The main reason that we need to distinguish between 'sex and gender' is because many differences between and males and females are not biological in origin. But the need to distinguish between 'sex' and 'gender' has become more apparent in today's society, because of the increased number of people who choose to live their lives as members of the opposite sex. This has caused people to rethink some of their theories on 'sex' and 'gender'. It uses to be thought "That people are male or female can usually be judged by referring to biological evidence. That they are masculine or feminine cannot be judged in the same way: the criteria are cultural differing with time and place. The constancy of sex must be admitted, but so must also the variability of gender" (Oakley, 1972: 16). But now of course you can change those biological characteristics that distinguish what sex you are. So sex is no longer the constant state that it use to be, so n

The sex/gender distinction is a theory of natural difference. It states that (some of) the differences between the sexes are naturally given in the facts of human biology. Attendant upon these natural differences, in a variety of relationships to the biological facts depending on the point of view advanced, are cultural differences. The former set of differences are to be referred to as 'sex' and the latter as 'gender'. The foundation of this claim is that a distinction may be made between these two realms: the cultural and the biological. Which some argue is impossible and that is why they believe you can't separate 'sex' and 'gender'. They also believe that the sex/gender distinction dramatically advanced understanding in an under-theorised area and, for over twenty years, it has provided a problematic which enabled a rich stream of studies to be undertaken. But it is now time to think beyond its confines. To undertake such thinking is not to ignore the importance of human bodies but it does involve some critical inquiry into the integrity of the concept of gender itself.

Looking at both the arguments for distinguishing between 'sex' and 'gender' and for keeping them together, both have good ideas and make sense. But neither are conclusive so it is hard to make a conclusion.

In today's society a lot more people are choosing not to follow the stereotypic gender rolls. More people are deciding they would rather act in a different way to what society tells them they should act. Some males feel they would rather have feminine traits than the masculine ones society says they should have. While some females are adopting masculine traits. This is why there is a need to differentiate between 'sex' and 'gender' because now both seem to be changeable, and just because ones

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