Evidence

Evidence that supports and refutes the assumption that gender identity is biologically determined

Gender identity is a person’s personal perception of himself or herself as male or female. This concept has long been linked to gender role, which is a person’s physical appearance that matches their gender identification. Gender identity is almost always a personal thing as a result of a combination of innate and environmental influences. This paper will examine the reasons that support and refute the assumption that gender identity is biologically determined. (Linda Brannon)

There have been studies that demonstrate a favorable biological basis for gender identification. Some of these biologic bases include disorders of sexual development which may include penile agenesis and neuroanatomical differences such as gray and white matter studies. Many of the current hypotheses for the biologic origin of transgender identity is based on atypical sexual differentiation of the brain. The perception which a person has in their gender is usually connected to the sexual differentiation of their brains. Again some genes have also been associated with a transgender identity. The steroid hormones usually have high influences on fetal sexual development and they act through specified receptors. (Brannon, Linda)

It also evidenced that gender identity can be determined by social factors such as social media, mass media and influential people in one’s life. Most children will always follow what their parents are portraying to them and will finally end up living their life as their parents. The influence in the social media also may change how one feels about their gender and end up imitating what they see on the social pages. (Gender Dysphoria)

In conclusion, gender identity can be determined by both biological factors and also social factors. However, the biological determination has maximum evidence than the social determination. Mostly the gender identity is linked up with the biological factors which affect the gender behaviors of a person. (Gender Dysphoria)

Works cited

Brannon, Linda. Gender. 1st ed., Hoboken, Taylor And Francis, 2015,.

“Evidence Supporting The Biologic Nature Of Gender Identity”. Medscape, 2017, http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/840538.

Gender Dysphoria. 1st ed., Springer Verlag, 2012,.