Gender and the Body

While biological differences certainly exist, significant scholarly work has indicated that observed differences between women and men result much more from social, not biological, processes, and women's characteristics are undervalued relative to men's in many societies. Cultural and structural forces focus attention, develop meaning, and assign value to female and male bodies. In turn, female and male bodies are used to construct and reinforce cultural notions of gender. These social forces affect women's and men's behaviors, life experiences, and life outcomes.