Psy 265 Gender Identity

A selected few go through life confused either possessing masculine qualities as a female or possessing famine qualities as a male. Some discover which sex they are resulting in a life-long battle in search for his or her true gender identity. There are other traits that determine gender identity besides male and female anatomy and I will explain what they are in the preceding paragraphs.

The first way that a person determines one’s gender identity is through prenatal sexual differentiation. Sexual differentiation is two parts, descent of testes and ovaries and hormones. Once a person is born the genitals are developed, testes, penis, and ovaries. Development occurs more in the upcoming years of teen years. In some cases the anatomical sexual differentiation does not agree with the feelings of a person whether male or female. When this happens it is called transsexual. Transsexual is when a person wants to live and possess genitals of the opposite sex. Through life and bringing up children, roles are established as a male and female. For woman the stereotypical roles are dependency, kindness, submissiveness, and analytical. For males the stereotypical roles are protectiveness, tough, independent, and carefree. What happens if a person is torn in between both stereotypical roles for male and female?

The two traits to describe someone’s personality are masculine or feminine. The two traits are opposite each other and most believe there is no in between. Feminine traits can be described as tender, emotional, and nurturing. Masculine traits can be described as aggressive and competitive while showing very little emotion. On the masculinity-femininity spectrum it is understood that having both stereotypical traits to male and female is considered to have psychological androgyny. Having both stereotypes of traits gives the person an advantage over the typical person with one stereotypical trait. The advantage is the person can cope or adjust to both, and more likely...