On Sex and Gender: Boys and girls, according to the nursery rhyme, are very different

Biologically, the origins of these differences are obvious. Males have one type of sex organ, females another. Only very rarely are people somewhere between the two. 

But how far can we take this distinction? How different are boys and girls in other characteristics, such as intelligence or kindness? 

What effect does puberty have? How different are adult men and women? 

And do our everyday views of the sexes reflect biological reality or do they owe more to the way we are brought up and what is expected from us? 

From pink blankets for girls to blue for boys, the idea of two distinct sexes is deeply ingrained and reinforced in culture. 

If there are genuine sex differences, what should we do about them? 

Do we play to each sex’s strengths with specific gender roles or attempt to create an even playing field? 

From genes to gender stereotyping, this Big Picture on Sex and Gender tries to find out whether, and why, boys will be boys and girls will be girls.

From the BigPicture

Issue 3, January, 2006