Status of Women Canada
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Status of Women Canada

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GBA+: Sex vs. Gender


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Gender is an important consideration when planning, designing and implementing programs and services.  It generally plays a bigger role than sex.

The difference between sex and gender:

Sex is biology.
There are differences between men and women in things like physiology, brain structure, DNA and anatomy. 

Gender is social context.
Some differences between men and women are social, not biological.  Social expectations for women and men differ in areas like child care, choice of profession, and how women and men should behave.

Gender refers to the social differences and relationships between women and men. Gender is defined by society, culture and history, and it changes over time.

Sex is biology. Gender is social context.

Not all individuals identify with distinct sex or gender categories of male and female.

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Date Modified:
2012-02-21