way to have sexual gratification according to research that has been conducted. Masturbation is usually associated with homosexuals.
It has been observed that masturbation is mostly practiced by young people especially those who are well educated. Media especially in western countries also contributes to different sexual behaviors examples of programs is pornography. Both heterosexuals and homosexual practice anal intercourse. In anal intercourse, the individuals are often asked to seek counselling. This is because in counselling the individuals are told of the importance of using condoms and practicing other sexual behavior such as masturbation. In western society gender identity has been modernized where cases of discrimination of someone who is different has reduced.
Homosexuality is one of the gender identities that are often lucky to a point where they are able to get married legally in some states or countries such as Canada, England and some areas in of the United States (Redlawsk, Tolbert). Acceptance of gay and lesbian People In the society has made some of the western country directors and producers to make LGBT movies and series such as shelter, Brokeback Mountain, queer as folk, lip service and the L-word. In modern society, we have the transgender people who can dress in male or female clothing regardless of social norms.
Conclusion
Sex and gender in modern day western society have changed to a point where not many people care about their sexual behavior. Most people in modern society have premarital sex or masturbation. According to society's stereotype of the gender is that men or boys' roles are to be sexually active or play around with the emotions of girls in order to have sex. In most societies, men are considered to have grown and became men when they have sexual intercourse with girls. Women on the other hand still have restrictions in the society and have high moral values, thus they do not engage in sexual behavior more rapidly than the men do.
Work cited
Marston, C, & King, E. "Factors that shape young people’s sexual behavior: a systematic review." Lancet (2006).
Redlawsk, D., and Tolbert C. "Attitude Shift in the Gay Marriage." Working paper, University of Iowa. (2010).
Sterling, A. F. “Sex/Gender: Biology in a Social World”. New Yolk: Routledge, 2012.
