Lesson 1 Gender and Human

Sexuality
Learning Targets
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to
1. differentiate the basic terms: sex, sexuality, and gender;
2. explain how sexuality becomes an important component of one’s
personality;
3. analyze the factors that affect one’s attitudes and practices related to
sexuality and sexual behaviors; and
4. discuss the different dimensions of human sexuality.

Getting Ready

Do you know the distinction between sex and gender? Study the com-
parisons below. On the line before each number, write G if the comparison
pertains to gender or S if it pertains to sex.
______ 1. Boys are rough; girls are gentle.
______ 2. Boys do not cry; girls cry most of the time.
______ 3. Boys’ voices break during puberty; girls’ voices do not.
______ 4. Nurses are women; doctors are men.
______ 5. When one thinks of an engineer, one hardly ever thinks
of a woman.
______ 6. Girls experience menstruation while boys experience
circumcision.
______ 7. Kindergarten teachers should be women; men are not
good at taking care of young children.
______ 8. Men can bottle-feed babies; women breastfeed babies.
______ 9. Girls are good at language and history; boys are good at
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math and science.

______ 10. Women get pregnant and give birth to babies; men do not.

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 Learn and Share

Sex and gender are two terms that are closely related but are actually
different; hence, one cannot be used as a substitute to the other.
Sex describes the biological and physical characteristics or body attributes,
particularly the body organs that define men and women. Examples of
sex characteristics for women are menstruation and lactating breasts while
testicles and massive bones are characteristics of men.
Gender, on the other hand, is the socially constructed roles, behaviors,
activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for
men and women. It is the combined attitude of men and women. As an
example of gender characteristic, in Saudi Arabia, men are allowed to
drive while women are not.
To keep it simpler, “male” and “female” are categories of sex while
“masculine” and “feminine” are categories of gender. These two play an
important role in one’s human sexuality.
Human Sexuality and Its Dimensions
Human sexuality is the total expression of who a person is. It includes
one’s sexual feelings, attractions, thoughts, preferences, and behavior.
Such expression is shaped by one’s family, culture, society, values, and
beliefs.
Human sexuality is part of the total personality of an individual. It involves
the interconnection of biological, physiological, and socio-cultural dimensions.
The figure below shows how the dimensions of human sexuality are
constantly interacting, thus influencing an individual’s total sexuality.

Dimensions of Human Sexuality

Biological Dimension Psychological Dimension Socio-Cultural Dimension

• sex • experiences • religion
• genetics • self-concept • multicultural differences
• reproduction • emotions • socio-economics
• anatomy • motivation
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• ethics
• physical appearance • body image • media
• growth and development • expressiveness • politics
• physiological cycle • learned attitudes
and changes and behaviors

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 A. Biological Dimension
Understanding sexuality starts with having the physiological know-
ledge of how one’s body works. The biological dimension of sexuality
is described as the physiological capabilities of one’s body, such
as his/her physical characteristics, capability to respond to sexual
stimulation, and ability to reproduce. One’s physiology involves his/
her physical appearance, responses to sexual excitement, and ability
to control fertility.
B. Psychological Dimension
Psychological dimension is described as the ability to understand the
concepts of sexuality depending on one’s experiences, concepts,
emotions, motivation, body images, impressiveness, and learned
attitudes and behavior. This dimension helps a teenager determine
what is right from wrong.
C. Socio-cultural Dimension
Socio-cultural dimension is described as the total perception of the
social and cultural influences involving sexuality. It affects one’s
thoughts and actions as a result of historical and contemporary
influences. It includes the roles of males and females influenced by
religious, cultural, and ethical factors.
The sexual activities of an individual are results of the interrelation among
the biological, psychological, and socio-cultural dimensions of sexuality.
Factors That Affect Adolescents’ Sexual Attitudes and Practices
Reproductive health and sexual attitudes are both a personal and a family
concern. A positive approach is required in dealing with human sexuality.
Correct understanding is important in dealing with complex factors that
influence an adolescent’s sexual attitudes and practices. Depending on
the response of an adolescent, two possible outputs may occur: it may
lead to appropriate sexual behavior or it may put the adolescent at risk to
experience sexual and reproductive health problems.
An adolescent’s sexual attitudes and practices may be influenced by his/
her family, the mass media, friends or peer groups, religion, and school.
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Family
Parents play a vital role in the formation of concepts about human sexuality.
They teach their children the correct moral behavior.

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 Mass Media
Adolescents are greatly influenced by mass media. Information and values
shown in different media, such as the television, radio, newspapers, magazines,
and even the social media, shape the youth’s sexual attitudes and practices.
Teenagers must therefore be aware of the types of information and values they
are absorbing from the media.

Friends

Adolescents confide in, trust, listen, and converse with friends more than
their family members and teachers. Their friends’ counsel greatly affects their
concept of sexuality.

Religion

Spirituality and religion form every individual’s set of values and beliefs,
including the concepts of identity, virginity, morality, and belongingness.

School
Adolescents are in school most of the time. School programs, lessons, and
teachers can influence students about morally appropriate attitude on the
matters of sexuality.

Activity

What I Have Been Told and What I Believe

A. Under “What I Have Been Told about Sexuality,” write your beliefs, or
ideas about sexuality as told by each group. Then, in the second table
on the next page, write your own beliefs about sex and sexuality.

What I Have Been Told about Sexuality

1. Friends

2. Family
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3. Media

4. Religion

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 What I Believe about Sex and Sexuality

B. Answer the following questions.

1. What is the difference between sex and gender?

2. What is human sexuality?


3. Why is human sexuality both an individual and a family concern?


4. Explain how the three dimensions interplay in human sexuality.

Keep in Mind

 Sex pertains to the biological and physical characteristcs of an

individual.
 Gender pertains to the role, behavior, or the kinds of activities one
performs in the society.
 Human sexuality refers to the experiences and behavior of a person
regarding sex.
 Human sexuality is influenced by three dimensions: biological
dimension, psychological dimension, and socio-cultural dimension.
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 Family, friends, school, religion, and mass media are the factors that
affect an adolescent’s sexual attitudes and practices.

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 Evaluation

Answer the following questions in two to three sentences.

1. How do religion and values influence the sexual behavior of an

adolescent?



2. How does psychological dimension affect one’s behavior towards
sexuality?



3. How does the family influence the understanding of an adolescent
about sexuality?



4. How does the mass media affect the attitudes and practices of an
adolescent?

Values Integration

Reflect on this statement. Then, share your thoughts.

Much of sexuality is influenced and shaped by pop culture or modern
ways of living especially by the mass media.
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