Instigator / Pro
6
1472
rating
32
debates
48.44%
won
Topic
#3902

Gender Is Not a Social Construct.

Status
Finished

The debate is finished. The distribution of the voting points and the winner are presented below.

Winner & statistics
Better arguments
0
9
Better sources
0
6
Better legibility
3
2
Better conduct
3
2

After 3 votes and with 13 points ahead, the winner is...

RationalMadman
Parameters
Publication date
Last updated date
Type
Standard
Number of rounds
5
Time for argument
One week
Max argument characters
30,000
Voting period
One week
Point system
Multiple criterions
Voting system
Open
Contender / Con
19
1702
rating
574
debates
67.86%
won
Description

Gender is not a Social Construct, but the titles which we give the two sexes. I challenge anyone who disagrees.

Round 1
Pro
#1
Gender and Sex are different terms for the same thing.  

Gender as its defined in the dictionary, is," either of the two sexes (male and female), especially when considered with reference to social and cultural differences rather than biological ones. The term is also used more broadly to denote a range of identities that do not correspond to established ideas of male and female." 

Sex as its defined in the dictionary is," either of the two main categories (male and female) into which humans and most other living things are divided on the basis of their reproductive functions."

So basically, gender is the naming of the two sexes. 

Gender is not a social construct.

It is used in more than just humans, animals use gender as well. They both have distinct genders and sexes, that define them. Animals can't Identify as the opposite sex or gender, so gender can be used as a scientific term to name the two sexes. 

I don't really see what's hard to believe here so my first argument will be short and to the point.
Con
#2
Gender and Sex are different terms for the same thing.  
Sure, how about we try to define them?

Gender as its defined in the dictionary, is," either of the two sexes (male and female), especially when considered with reference to social and cultural differences rather than biological ones. The term is also used more broadly to denote a range of identities that do not correspond to established ideas of male and female.

Sex as its defined in the dictionary is," either of the two main categories (male and female) into which humans and most other living things are divided on the basis of their reproductive functions."
Oh, they aren't. Where did Pro plagiarise that from?
the definition of gender actually took some digging:


It's from this book evident from a thankfully extracted excerpt to make proving Pro plagiarised the book easier.

Where did Pro plagiarise the definition of 'sex' from?

Oxford English Dictionary

So basically, gender is the naming of the two sexes. 
Not at all, in fact sex itself named the categories; male and female and clarified it was split biologically whereas gender is actually the one that goes beyond the name and sex to explore the socially relevant parts that a society attaches to 'sex'.

Gender is not a social construct.
We know that Pro would have use believe this but all language itself is socially constructed and absolutely every element involved in gender is defined as the social and cultural characteristic differences attached to sex as well as a broader spectrum that do not correspond to 'male and female'.

It is used in more than just humans, animals use gender as well.
While this can be argued to be true, Pro must adhere to his (profile says male, not assuming gender, important for this debate) own definition here on out.
Even if animals have genders, the genders are inherently socially constructed because it is to do with the social and cultural differences associated with the sexes.

They both have distinct genders and sexes, that define them. Animals can't Identify as the opposite sex or gender, so gender can be used as a scientific term to name the two sexes. 
I agree. This would be a relevant point to bring up in a debate against perhaps transgenders though Pro's bigger gripe is with genderqueers. Unfortunately for Pro, I can maintain relative agreement with the fact that non-humans don't have transgenderism and humans do and not lose even an inch of ground here.

A male lion has its own gender characteristics for instance, these are:

Lions, as the only social cats, live in groups called prides. Prides consist of between three and 40 lions, with 15 being the average. Females commonly remain with their birth pride for life, but males leave after two to four years. There are generally only one or two adult male lions in each pride.

Males are primarily responsible for the security of their pride. While they will participate in hunting, they spend the majority of their time on security patrols. They will defend their pride’s territory, which can cover up to 100 square miles. Females are primarily responsible for hunting, which typically occurs after dark. They are also the primary caregivers for lion cubs. The eating hierarchy is males first, followed by females and then cubs.

Unlike females, male lions leave their birth prides at between two to four years of age. They initially form groups or coalitions with other young males from their pride. During this period, the males roam and progress toward full maturity. Upon reaching maturity, they seek to establish their own prides by taking over other prides. If they are successful in ousting a pride’s males, they quickly kill all the pride’s cubs. This is done so that they can then mate and sire their own cubs. The killing is necessary because females will not mate again until their cubs reach around two years of age, and the male lion will usually remain with the pride for only two to three years before being run off himself by new male challengers.

All in bold is particularly relevant to the gender differences.

Now that I have established that gender not just sex exists even in non-human animals, I wish to push a bit further and explore why and how that is to be declared socially constructed.

Well, for lions it's simple, the norm of lions leaving their birth pride unless alpha(s) is pretty easy to see is a socially constructed behaviour stemming from a masculine habit in the males. It is also why lions happen to arbitrarily be one of the only mammalian species to have females do the primary hunting and gathering instead of the males. It's socially constructed, not simply due to biology at all.

In humans we can see much variation in genders particularly if we go vastly to different religions and ethnicities. The gender characteristics of men vs women in the middle east differs to that in America and both differ to that in Latin/South America and that to Africa so on and so forth.

I consider the above a sort of a common-sense point so I'll see what Pro says to it, I am happy to provide specific proofs later of varying genders globally but that's only in geography and doesn't begin to explore how much gender roles have shifted historically over time within the same geographic regions.

The only thing left to explore is genderqueers and the concept of the they/them varying spectrum.

Genderqueer: Genderqueer people typically reject notions of static categories of gender and embrace a fluidity of gender identity and often, though not always, sexual orientation. People who identify as "genderqueer" may see themselves as being both male and female, neither male nor female or as falling completely outside these categories.
 
