In contrast, gender is a socially constructed category and refers to one's sense of oneself as male or female. People use these terms even when newborn girls and boys look exactly the same. Such descriptions are based on gender. The distinction between sex and gender also can be illustrated by considering that many girls are tomboys, or biological girls who enjoy stereotypically male activities such as sports, fighting, and computer games. Children are socialized into gender roles by parents, peers, and the media.
Gender roles differ across different ethnic groups and across socioeconomic status.
We tend to evaluate people negatively who violate these culturally defined expectations. Similarly, Hilary Clinton has been evaluated negatively for being an active political leader, instead of conforming to a more domestic and traditional role. Because as a society we value masculinity more than femininity, males experience especially strong and early pressure to conform to gender stereotypes. Differences between men and women are partially due to biological differences between the sexes and partially due to gender differences that emerge due to the different socialization practices aimed at boys and girls. For instance, males are more aggressive than females overall.