Which term refers to the social category of being male or female as defined by society?

• A. Ethnicity
• B. Culture
• C. Gender
• D. Diversity

Answer: (C)

Gender is about how society defines being male or female, shaping the roles, expectations, and identities attached to those categories. It isn’t just biology—it's a social construction that can vary across cultures and over time, influencing how people are treated, the opportunities they’re given, and the behaviors considered appropriate for each gender. This contrasts with sex, which refers to biological attributes. The other terms relate to different ideas: ethnicity concerns cultural background and ancestry; culture means the shared beliefs and practices of a group; diversity simply describes a range of different characteristics within a population. So the social category defined by society for male or female is gender.