Final answer:
The things we do to consolidate the impression of being a man or woman is called 'doing gender.' It involves performance of tasks and behaviors as per societal gender norms, and not conforming to these can lead to negative social sanctions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The things we do to "consolidate the impression of being a man or woman" is called doing gender. This term refers to the performance of tasks based upon the gender assigned to us by society and, in turn, ourselves. It is not biological but is performed through language and other cultural practices, particularly those centered on the body. When individuals speak or behave in certain ways, they are socially performing their gender, whether consciously or unconsciously, which may or may not align with the gender dichotomy of male and female. Over time, these performances may cause shifts in the notions of gender itself.
Children also learn to mimic actions of significant others, a step towards developing a separate sense of self, and become agents who enforce normative gender expectations. Nonconformity to these roles can result in negative sanctions such as criticism or marginalization. Resisting such roles and expressing one's gender uniquely is part of a lifelong project, as described by anthropologist Daniel Jordan Smith in To Be a Man Is Not a One-Day Job, highlighting the complexities of gender performance and identity.