Sex vs Gender: Are We there Yet? A Biological Location for Gender, not Sex.

The origins of bodily sex are understood but the origins of gender are not. While gonadal sex and sexual orientation are accepted as emanating from genetic and hormonal templates, gender’s existence currently has so far emanated from either social origins or a nebulous ‘somewhere’ in the brain. Research to date has left unexplained what seems indefinable – gender identity. It is arguable the lack of consensus on the origins of gender per se is problematic for research into gender identity. A physiological location for gender in the human phenotype may help advance this research further. This article synthesizes important research that has not previously presented a case for a biological location of gender in the reproductive axis. Without a consensus for the origins of gender, how can we fully understand gender identity.