Gender Differences Among Men and Women

Gender is a term that is not easily defined. It is a term that has great impact and is possibly one of the most debated issues in modern times. Gender has a different meaning in each society and also carries with it a time element. As time goes on, a society's definition of gender will surely change. There are many other key elements which define gender throughout different cultures. Specifically, external forces play a key role in defining gender within a society. External factors can range from the economy within a society, to the geographical location of a society, to the environment that surrounds a society, and to the type of government that controls or rules over a society. Many of these element or external factors will determine, in some way, what gender means to a society and what roles will be given to males and females within a society. These external factors can influence internal factors within a society. The external factors can effect one's beliefs, behaviors, and actions thus creating an ideal in which the rest of society attempts to follow.

Men and women have many gender related differences. In western culture, many of these differences are easily visible. Sports or athletic events are an area where gender differences are exaggerated to a visible extreme. Men generally compete in sports that require muscle and strength, while women generally compete in sports that require flexibility and finesse. Men play sports such as football, hockey, rugby, and basketball where physical strength is a requirement for nearly every player of each of the sports listed above. Most importantly, men compete in sports that garner a lot of attention, pay extremely high wages, and gain them fame and recognition, where as women compete in sports that are rarely watched, offer miniscule salaries, and garner very little, if any attention.