Sex and Gender

Are sex and gender really two different things? How malleable is gender identity? Should we emphasize gender differences? These are only some of the questions Hilary Lips addresses regarding one of the most important dimensions of human life since time immemorial. Stereotypes, gender roles, and how social relationships function all combine to assign meanings to the male–female distinction that affects all aspects of social life. Taking advantage of the abundance of current research that reevaluates and resituates the major issues of sex and gender, the Sixth Edition collects and distills this scholarship into a book that is readily accessible and relevant to today’s readers. Lips incorporates knowledge gained from a range of social sciences, taking a critical approach to empirical research. Throughout the book, she emphasizes culturally, racially, and sexually diverse perspectives. A discussion of the role that gender plays in social relationships and power hierarchies illuminates the experience of inequality between men and women in business, education, politics, and the media. The ideas presented in Sex and Gender will raise readers’ awareness of the issues contributing to that major social problem.