The Distinction 1

The Distinction

Noah Alston

James Madison University

The Distinction 2

Abstract

This paper is a look at three separate articles, all of which have a unique view on the

distinction between the terms: sex and gender. First, I give background information on the topic

of the distinction between sex and gender. Then, a paragraph summary is given of each one of

the articles as well as the position of each of the authors: Hutton, Eckert, and Gregoratto. Next,

comparing and contrasting criteria between each source, is outlined in separate paragraphs. Some

comparison aspects include: how the authors define the terms sex/ gender and how Eckert and

Gregoratto claim that sex and gender are interdependent on each other. Finally, there is a

conclusion piece that ties the paper together.

The Distinction 3

In the society we live in today, gender is decided as soon a new born baby enters the vast

world, and even before that in some cases. However, todays society falsely places sex and

gender into the same category; todays society connects biology with gender, which should not

be done. Unlike sex, gender is not binary whatsoever. While someones sex is connected to

their biology, gender is based off of the social characteristics of that person. The distinction

between the two has raised a number of issues; the attempts to overcome the distinction, which

is currently heatedly debated in feminist philosophy, raise problems as well (Gregoratto, 2017).

One standpoint of this topic comes from an article written by Fredrica Gregoratto called,

The Critical Nature of Gender: A Deweyan Approach to the Sex/Gender Distinction. The

author relates the concept of naturalism to the gender/ sex distinction. Nonsocial nature and

social nature cannot be told apart, since one conditions, in various ways, the other (Gregoratto,

2017). He explains that we cannot grasp the idea of sex without the idea of gender, yet we cannot

have gender without the fact of ones sex. This is because they are interdependent on each other

in order to understand both terms. Gregoratto goes on to explain that although they are

interdependent, they are also different from one another.

Looking at a completely different point of view, Hutton describes how the lack of

societys awareness of the distinction between gender and sex, puts a huge burden on those who

do not conform to societys binary gender structure. The article is largely based off a grounding

breaking court case, Corbett v. Corbett 1971, where the judge could simply have ruled that the

birth certificate was determinative unless refuted by medical testimony (i.e. a clear mistake on its

face) instead he embarked on ontological investigation of sexual identity (Hutton, 2017).

Legal sex only involves the classification of male or female, also known as the binary concept.
The Distinction 4

However, judge decided to not follow societys concept and delve into the question of gender

within the legal world.

In the final viewpoint of the topic, Eckert discusses how sex is not directly related to

linguistic behavior but reflects complex social practice. There are two types of sex, the

categorical one as in male/female, and then the variations of sex according to the social aspects

of it, otherwise known as gender. Like age, sex is a biological category that serves as a

fundamental basis for the differentiation of roles, norms, and expectations in all societies. It is.

these roles, norms, and expectations that constitute gender, the social construction of sex

(Eckert, 1989). The author explains that a persons biological sex is needed to determine ones

gender in the social world. In an era like the one we are in today gender roles are becoming

increasingly complex, and Eckert especially emphasizes that thought.

In the eyes of many people throughout Western society, there is no distinction between

gender and sex, there is only male and female. These authors all look at it in the opposite way, all

through a very unique scope. When comparing all three sources, the presence of a distinction

between gender and sex is one aspect that they all have in common. Although each author is

using the terms in different contexts, they all define them in a similar way: sex the biological

aspects and gender the cultural or social aspects of this dimension of our (associated) living

(Gregoratto, 2017). In the article written by Hutton, he describes and court case that ended in a

decision concluding that legal sex has no explicit foundation in case law or statute (Hutton,

2017). This was the first time a judge did not simply decided the birth certificate was

determinative, and recognizing a difference between sex and gender. According to Eckert,

biological sex serves as a basis for all of the different expectations throughout society, yet it is
The Distinction 5

these expectations are precisely what constitutes gender. Therefore, concluding that, although

sex and gender depend on each other, there is still a distinction between the two.

Sex and gender can be explained by saying that they are interdependent on one other, and

that exactly what Eckert and Gregoratto did. In the piece written by Gregoratto, he claims that

the reproductive nature of people depends on both sex and gender, which means nonsocial

nature (sex) and social nature (gender) are to be seen as interdependent (Gregoratto). In order to

understand gender, we have to know the fundamental basis of what is expected in a person

throughout society, and that so called fundamental basis, is sex. Although there definitely a

good amount of exceptions, sex can be said to be a rough statistical indication of gender

(Eckert, 1989). With that being said, we can use ones sex to determine characteristics of their

gender, and vice versa.

Eckerts piece differs from Gregorattos article, because of where they believe a persons

gender orientation comes from. With Gregoratto, he connects tries to connect a theory of

naturalism, from John Dewey, to how ones gender is conformed. When explaining how he

makes this connection he says, On this view, we can give an account of the reproductive nature

of human beings as consisting in both nonsocial and social nature (Gregoratto, 2017). Contrary

to Gregorattos view, Eckert claims that gender is based off of how a person conforms to society,

and that it does not come from nature. As explained earlier, gender is based off of the societal

expectations and norms of sex, it is these roles, norms, and expectations that constitute gender,

the social construction of sex (Eckert,1989).

The quality and quantity of information that I have gained is unimaginable just from

inquiring into the distinction between sex and gender. Originally, I had just thought that sex and

gender were the same thing since they had been used as interchangeable terms. I had known
The Distinction 6

nothing more about the topic then any average person in society, in fact, the topic of gender

always confused me. After reading and summarizing each one of these sources, my knowledge

on the topic has increased exponentially and I can confidently say that my position on the topic

has changed. I believe that sex and gender are not the same thing and there is indeed a distinction

between the two. Society must get educated on the topic for the well-being of the non-

conforming people that live amongst and breathe the same air that we do. Gregorattos article

helped me come to this conclusion because of the way he explained how gender comes from

within the person, or natural. At the same, Eckert makes a convincing point that gender comes

from the way that a person conforms to society, which also makes a lot of sense to me. Hutton

puts it into a perspective of the past, talking about when the controversy really took off. For me,

knowing about the history behind the topic was big facilitator in helping me understand. Overall,

the inquiry into the topic changed my position on something that I knew nothing about.
The Distinction 7

Works Cited

Gregoratto, F. (2017). The Critical Nature of Gender: A Deweyan Approach to the Sex/Gender

Distinction. The Journal of Speculative Philosophy, 31(2), 273-285.

doi:10.5325/jspecphil.31.2.0273

Eckert, P. (1989). The whole woman: Sex and gender differences in variation. Language

Variation and Change, 1(3), 245-267. doi:10.1017/S095439450000017X

Hutton, C. (2017). Legal Sex, self-classification, and gender self-determination. The University

of Hong Kong

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