What is the Difference Between Sex and Gender?
A Chat with GPT
I have a friend who doesn't believe in gender, but he believes in sex. He’s a big fan of chats with GPT, so I asked ChatGPT, what's the difference?
ChatGPT said:
The distinction between sex and gender is a common topic in both academic and social discussions:
Sex refers to biological characteristics—such as chromosomes, hormones, and reproductive anatomy—that typically categorize individuals as male or female. This is what your friend likely believes in.
Gender is a social and cultural construct that relates to roles, behaviors, and identities that societies associate with being masculine or feminine. It’s more fluid and varies across cultures and historical periods.
A person’s gender identity is their internal sense of their own gender, which may or may not align with their biological sex. Some people argue that gender is entirely a social construct, while others see it as a mix of biology and culture.
If your friend doesn’t believe in gender but believes in sex, he’s likely saying that he acknowledges biological differences between males and females but rejects the idea that masculinity or femininity are inherent or meaningful outside of cultural context. Does that sound like his position?
You said:
Yes, but I'm not quite sure. He also thinks that there are rigidly only two sexes. Yes above you write that biological characteristics "typically" categorize individuals as male or female. Explain.
ChatGPT said:
Your friend’s belief in only two rigid biological sexes is a common perspective, but it's not fully aligned with what we know from biology. While most people are born with clearly male or female reproductive anatomy, the reality of biological sex is more complex than just XX = female and XY = male.
Here’s why:
Intersex Variations: Some people are born with genetic, hormonal, or anatomical traits that don’t fit typical definitions of male or female. These individuals are called intersex, and they make up about 1.7% of the population—comparable to the number of people born with red hair.
Example: Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS) occurs when a person with XY chromosomes develops female-typical anatomy because their body doesn’t respond to testosterone.
Another example: XX individuals with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) can develop traits usually associated with males due to increased androgen exposure.
Chromosomal Variations: Not everyone is strictly XX or XY. Some people have variations like:
XXY (Klinefelter Syndrome) – Typically assigned male but with some atypical traits.
XO (Turner Syndrome) – Individuals with only one X chromosome, usually assigned female.
XX males and XY females – Due to mutations or chromosomal translocations, some people’s sex chromosomes don’t match their assigned sex.
Hormonal and Developmental Factors: Sex development is a process influenced by multiple genes, hormones, and environmental factors, meaning that even among XX or XY individuals, sex characteristics can vary widely.
So while the male/female binary is useful for many medical and social purposes, it doesn’t capture the full biological reality. In short: sex is not as simple or rigid as many people assume. It’s a spectrum with dominant categories rather than a strict binary.
Does this help clarify the distinction?
You said:
Yes, it's certainly a start and something I'll send over to him.
ChatGPT said:
Glad it helps! If he’s open to it, you might also point him to some sources like the work of biologist Anne Fausto-Sterling, who has written extensively about the complexity of biological sex. Let me know if you ever want more details or a way to frame it for discussion!
You said:
He mentioned Fausto-Sterling, making the claim that she is the founder and leader of this kind of thinking. I'm puzzled by his comment, because we typically think of biology as independent from the biologist. He typically thinks this way. Yet on this topic, he's sure that Fausto-Sterling and her followers are the only biologists who make this assertion. Is that true?
ChatGPT said:
No, that’s not true. While Anne Fausto-Sterling is one of the most well-known biologists advocating for a more nuanced understanding of sex, she is far from the only one. Many biologists, geneticists, and medical researchers recognize that biological sex is more complex than a strict male/female binary.
Other Experts and Evidence
Genetics and Developmental Biology:
Eric Vilain, a geneticist and pediatrician, has studied intersex variations and how sex differentiation is influenced by multiple genes, not just X and Y chromosomes.
Carla Fehr, a philosopher of science, has discussed how scientific models of sex are shaped by cultural assumptions.
Medical and Endocrinological Research:
Medical institutions like the Endocrine Society recognize intersex conditions and variations in sex development (DSDs) as part of natural biological diversity.
Johns Hopkins University has published research on how hormonal, chromosomal, and anatomical variations create a spectrum of biological sex.
Anthropology and Evolutionary Biology:
Evolutionary biologists recognize sex differentiation as a complex, adaptive process. Joan Roughgarden, an evolutionary biologist, has challenged traditional binary models of sex and gender in animals and humans.
Studies of animal sex diversity (such as fish that change sex) further demonstrate that nature doesn’t always fit rigid categories.
Why Might Your Friend Think This?
Some people assume that if an idea is politically charged, it must have originated from a small ideological group rather than being based on widespread scientific understanding.
Fausto-Sterling is often cited because she was an early and vocal advocate, but her arguments are based on decades of biological research, not just personal ideology.
The idea that "biology is independent of the biologist" is generally true—but only if we recognize that science itself evolves with new discoveries. The belief in a strict male/female binary is largely historical convention, not a universal biological law.
If your friend is open to it, you could challenge him to find peer-reviewed biological research that explicitly refutes the idea of sex as a spectrum. He might be surprised by what he finds.