Non-Binary (NB or enby): Anything that falls outside of the binary system (see definition above). Intersex, genderqueer, and bisexuality are all examples of non-binary identities.
 
Adapted from http://www.hrc.org/resources/glossary-of-terms and https://www.thetrevorproject.org/trvr_support_center/glossary/
"Some people have a gender which is neither male nor female and may identify as both male and female at one time, as different genders at different times, as no gender at all, or dispute the very idea of only two genders. The umbrella terms for such genders are 'genderqueer' or 'non-binary' genders. Such gender identities outside of the binary of female and male are increasingly being recognized in legal, medical and psychological systems and diagnostic classifications in line with the emerging presence and advocacy of these groups of people. Population-based studies show a small percentage – but a sizable proportion in terms of raw numbers – of people who identify as non-binary."
From International Review of Psychiatry. Feb2016, Vol. 28 Issue 1, p95-102. 8p.

What’s the Difference Between Sex and Gender?
People often use “sex” and “gender” interchangeably, but they are two different things. Sex is a biological term based on body parts, chromosomes, and hormones. Sex is not as binary as many think it is. There are some people (known as intersex) whose sex is not strictly male or female, but instead falls on a spectrum between these. Gender, in comparison to sex, refers to our internal sense and understanding of ourselves relative to the social and cultural associations and roles that we grow up with.

Gender Identity is a Spectrum
As we grow up and get to know ourselves, each of us tends to develop a personal sense and experience of our gender identity. Some of us fall into a binary gender category (male or female), while others of us are somewhere in between (nonbinary) or don’t feel connected to either gender (agender). Those whose gender identities match their sex assigned at birth are referred to as cisgender, while those whose identities do not match their sex assigned at birth may identity as transgender.

Expressing Gender Identity
While gender identity is our internal concept of our own gender, gender expression is how we present our gender identity through our appearance—including how we act or talk, what we wear, and how we style our hair or makeup. How we express our gender may or may not conform to what our families, friends, or society associate with our sex or gender identity.

What’s In a Name?
Our names are part of our identities. For some people, the name they were given at birth—like the sex they were assigned at birth—doesn’t match their gender identity. Sometimes when someone comes out as transgender or nonbinary, they also ask to be called by a new name, one more in keeping with their personal sense of identity.  For some, choosing to change their name can be an affirming act. It can also alleviate discomfort that may be associated with their old name.
The name that the person used before they came out or transitioned is commonly referred to as their deadname. It’s respectful to avoid using someone’s deadname unless they proactively say we can.

Gender Pronouns
Another common way of expressing our gender identity is through the pronouns we choose to use. Pronouns are the words that a person uses for themselves, and would like others to use, when referring to them not by their name. Some examples of pronouns include:
  • She/her/hers
  • He/him/his
  • They/them/theirs
  • Xe/xem/xeirs
Some people might let you know that they use more than one pronoun (for example “she/they”) which means they are comfortable with either pronoun set.
It’s important to be respectful when someone tells you their gender identity, name, and pronouns. When in doubt, ask “what pronouns do you use?” or “what name should I use?” Asking these questions respectfully is better than misgendering someone—referring to them in a way that doesn’t reflect their gender identity—or using their deadname. If you hear someone else misgendering or deadnaming a trans or nonbinary person, speak up if you feel safe doing so.
In group settings where you feel safe doing so, you can introduce yourself using your preferred name and pronouns. For example, “Hi, my name is [your name] and my pronouns are [your pronouns.]” This can help encourage others to do the same.
Round 2
Pro
#3
A male lion has its own gender characteristics for instance, these are:
Ok yes when it comes to gender roles, it is a social construct, but when it comes to gender as a whole, I disagree, but you definitely have more intellect and evidence, so I forfeit.
Con
#4
To make this clearer to you, what you call gender roles are a huge part of what a gender itself is, it's not outside it in the slightest.
Round 3
Pro
#5
It is a huge part yes, but it isn't what gender is. Gender roles are the roles which society has given each gender based off of their biological strengths and weaknesses. But if you're talking about gender itself, like male and female, then no it is purely just names we have given to the two sexes. If gender was a social construct, then I could make a third or fourth gender based on what? A biological male, and a biological female are the only two sexes, therefore the only two genders, therefore not societally made up, but based upon the two inherent sexes.
Con
#6
No, you have it wrong. Gender roles are entirely part of what gender is, gender is the entirety other than sex (male or female DNA) involved with the male vs female typical social and cultural characteristics applicable to the species, for us that's humans.
Round 4
Pro
#7
No, it's not, gender itself is the naming of the two sexes, based on their biological traits, not their societal traits. A man is a biological male, and a woman is a biological female. Gender Roles are a social construct yes, but not gender itself.
Con
#8
You have a cognitive dissonance caused by the fact that on official documents next to 'gender' we put 'male' or 'female' and this is a deep semantic error that cancel culture has ruined being discussed as we evolved gender to be complex over time.

Woman is an adult female human, girl is a younger one (but some adults who feel younger call themselves it etc especially when taken care of). Man vs boys have a much clearer same-sex gender distinction.

Gentleman vs fuckboy/manwhore vs bad-boy vs prince
Lady vs slut/whore vs bad-bitch vs princess

^ these are gender distictions within the same gender.
Round 5
Pro
#9
 as we evolved gender to be complex over time.
It's not complex, it's just people who want their way to have made it complex. It's simple really, man woman=male female.

Woman is an adult female human, girl is a younger one
Ahh, but you're forgetting the biological part of that. A Woman is the adult version of a biological female, and a girl is the younger version of a biological female.

Gentleman vs fuckboy/manwhore vs bad-boy vs prince. Lady vs slut/whore vs bad-bitch vs princess
What does this have to do with anything.