Sexual orientation refers to what gender(s) an individual is attracted to. However, there are more sexual orientations than just being heterosexual, including a number that involve being attracted to member of the same gender as the individual. With the varying attractions, this is also not an indicator as to what gender an individual is.

Rutgers University

There are a number of possible ways to define gender, this includes:

 • Biologically (sex)

 • Non-biological sources (behavior or brain structures)

 • Sexual Orientation

However, it will be shown that none of these options are satisfactory enough as a definition and that they are all distinct and independent from one another.  

How to Define Gender

Breedlove, S. & Watson, N. (2017). Behavioral neuroscience, eighth edition. Oxford University Press.

Behavioral Neuroscience 8th Edition

Most individuals are either biologically male or female which corresponds to chromosomes, external genitalia, internal reproductive structures, etc.. However, there are a number of exceptions possible, for example intersex presentation and genetic conditions. This makes sex an unreliable source to be the basis of gender. 

Looking at behavior, it is difficult to differentiate any action as either masculine or feminine. The only action exclusive to one sex is childbearing and birth. There may be more common actions found in one sex or the other but almost all individuals display some of these behaviors regardless of sex.

Behavior

There is evidence that DHT, the androgen that masculinizes genitalia, may also masculinize the brain, affecting behavior. There are structural sex differences in brains, including possible masculine and feminine brain regions. This means that individuals cannot simply be feminine or masculine, the structure or behavior must be specified.

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