Summary of Introduction to Gender Studies

00:00:00 - 00:05:00

Gender studies is an interdisciplinary field concerned with the meaning and nature of gender. This field debates whether gender is biologically determined or socially constructed, and whether gender roles are intrinsic or social constructs. Gender studies scholars also discuss whether gender identity is a legitimate category, and whether new gender identities are legitimate or just made up.

• 00:00:00 Gender studies is an interdisciplinary field concerned with the meaning and nature of gender. There are two bold and italicized terms in this transcript, "interdisciplinary" and "gender." Interdisciplinary means that gender studies involves scholars from multiple different academic disciplines. Gender refers to the sexual identity and sexual orientation of an individual. Sexual identity is how an individual views themselves within the gender binary of male and female, and sexual orientation refers to an individual's sexual attraction. Within the field of gender studies, there are several terms used to describe sexual identity and sexual orientation. These terms include cisgender, transgender, homosexual, and bisexual.
• 00:05:00 Gender studies scholars debate whether gender is biologically determined or socially constructed. They also discuss whether gender roles are intrinsic or social constructs, whether gender identity is a legitimate category, and whether new gender identities are legitimate or just made up.