differences between men and women

Human Being

2022

We explain to you what are the differences between men and women today, in sexual, biological, psychological, social and political matters.

The differences between men and women are due to biological, historical and social factors.

What are the differences between men and women?

Our species is reproduces sexually, that is, individuals are born endowed with a well-differentiated biological sex, expressed in their physical and genital traits, as well as in the planned development in their DNA (and whose first differential steps are taken at puberty).

Thus, traditionally, men have been known as Humans of the male sex, that is, those endowed with sexual organs designed for insemination (a penis and testicles), and human beings of the female sex have been known as women, that is, those endowed with sexual organs designed for gestation (a vagina, a uterus and a few ovaries).

However, this difference is much more complicated than it seems at first glance since, unlike other animal species, the history of the humanity it is governed not only by biological imperatives, but also by historical, social and cultural ones.

In other words, the behavioral, social, political, aesthetic and even sex-affective roles that have traditionally been associated with the idea of ​​being a man or being a woman are different and do not come from the nature, but from the culture.

There are many theories as to why men and women occupy a certain place in the society. Some suppose that they are the cultural reflection of the biological conditions of the species, that is to say, that the biological differences between men and women created the cultural differences; Others explain that, on the contrary, these biological differences are the result of an adaptation process, the result of long socio-cultural models of the species.

Whichever explanation is preferred, the truth is that, broadly speaking, men have played a more leading role and can in societies, from Antiquity to the present, relegating women to a subordinate place. This has gradually changed thanks to the struggles feminists contemporary, but the place of each of the sexes in society is still a matter of debate.

And even at the beginning of the XXI century, there are social and political sectors that advocate for the elimination of said social, political and even behavioral differences, to build a society of persons, regardless of the biological sex they were born with.

Sex differences between men and women

The first level of differentiation - perhaps the most evident - between men and women is the one that distinguishes them by their sex, that is, by their biological configuration with regard to the reproduction. It is important to note that this differentiation only refers to biological issues and not to the gender identity.

As we have said, men are in charge of inseminating, that is, of introducing their reproductive cells into the female womb, while women are in charge of receiving them, so that they join with their own and then house the new individual fruit in their body. of procreation, during the nine months that the pregnancy lasts. To do this, each of their bodies are genitally and physiologically adapted, as follows:

Men Women
They have an erectile penis, which can be inserted into the vagina, and testicles that produce a substance (semen) loaded with cells reproductive. They also have a prostate, the organ responsible for the production of reproductive substances. They have a vagina that allows the erect penis to enter a uterus, where the reproductive cells from the ovaries come together to generate a new individual. In addition, they have a pair of breasts that serve to feed the young.
Their reproductive cells are spermatozoa, endowed with their own mobility and carrying half of their genetic load, characterized at a sexual level by the chromosomes XY. Their reproductive cells are the largest and immobile ovules, which carry half their genetic load, characterized sexually by the XX chromosomes.
Your reproductive functions are controlled by male hormones, particularly testosterone. Your reproductive functions are controlled by female hormones, primarily estrogens and progesterone.
They produce their sex cells continuously. They are born with the number of eggs they will have for life, but they mature at the rate of one per month.
Its reproductive function ends at the end of intercourse, after ejaculation. Their reproductive function continues beyond intercourse, during the nine months in which the new individual is gestated in the womb. This brings about significant changes in their body and physiology, culminating in childbirth, when the individual is expelled into the world to begin their independent physiological life.
They are unable to produce milk. After pregnancy, your breasts develop breast milk to feed the newborn during its first years of life.

Biological differences between men and women

In addition to merely reproductive differences, there are other traits that distinguish men from women, and which have to do with the functioning of their bodies and their configuration. Although, broadly speaking, men and women share the same set of organs and the same distribution of them in the body, with the exception of what refers to reproduction, as we have already seen.

