When describing maleness vs. femaleness, which term do you use most frequently?
Sex
Gender
I use them interchangeably
Merriam-Webster defines “sex” as “either of the two major forms of individuals that occur in many species and that are distinguished respectively as female or male especially on the basis of their reproductive organs and structures.” Sex, in other words, is biological; a person is male or female based on his or her chromosomes.
“Gender,” on the other hand, today refers to “the behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits typically associated with one sex” – what sociologists used to refer to as “sex roles.”
Sex is what nature determines; gender refers to how a person is nurtured to behave and think.
Today, many people use the terms “sex” and “gender” interchangeably. Even many newspapers and textbooks use both terms to mean the same thing.
What do you think? When describing maleness vs. femaleness, do you use the word “sex” or “gender”? Or do you use them interchangeably?
(Courtesy of Wikimedia) 
