Final answer:
Biological sex is determined by an individual's chromosomes, hormones, and reproductive anatomy, categorizing them as female or male based on XX or XY chromosomes. However, this categorization does not necessarily align with an individual's gender identity, which can differ from biological sex. The distinction between sex and gender underscores the biological diversity and spectrum of gender identities beyond just male and female.
Step-by-step explanation:
The biological influence by which people are defined as male or female is based on their biological sex. This is determined by a range of physical and physiological attributes including chromosomes, hormones, and reproductive anatomy. The term biological sex is often used to describe the categorization of individuals as female or male based on their XX or XY chromosomal makeup and corresponding primary and secondary sexual characteristics.
It is important to distinguish biological sex from gender identity, which refers to an individual's personal sense of identity as male, female, a blend of both, or neither, which may correlate with or differ from their biological sex. Societal expectations and cultural connotations often contribute to how sex and gender are perceived and expressed.
For many individuals, biological sex aligns with their gender identity. However, there are cases where an individual's gender identity does not align with the biological sex they were assigned at birth. Furthermore, some individuals may have intersex conditions, where their physical or genetic features do not conform to traditional definitions of male or female. This reveals the continuous spectrum of gender beyond just male and female, acknowledging biological diversity within these categories.