The word is also used as a synonym for sex, and the balance between these usages has shifted over time. In the mid-20th century, a terminological distinction in modern English (known as the sex and gender distinction) between biological sex and gender began to develop in the academic areas of psychology, sociology, sexology, and feminism. Before the mid-20th century, it was uncommon to use the word gender to refer to anything but grammatical categories. In the West, in the 1970s, feminist theory embraced the concept of a distinction between biological sex and the social construct of gender. The distinction between gender and sex is made by most contemporary social scientists in Western countries, behavioral scientists and biologists, many legal systems and government bodies, and intergovernmental agencies such as the WHO.
The word is also used as a synonym for sex and the balance between these usages has shifted over time In the mid-20th century a terminological distinction in modern English (known as the sex and gender distinction) between biological sex and gender began to develop in the academic areas of psychology sociology sexology and feminism Before the mid-20th century it was uncommon to use the word gender to refer to anything but grammatical categories In the West in the 1970s feminist theory embraced the concept of a distinction between biological sex and the social construct of gender The distinction between gender and sex is made by most contemporary social scientists in Western countries behavioral scientists and biologists many legal systems and government bodies and intergovernmental agencies such as the WHO