Gender Taxonomy

The gender taxonomy is a classification of the range of different levels at which humans vary in sexual characteristics. It is mainly used by medical specialists working in the area of sex research. John Money and Milton Diamond are probably the best known researchers in this field. Money earned his PhD for research into human hermaphroditism and pseudohermaphroditism, now known as intersex conditions. The taxonomy starts at the simplest, biological level and traces differentiations expressed at the increasingly complicated levels produced over the course of the human life cycle.

  • chromosomes (46,XX; 46,XY; 47,XXY ("Klinefelter's syndrome"); 45,X0 ("Turner syndrome"); 47,XYY; 47,XXX ("Triple X syndrome"); XXXX syndrome; XXXXX syndrome, 48,XXYY syndrome, 46,XX/XY mosaic, other mosaic, and others)
  • gonads (testes, ovaries, one of each, ovotestes, other types of gonadal dysgenesis)
  • hormones (androgens: including testosterone; estrogens, including estradiol, estriol, estrone; antiandrogens and others)
  • genitals (primary sexual characteristics — see diagram for the "six class system")
  • secondary sexual characteristics (dimorphic physical characteristics, other than primary characteristics)
  • brain structure (special kinds of secondary characteristics, due to their influence on psychology and behaviour)
  • gender identity (psychological identification with either of the two main sexes)
  • gender role (social conformity with expectations for either of the two main sexes)
  • erotic preference (gynephilia, androphilia, bisexuality, asexuality and various paraphilias).

Famous quotes containing the word gender:

    “Anthropologists have found that around the world whatever is considered “men’s work” is almost universally given higher status than “women’s work.” If in one culture it is men who build houses and women who make baskets, then that culture will see house-building as more important. In another culture, perhaps right next door, the reverse may be true, and basket- weaving will have higher social status than house-building.”
    —Mary Stewart Van Leeuwen. Excerpted from, Gender Grace: Love, Work, and Parenting in a Changing World (1990)