These biological differences are generalizations and obviously may not apply to all individuals. They can be summarized as:

Men Women
They have larger and heavier, fibrous and muscular bodies, generally capable of a greater share of physical and athletic effort, but also more prone to wear and tear. They have smaller and lighter bodies, although with significant lipid deposits, designed for greater durability and long-term resistance.
They have more body and facial hair and a deeper voice. They have less amount of body and facial hair and a higher voice.
Their genitals are external, visible to the naked eye. Their genitals are internal, not visible to the naked eye beyond the vulva.
They tend to retain a temperature more homogeneous body and are less sensitive to cold. They tend to suffer from the cold more easily.
The onset of ejaculation is a milestone in their sexual maturation, even in involuntary episodes (nocturnal pollutions). Although their reproductive capacity declines over the years, they never completely lose their ability to fertilization. A milestone in their sexual maturation is the beginning of menstrual bleeding, a cycle that will last their entire reproductive life, until it is interrupted with menopause (and loss of fertility).
They have greater visual acuity, but less capacity to process simultaneous stimuli and less perception of the colors. They have lower visual acuity, but greater handling of colors and a better grip on shades. In addition, they are able to process multiple simultaneous stimuli in a better way.
They have larger brains, made up of more white than gray matter, a thin cortex, a larger amygdala, and a smaller hippocampus. They have denser brains, made up of more gray than white matter, a thicker cortex, a smaller amygdala, and a larger hippocampus.
They have a shorter life expectancy. They have a longer life expectancy.

Psychological differences

At the behavioral and thought level, the differences between men and women become more difficult to perceive, since they depend largely on unique factors, such as upbringing, society, culture, etc. Even so, there are certain general trends (not necessarily applicable to all individuals) that psychologists and neurologists have dedicated themselves to studying, such as:

Men Women
They tend to be more aggressive and competitive, with a greater capacity for focus and concentration. They tend to be more empathetic and understanding, with a greater and more complex emotional range, and a greater capacity for multiple handling of stimuli.
They tend to a more active libido, that is, to a more continuous and intense sexual desire. They tend to a more balanced libido, often interrupted or enhanced by the stages of the menstrual cycle (and / or pregnancy).
They are more prone to frustration, violence, action and depression. They have higher rates of suicide and homicide. They are less prone to violence, action, and have lower suicide and homicide rates. In general, women tend to be happier with their lives than men.
On average, they have a greater variety of Intelligence quotient: there is more male presence in the different groups (high and low) of the measurements. On average, they have a lower variety of IQ: women tend to have intelligence values ​​closer to the average.
They tend to be more suitable for reasoning logical and abstract, and to present lower values ​​of empathy and personal anguish. They tend to be more apt for verbal and aesthetic reasoning, as well as for communication, and to present higher values ​​of empathy and personal anguish.

Social and political differences

The social and political differences between men and women no longer have to do with their respective natures, but with the roles they are assigned in society, for whatever reason, and that usually define their participation in it.

This, of course, can vary greatly from one geographic region to another, or from one tradition cultural to the other, depending on how entrenched the sexism and the sexism inside. In other words, the following should not be interpreted as a "natural" order of things but as something that is observed in current societies but that is in the process of change:

Men Women
They tend to hold most positions of power in society, such as kings, priests, leaders community leaders family, company presidents, etc. They tend to play subordinate or assisting roles of the powerful, such as secretaries, assistants, wives, servants, etc.
Active, aggressive and outgoing roles tend to be imposed on them from childhood: conquerors, leaders, explorers, innovators, etc. They tend to be imposed passive, empathic and introverted roles from childhood: mothers, teachers, caregivers, nurses, etc.
In the traditional discourse of sex and courtship, the active role of the seducer is imposed on them and they are expected to always be ready for intercourse. In the traditional discourse of sex and courtship, the passive role of the seduced is imposed on them and they are expected to be selective when it comes to intercourse.
They are taught from an early age to suppress their emotionality (often understood as "weakness") and to communicate their sensitivities as little as possible. They are taught from an early age to value their emotionality and to depend on their sensitivities.
They are the most literate sector in the world (100 for every 88 women) and tend to hoard career development opportunities and high incomes. They are the least literate sector in the world (88 for every 100 men) and tend to be in charge of housework, child-rearing and have a low income.
They are much more prone to crime and especially to femicide (to the murder of women) and crimes of passion. They are much less prone to crime and often play the role of victims in crimes of passion and femicides.
Culturally, the masculine is associated with the sun and the day, that is, the visible, the obvious and the rational. It is represented by the sign ♂ (Mars). Culturally, the feminine is associated with the moon and the night, that is, with the hidden, the invisible, the instinctive or the intuition. It is represented by the sign ♀ (venus).
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