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Week 3 Forum – Gender Identity

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Week 3 Forum – Gender Identity

There are different major factors that can influence the way people develop their gender

identity. One of these is biological factors like hormones. Sex hormones play a huge part in

shaping people’s sexual identity at an early age. Scholars have noted that same sex hormones are

responsible for sexual organ differentiation (Swaab et al., 2021). Later on, these hormones are

what trigger puberty, demonstrating how they play a key role in shaping gender identity.

Normally, the androgen levels in boys are higher compared to girls.

Social factors like a child’s social environment and upbringing also influence gender

identity development. Children’s general self-concept, behaviors, preferences, and interests are

hugely influenced shaped by authority or parental figure teachings concerning sexual stereotypes

(Xia et al., 2019). Children are often trained that certain activities or traits are right or wrong to

engage in since they are a boy or a girl. These teachings often influence most of the decisions

that people make or the experiences they undergo in their future life. For example, girls who are

told that boys are innately good at math may show their disinterest in math and go ahead to

believe that they can never do well in that subject. Children learn secondarily, partly through

imitating and observing the actions of their primary caregivers. They normally copy and

internalize the things they see and replicate them in their own lives. Children brought up with

parents who followed strict gendered-stereotyped roles have higher chances of adopting those

roles.

The three links to strong messages that might influence a child’s gender identity

development include:

1. Gender identity: How to talk to children | First Five Years

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2. Positive gender messages through education in early childhood development.

(nitasharamparsad.com)

3. Children and gender identity: Supporting your child - Mayo Clinic

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References

Swaab, D. F., Wolff, S. E., & Bao, A. M. (2021). Sexual differentiation of the human

hypothalamus: Relationship to gender identity and sexual orientation. Handbook of

Clinical Neurology, 181, 427-443.

Xia, T., Gu, H., & Li, W. (2019). Effect of parents’ encouragement on reading motivation: The

mediating effect of reading self-concept and the moderating effect of gender. Frontiers in

psychology, 10, 609.